History for all ... especially those interested in athletics.

Photograph Quiz.

Photo no 241:- Of all these lads, which one’s mother wrote to David Bedford sympathising with him when he was being hung out to dry by the British media????

Dear Blog,

               As you may know Blog, I have spent eons researching ‘The History of Coventry Godiva Harriers and other club in the city during the last 140 years’. Various individual topics have meant specific investigation because of their peculiar contribution to the club’s existence and development. Focusing not on athletic records, which tend to be a great big yawn and a definite turn off for all but the most avid athletic anorak, I have focused on the threads which have been instrumental to the Godiva Harriers survival and their improvement in performance. The main strands of influences can be listed as educational, industrial, philanthropic, political [a small and large ‘P’], social and geographical. Particular specific events have also had an impact, not least the two World Wars.

              Having done considerable work on the recruitment of Godiva’s and other city club’s athletes, tracing their exploits and fates I fully expected that there would be some academic and some not so academic works available for inspection…….. Blog, I kid you not when I say I despair of the standard of work that appears to have been done. A couple of Ph.D. submissions which I would have demanded a rewrite had I been in charge. Other less academic tracts are an embarrassment! I really do wonder where this dumbing down will end … the history programmes I have witness on the television set have an academic rating less than zero.

            So what to do with my tomb??? Most interviewees cannot understand why a book on the local athletic scene is not forthcoming from me. It is difficult to explain to them that such a project is economically not viabile. Any such book would have a very limited appeal. So short of self-publication, it is a non-starter unless a rich fairy with more money than sense pops round for a coffee!!

         On the other hand, for some time I have also been writing of the exploits of a club which had a very short existence ..and the metamorphosed club fared no better. It is the personal connection which is the appeal! So I might try a pamphlet …. Watch this space, but don’t hold your breath, Blog!!

        And on the third hand …. They say you wait a long time for a bus to come and then two come along together. Well, for no apparent reason, in the last two weeks, four descendants of Godiva Harriers have contacted me with some very interesting items …. My poor wife now has to manage without me while I go into a period of purdah to record all the nice new information!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                    Colin