At 10 pm on Wednesday 28 May 1913, twelve men started the
Parish Walking Match to each of the Isle of Man’s 17 Parish Churches. The only
prescribed route from the start at the Palace Ballroom on Douglas Promenade was
via Broadway, York Road to the Quarter Bridge and Braddan Church. Thereafter
the entrants could choose their own course between churches and back to
Douglas. Harry Bridson was the first of just four walkers who covered the
estimated 79 miles.
The promoter was the Isle of Man Times. It was quite common
for British newspapers to support long distance events to boost readership. For
example, a national Sunday newspaper that nowadays covers little other than
football on its sports pages, donated the winner’s trophy for the Manchester to
Blackpool walk. Large crowds gathered for the early parts of the Parish Walk
but it was only when the promoter’s newspapers were published that most people
learnt the results.
100 years, 24 days and 10 hours later, around 1,500 walkers
will commence a similar challenge. The distance is now fixed at 85 miles with a
few course changes over the years to accommodate the increased levels of
participation. The printed results and
stories are still in demand but much of the information is almost
instantaneous. Radio stations broadcast
from the start and throughout the 24 time limit, mobile phone technology will
allow spectators to share stories and photos on social media sites and around
30 minutes after the flag has dropped the first photos of the walkers will be
available to download.
Manx Telecom is the title sponsor and its involvement has
since 2006 facilitated the electronic recording of each walker’s progress to be
transmitted via its network to display around the world and sent to mobile
phones nominated by each entrant.
The second Parish Walk in 1923 was a challenge match and the
challenger, George Bridson saw off his unrelated namesake Harry. The following
year George Bridson was again the only finisher as his challenger, Marshall
Braide failed to finish.
In 2005 Dermot O’Toole published “A Walk Through Time” – the
definite history of the Parish Walk. His
book, which is to be updated, expanded and republished later this year,
includes some wonderful photos of the dress style of the early walkers. Whilst there remains a variety of racing
garments, and they vary according to the weather, the serious contestants will
dress much as track athletes in vest and shorts. Similarly “hearty breakfasts”
and similar refreshments stops have been replaced with regular but smaller
intakes of food and drinks. And there are definitely no walking sticks!
The Parish Walk has been held 54 times in the last century.
It was not until 1960 that it returned as an open event organised by the Manx Amateur
Athletic Association (later renamed the Manx Athletic Club) who promoted it
until 1964. After a two year break Boundary Harriers took over the organisation
and they merged with Manx AC in 1991 to become Manx Harriers, the organisers
since 1992.
Since 1960, 1438 men and 457 women have walked the whole 85
miles – a grand total of 1,895.
Date and start time
|
Male
|
Female
|
Male
|
Female
|
Total
|
Friday 13 May 1960
|
20:00
|
18:30
|
4
|
4
|
|
Friday 28 Apr 1961
|
19:00
|
17:30
|
9
|
9
|
|
Friday 27 Apr 1962
|
20:00
|
18:30
|
6
|
6
|
|
Friday 26 Apr 1963
|
20:00
|
18:30
|
4
|
2
|
6
|
Friday 17 Apr 1964
|
20:00
|
18:30
|
5
|
1
|
6
|
Saturday 06 May 1967
|
19:00
|
18:55
|
7
|
7
|
|
Saturday 04 May 1968
|
19:00
|
18:55
|
4
|
4
|
|
Saturday 31 May 1969
|
19:00
|
18:55
|
10
|
10
|
|
Saturday 23 May 1970
|
19:00
|
18:55
|
3
|
3
|
|
Saturday 22 May 1971
|
19:00
|
18:55
|
10
|
10
|
|
Saturday 20 May 1972
|
19:00
|
18:55
|
7
|
7
|
|
Saturday 12 May 1973
|
20:00
|
19:55
|
6
|
6
|
|
Saturday 25 May 1974
|
15:00
|
14:55
|
3
|
3
|
|
Saturday 24 May 1975
|
15:00
|
14:30
|
5
|
5
|
|
Saturday 22 May 1976
|
15:00
|
14:30
|
4
|
4
|
|
Saturday 28 May 1977
|
15:00
|
14:30
|
1
|
1
|
|
Saturday 20 May 1978
|
15:00
|
14:30
|
7
|
1
|
8
|
Saturday 12 May 1979
|
18:00
|
17:30
|
6
|
6
|
|
Saturday 14 Jun 1980
|
15:00
|
14:30
|
6
|
1
|
7
|
Saturday 20 Jun 1981
|
15:00
|
14:30
|
9
|
9
|
|
Saturday 19 Jun 1982
|
15:00
|
14:30
|
8
|
8
|
|
Saturday 18 Jun 1983
|
15:00
|
14:30
|
9
|
1
|
10
|
Saturday 16 Jun 1984
|
15:00
|
14:30
|
7
|
7
|
|
Saturday 15 Jun 1985
|
15:00
|
14:30
|
15
|
15
|
|
Saturday 21 Jun 1986
|
12:00
|
11:30
|
14
|
14
|
|
Saturday 20 Jun 1987
|
12:00
|
11:30
|
13
|
13
|
|
Saturday 18 Jun 1988
|
12:00
|
11:30
|
6
|
6
|
|
Saturday 17 Jun 1989
|
12:00
|
11:30
|
9
|
3
|
12
|
Saturday 16 Jun 1990
|
12:00
|
11:30
|
6
|
6
|
|
Saturday 22 Jun 1991
|
12:00
|
11:30
|
7
|
2
|
9
|
Saturday 20 Jun 1992
|
11:30
|
11:30
|
15
|
1
|
16
|
Saturday 19 Jun 1993
|
11:30
|
11:30
|
12
|
12
|
|
Saturday 18 Jun 1994
|
11:30
|
11:30
|
12
|
12
|
|
Saturday 24 Jun 1995
|
12:00
|
12:00
|
10
|
1
|
11
|
Saturday 22 Jun 1996
|
12:00
|
12:00
|
18
|
1
|
19
|
Saturday 21 Jun 1997
|
12:00
|
12:00
|
19
|
5
|
24
|
Saturday 20 Jun 1998
|
12:00
|
12:00
|
26
|
9
|
35
|
Saturday 19 Jun 1999
|
12:00
|
12:00
|
17
|
4
|
21
|
Saturday 17 Jun 2000
|
10:00
|
10:00
|
30
|
6
|
36
|
Saturday 23 Jun 2001
|
10:00
|
10:00
|
36
|
8
|
44
|
Saturday 22 Jun 2002
|
10:00
|
10:00
|
52
|
11
|
63
|
Saturday 21 Jun 2003
|
09:00
|
09:00
|
48
|
16
|
64
|
Saturday 19 Jun 2004
|
09:00
|
09:00
|
74
|
26
|
100
|
Saturday 25 Jun 2005
|
09:00
|
09:00
|
67
|
31
|
98
|
Saturday 24 Jun 2006
|
09:00
|
09:00
|
117
|
46
|
163
|
Saturday 23 Jun 2007
|
08:00
|
08:00
|
113
|
40
|
153
|
Saturday 21 Jun 2008
|
08:00
|
08:00
|
87
|
34
|
121
|
Saturday 20 Jun 2009
|
08:00
|
08:00
|
129
|
58
|
187
|
Saturday 26 Jun 2010
|
08:00
|
08:00
|
90
|
43
|
133
|
Saturday 25 Jun 2011
|
08:00
|
08:00
|
116
|
43
|
159
|
Saturday 23 Jun 2012
|
08:00
|
08:00
|
140
|
63
|
203
|
Grand Total
|
1438
|
457
|
1895
|
No comments:
Post a Comment