Hillingdon Athletic Club is a British athletics club based in Uxbridge, west London and Ruislip, northwest London, England. The club's headquarters and clubhouse are based at 206 Bury Street in Ruislip but training and racing takes place at the Hillingdon Athletics Stadium in Uxbridge. The club train five days per week and is affiliated with UK Athletics, the South of England AA and Middlesex County AA.
History
The club's origins date back to 1877 when a group called the Gentlemen of Hampstead founded the Finchley Harriers following a meeting at the North Star Tavern. The first run took place 8 November 1879.
In 1899 and 1900 Charles Bennett won the individual title at the English National Cross Country Championships, while the Harriers won the team title in 1900 in Rotherham. Bennett went on to win the club's first Olympic medals at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris.
In 1933, the Finchley Harriers introduced the Finchley Road Race, which became a prestigious event and was later renamed the Hillingdon 20.
Shortly after World War II in 1946, Roger Bannister joined the club before moving to University and in 1949 the original clubhouse on Bury Street was built by the Finchley Harriers.
In 1951, Ruislip and Northwood Athletics Club was founded but later merged with Finchley Harriers to form the Hillingdon Athletic Club on 1 October 1966. Further clubs merged with Hilllingdon AC afterwards (Hillingdon and Harlington AC in 1970, Uxbridge & District Ladies in 1990 and Brunel Juniors in 2006).
In 1976 the current clubhouse on Bury Street was built and the Don Hirst Trust Fund was set up in 1985.
In 2006 the Athletics Stadium was opened by Queen Elizabeth II.
Honours English National Cross Country Championships team winners: 1900 English National Cross Country Championships individual winners: 1899, 1900
Notable athletes Olympians AthleteClubGamesEventsMedals/RefCharles Bennett Finchley Harriers1900marathon, steeplechase, team raceFrederick Randall Finchley Harriers1900marathonFrederick Ashford Finchley Harriers1908800mMeyrick Chapman Finchley Harriers1908100mEric Shirley Finchley Harriers1956, 1960steeplechaseFrank Salvat Finchley Harriers19605000mFrances SlaapRuislip & Northwood AC1960, 1964high jumpPat Pryce-NuttingRuislip & Northwood AC/Hillingdon AC1960, 1964, 196880m hurdlesGwenda MatthewsRuislip & Northwood AC1964high jumpDavid HemeryHillingdon AC1968, 1972400mH, relayBarry KingHillingdon AC1972 decathlonPaul DickensonHillingdon AC1976, 1980 hammerMark NaylorHillingdon AC1980, 1984 high jumpAlec LeonceHillingdon AC1988 bobsleighJulia BleasdaleHillingdon AC2012 5,000/10,000m English unless stated
Commonwealth Games AthleteClubGamesEventsMedals/RefLen Carter Ruislip & Northwood AC1962 relayJohn Adey Finchley Harriers1966 4x400 relay Peter Gabbett Hillingdon AC1970decathlonMike Campbell Hillingdon AC 1970 high jumpJohn Hillier Hillingdon AC1974, 1978 discusGraham Gower Hillingdon AC1974 110m hurdles
References