3-011-479 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Athletic sports by the Westminster scholars in their playground, Vincent-square, [London]: the hurdle race, 1864. 'The public exhibition of these performances...proved sufficiently interesting to attract a numerous and fashionable company of spectators, including, of course, many of the relatives and friends of the young gentlemen at the school...The programme included a flat race of 150 yards, open to all; a second race, for small boys only; and a race of 500 yards; but the grand contest was a half-mile race, with eight hurdles to leap at the finish, and this was won by Mr. F. Giles, Mr. Lucas coming in second and Mr. Walker thud. Our Engraving represents an incident of this race. There was another hurdle-race of 100 yards, with eight hurdles 3 ft. high, for the younger boys; besides which there were contests in jumping, with and without the pole, which afforded good proof of the bodily strength and agility of the Westminster scholars'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.