The Beginning
At the close of the 19th century, a group of athletes from the Sussex Coast formed the
Brighton & County Harriers. Among them was J Stanley Lyon, a Broadwater man working for
Paine Manwaring. Lyon set a 10-mile record that stood for many years. His Silver Cup,
hall-marked 1890, was later donated to the club by his son in 1964.

Formation of the Worthing Branch
After the First World War, a small group of local athletes from the Brighton & County Harriers
began training at the St Paul’s Church youth club. By November 1921, the number of
members had grown enough to establish a Worthing Branch of the Brighton & County
Harriers. The branch was officially formed on the 18th of November at a meeting at 42
Richmond Road. James Grevatt was elected Chairman and Les Hartland Secretary.

At this stage, members paid their subscriptions directly to Brighton. To fund their activities,
the branch organised an annual Christmas draw, which raised 15 pounds, 1 Shilling and 6
Pence, and an annual dance, which brought in an additional few pounds. However, the
committee had to borrow 36 shillings from member L Hogbin to hire the backroom of the
Cricketers Pub, from Mrs Medlock, the licensee, as a cross-country headquarters until
Easter.

Early Competitions and Cups
The branch’s early competitions were marked by the introduction of two important cups. The
Grevatt Cup, named after the Chairman, was established for a 5-mile Cross-Country
Handicap, and the Grevatt Challenge Cup followed for a 7-mile Cross-Country Handicap.
The first Grevatt Cup race took place on 14th January 1922, with 13 members taking part.
Harold Bone, a long-time supporter of the club until his death in 1984, won the inaugural
race. Harold also won the first Grevatt Challenge Cup in 1923.

Formation of Worthing and District Harriers
By 1927, the Worthing branch had grown to 36 members. During the 7th Annual General
Meeting at Worthing Sports Ground on 29th April, a lengthy discussion took place under the
chairmanship of J. Grevatt regarding the possibility of dissolving the branch and forming a
dedicated Worthing Harriers Club. Following a proposal by A.L. Jones, seconded by E.J.
Hills, the motion was passed with 19 votes to 2, with 2 abstentions.

Brighton & County were indignant that the new club required approval from the Amateur
Athletic Association (AAA) before approaching them, apologies were made duly and it was
clarified that the formation of the new club was not motivated by animosity toward Brighton &
County. Instead, it stemmed from the feeling that, as a branch, they were not receiving the
local support they deserved from a population of 30,000 to 40,000, and that a dedicated
Worthing Harriers club would better represent the town.

However, the minutes of earlier meetings show that there had been some frustration within
the branch. Members felt there was little encouragement to compete in Brighton’s races. For
example, one member, Mr Wiltshire, entered a series of races at Brighton for the Hacker
Cup, spending 10 shillings on train fares, only to finish second overall without receiving a
prize.

Two of the branch’s leading athletes had differing views on the matter. George Mumford,
who had led the branch in a 6-mile race against Brighton Tramways AC in March, decided to
remain with Brighton & County. (Yes, Brighton had Trams)

In contrast, Edgar Geal, who had won the Sussex County AAA marathon from Preston Park
to Worthing and back at the age of 36, chose to join the new Worthing Harriers club. Geal
was already well-known for his impressive performance in the 1920 Poly marathon, where
he finished 4th despite cycling to London and back the same day to compete. His son,
Eddie, later competed for Worthing Harriers, as did his grandson.

Thus, the foundation of Worthing Harriers was laid, setting the stage for the club’s future
successes and contributions to the local athletics scene.

On Friday, 6th May 1927, the Worthing and District Harriers were officially formed at a
meeting held at St. Paul’s Parish Rooms, Richmond Road. The meeting, chaired by Mr. J.
Grevatt, saw around 20 attendees, mostly former members of the Worthing branch of the
Brighton and County Harriers.

Selection of Key Officials
The first order of business was the election of key officials for the new club. Mr. R.B.
Hughes, the former honorary secretary of the Brighton and County Harriers, was
unanimously elected as the new club’s secretary. He was thanked for his previous
contributions, with Mr. A.V. Stewart proposed the vote of thanks. Mr. Hughes expressed his
gratitude and confirmed his ongoing commitment to promoting athletics in Worthing and
beyond, stating that any suggestions he had made in the past were always aimed at
improving the sport in the county.

Mr. H.R. Elliot was also thanked for his role as assistant honorary secretary and was
re-elected to serve in the same position. Mr. J. Grevatt and Mr. E.J. Hills were likewise
acknowledged for their help in establishing the new club.

The other officers elected were:

● Treasurer: Mr. J. Grevatt
● Cross Country Captain: Mr. A.L. Hayward
● Track Captain: Mr. J. Punter
● Hon. Auditors: Mr. G.J. Gardiner and Mr. E.J. Hills
● Committee Members: Mr. R. Hughes Senior, A.E. Stent, A.R. Kennedy, George E.
Foley, and C.J. Gardiner

Gaining Local Support
One of the key motivations behind forming the new club was to gain more local support for
athletics in Worthing. This aim quickly proved successful, as Earl Winterton agreed to
become the club’s president. Other early vice-presidents included Mr. Gordon Leeney
(Mayor of Worthing and President of the Rotary Club), Mr. H.F. Carmichael, and Mr. A.V.
Stewart. Stewart, who had been a vice-president of the Brighton and County Harriers since
the Worthing branch began, was also made a vice-president of the new club, with all
Worthing athletes recognising his invaluable contributions.

Membership and Fees
The membership fees for the new Worthing and District Harriers were set as follows:

● Senior Members: 3s 6d (3 Shillings and 6 Pence)
● Under 18: 2s 6d (2 Shillings and 6 Pence)
● Under 16: 1s (1 Shilling)

Membership forms and further information were available from the honorary secretary,
whose address was ‘Lilyville’, 41 Henty Road, Worthing.
The club’s colours were chosen to be green and white.

Dissolution of the Worthing Branch
On Saturday, 7th May 1927, the Worthing branch of the Brighton and County Harriers was
formally dissolved during a general meeting in Brighton. The club’s property was handed
over to the newly formed Worthing and District Harriers. The Brighton and County Harriers
expressed full support for the new club and acknowledged the benefits of establishing a
dedicated Worthing athletics club. Some former Worthing members, however, chose to
retain their second-claim membership with the Brighton and County Harriers.

With the formation of the Worthing and District Harriers, the town’s athletics community took
a significant step forward, setting the stage for future growth and success.