Robert Bridge

Robert Bridge
Robert Bridge
Robert Bridge
226975
sch19082008004
Robert Bridge
Robert (Bob) Bridge
Robert Bridge was the oldest of 15 children from Lathom, and moved to Chorley in about 1898 where he was a postman and later worked in a dental practice. Robert had a passion for athletic sports and became a self-taught, home trained walker. At the 1912 Olympics in Stockhlom, he took part in the 10km walk, but was disqualified (Robert's left arm was deformed at birth, which led to suspicions about his walking style and was a possible reason for his disqualification). In the 1913 season, he beat all competition and became Northern Amateur and International Walking Champion. In 1914, he covered 1 mile in 7 min, 21 and 3/5ths seconds to take the world record. He said "My greatest ambition is to win the Olympic Games walking contest for England in 1916". Unfortunately, he was never to achieve this as the 1916 games, to be hosted in Berlin, did not take place because of the war. Robert was the Amateur Athletic Association champion for 1912, 1913 and 1914 over two miles and seven miles and in 1919 retained the two miles championship. Tragically, in a motorcycle accident in 1926, he lost one of the legs that had carried him to fame as an athlete. Although crippled he continued to act as umpire at athletic events until he was 70. He left Chorley to go into business in Liverpool where he died in July 1953. See the Chorley Guardian 06/09/1913, 21/05/1954 & 15/01/1970.
Photographic print
Monochrome
11.4/15.6 cm
c1912
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George Birtill Collection
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