In todays Herald Doug Gillon recounts the story of a trophy that was donated in 1903 by the owner of Glasgow's well known sports shop Lumleys which was taken over some years ago by Hawks current sponsor Greaves Sports.On one occasion the event for this famous trophy actually took place over Anniesland more of which later

THE HERALD REPORTS
Trophy takes spectator’s role as plans are shelved
DOUG GILLON, Athletics Correspondent March 18 2008
They did not win the team title at Nottingham on Saturday, but the East of Scotland squad returned north by bus with one of British sport's most valuable trophies. Indeed, the athletes should probably have come home in a security truck.

Apart from having been on display at the Welsh cross country centenary, and the European championships in Edinburgh in 2003, the Lumley Trophy has been resident in a bank vault since 1972, when England won the international championship team event at Cambridge, last before the world body took over the event.

It was made for the very first international championship, staged on Hamilton race course in 1903. The cost, 65 guineas (£68.25 in today's money) was borne by Fred Lumley, proprietor of a Sauchiehall Street sports shop (now occupied by Greaves). For details of the cost we are grateful to Colin Shields, a sport historian who unearthed the data for his definitive Scottish cross country centenary history, Whatever the Weather.


The trophy is solid silver and bears the national emblems of Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, France and Belgium. There are scrolls on the side for the winners and the athletes in these teams. The shield is enclosed in an airtight fumed oak case, with a bronze ornament mounted on top.

"It's enormous - heavy and unwieldy - and difficult to deal with," said Ian Byett, secretary of the England Cross Country Association. "It has been in a Birmingham bank vault for many years and hasn't been revalued for some time."

Lumley's trophy is worth rather more than 65 guineas now. The last known valuation was £78,000.

Throughout the 70 years it was presented, Scotland never managed to win it. "Plans to put it up for the Home Countries Championship a week on Saturday have been shelved," said Geoff Wightman, chief executive of scottishathletics. "Despite its size, there's no space for new names, so it will go on display at the World Championships."

The home countries event, last staged in 1990, is being revived as part of the championship weekend at Holyrood.

This article was originally posted on 18-Mar-2008, 08:41 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 18-Mar-2008, 23:48.