Tipton Harriers

Membership 2021/22 (28/03/2021)

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Published: 28 Mar 2021

Membership rates for the coming year are published below.  The "Part Rate" is for members who paid membership fees last year.  Members who did not renew their membership last year, or new members need to pay the full rate.  Payment can be made by bank transfer, or by cash or cheque on club nights.

Please complete your details on the on-line form below, but if your details have not changed from last year just drop us an email confirming payment, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

On-line Membership form

Membership Rates

 For enquiries please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

On-line Membership form

By becoming a member of Tipton Harriers you agree to abide by the rules of the club and the club's codes of conduct.

Club Rules

Code of Conduct for Juniors / Parents

Code of Conduct for Senior Athletes

Sprint Start (06/04/2021)

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Published: 6 Apr 2021

April 3rd saw Jamal Chambers head to Stretford for some sprint events. In his 100m race, the eighth, he was 2nd in 11.06s. Over 200m he was again 2nd in 22.23s.

Eligibility 04/2021 (06/04/2021)

Details

Published: 16 Mar 2021

Here are this months' decisions April

Joan Sephton - Dedicated Pioneer Harrier (06/04/2021)

Details

Published: 1 Mar 2021

Jackie Cliff, of Wall Heath, contacted us recently about her Aunt who was a member of Tipton Harriers in the mid 1950’s. Her name was Joan Mary Sephton.

Tipton Harriers, like many clubs of that era, were predominantly made up of men and the sport was generally segregated both administratively and for competitions.

As far back as August 1937 the Midland Women’s Amateur Athletic Association, the area governing body founded in 1925, had written to the club about the possible formation of a ladies section. The Honorary Secretary was instructed at that time to “reply that we had no conveniences for a Ladies Section.”

It was to be another 14 years before there were again suggestions, this time from within the Club, that a ladies section should be formed in 1951 with Joe Gripton bringing the matter to the General Committee on many occasions. It kept being “put back” to the next meeting.

In December 1951 Tipton Harriers & Staffordshire County Coaching Secretary Mr H Hughes staged a talk (by Jack Holden) and some films were shown on sprinting and middle distance running. The preview in the Tipton Herald stated rather grandly that “The club extends a hearty welcome to everyone particularly ladies interested in athletics.”

Nothing seems to be formalised with matters continually minuted in 1952 as being “deferred”. At one point in August 1952 it was reported that there were 25 names down for a ladies section but by October it was frustratedly shelved again.

It came back to the table in April 1954 when at last a Sub Committee was established to progress matters.

By June things were clearly developing as on 10/06/1954 formal agreement that there would be five ladies representatives on General Committee. Those on the Ladies Sub Committee were named as: A Flavell; A J Brown; H Hughes and E Griffiths. A Flavell appears to be Secretary. We know H Hughes had a coaching interest.

It was from here we begin to pick up on more references to training, participation and performances. The Tipton Herald carried a small feature in June 1954 that mentioned the Ladies getting their “first practice runs”.

We know that the Ladies training was scheduled for Monday & Fridays at 7:30PM at the Club Headquarters on Sedgley Road East. The men had their sessions on Tuesdays; Thursdays & Sundays. In summer months training was commonly on the Vono Sports Ground.

By July Mr A Flavell reported to the General Committee that membership was around 20. Whilst training for the ladies was billed as separate from the men in reality both sexes were working out alongside each other.

1954 had seen the Empire Games and European Championships at which British women had met with some success and athletics. Through the likes of Roger Bannister breaking the 4 minute barrier in May, athletics was riding a wave of attention and success not seen for many years.

It also saw the publication of a book called Women’s Athletics by George Pallett that documented the development of the sport as well as giving guidance on training. This remains a classic.

Staffordshire born Diane Leather, the girl from Birchfield Harriers, had broken the 5 minute barrier for the mile 4m 59.6s at the Midland Women’s AAA’s Track & Field Championships staged at Alexander Stadium on 29/05/1954. Birchfield Harriers were at the forefront of developing women’s athletics forming a dedicated section in 1921.

Events available to female athletes at the time were drastically different to those we now take for granted. The longest track events allowed at championships would have been no more than 880 yards or sometimes a mile.

Perhaps inspired by feats of the likes of Diane Leather, Joan Sephton and more local Tipton women and girls were experimenting with, and enjoying, the sport of track & field athletics.

Joan Mary Sephton was born in 1937 the daughter of Percy & Evelyn from Walker Street, Tipton. She was one of two children. What started her off in athletics we will never know.

We know Joan enjoyed athletics at school as she is seen here winning a sprint event at her School Sports. She had also excelled in the High Jump & Sprint Hurdles.

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RIP Mark Davies (19/03/2021)

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Published: 19 Mar 2021

We are saddened to learn of the death this week of our former treasurer Mark Davies.  Mark was never an athlete but as a result of his son Sam joining the club he became one of the tireless volunteers that the sport relies on.   It's a double blow for Sam, who has now lost both parents to cancer, his mother Sue, passing away in July last year.

Brain Tumour Research carried an article by Mark about Sue, you can read it HERE

Our thoughts are with Sam, and his family.

RIP Brian Boyce (16/03/2021)

Details

Published: 16 Mar 2021

We were saddened to hear recently of the death of Brian Boyce on January 22^nd 2021 at the age of 88.

Brian was one of the longest supporters of the Harriers as an athlete and member. He went along in early October 1948 a callow youth of 16. Save for a brief spell in the early 1960’s, when he joined Stourbridge & Wordsley Harriers, he was to be forever associated with Tipton Harriers right through to the 2010’s.

Brian was born on 4^th February 1932 the only son of Wilson & Kitty Boyce. His birth in Dudley was to give him a Worcestershire county qualification later in his athletic career though he also ran in many Staffordshire county championships as well. This diversity was brought about we believe by the changes in municipal boundaries.

He was at Dudley Grammar School for his main education and it was there some of his pals encouraged him to try the Harriers out.

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Fixtures 2021 (05/03/2021)

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Published: 5 Mar 2021

Although the sport is still shutdown, a number of organisers are planning for a summer of track and field.  These are the meetings that are currently known about, but please bear in mind these are all provisional.  Email us if you would like your event adding. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dates and venues for track and field leagues are still being finalized, but are expected to take place.

Fixtures 2021

Derricott Connections (29/01/2021)

Details

Published: 29 Jan 2021

We were contacted recently via the club website to see if we had any information on a past member from the late 1920’s and 1930’s.

The contact came from Loraine Hoar, once of Hurst Hill, now long term resident of Cornwall, who is the granddaughter of William Joseph Derricott. He was known as Joe.

Joe was the son of James Henry Derricott and Sarah Elizabeth Derricott (nee Mills) who married in 1909. James being 24 and Sarah 26. James was a stoker at Ocker Hill. Sarah’s family ran a butchers shop (Joseph Mills) in Tipton based on the High Street (No.46). They had two children, Joe and his elder sister Edie.

Joe was born in April 1914 (14/04/1914) in Swan Village. He went to school at Mount Pleasant, Coseley. It was here that he found he enjoyed running and had some success in schools races.

Having already had contacts within the club through his uncle Solomon “Sol” Derricott it was perhaps natural for him to join the Harriers. Another uncle was WE “Bill” Patrick one of the respected officers of the club and also in the wider world of athletics in general during this era.

From the club’s minute books we have found that Joe was accepted as a member of the Harriers at a General Committee Meeting held on 20^th November 1929. He would have then been just 15 years old.

Joe was to become a key member of the Harriers’ Youth teams in early 1930’s. He, along with J Rea & S Hale, were the scorers in the winning team in the Midland Counties Championships in 1931. He repeated the gold medal achievement in the Midland Youths at Arley Colliery, Nuneaton in 1932 with G Rew & F Hill. It was noted in a minute of a Committee Meeting after that event that Joe & G Williamson from Tipton Harriers were leading the race with a mile to go but lost the trail & went off course.

Midland Counties Youth’s Cross Country Championships 1932

Left To Right:- Jack Baker (Club Trainer); G Rew (No.38); Joe Derricott (No.37); F Hill (No.40); G Williamson (No.39) and Mr Flavell

He trained with, learned from and, no doubt, raced alongside the likes of seasoned internationals Jack Holden and the Kay brothers.

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