LANCASTER & MORECAMBE AC

CLUB HISTORY

This is not meant to be a history of athletics in Lancaster but tries to set out the early background of local harriers and Athletic Clubs which preceded the present Club.

Lancaster and Morecambe Athletic Club was formed in 1965 by the amalgamation of Lunesdale and Primrose A.C. with Lancaster and Morecambe College of Further Education A.C.

The origins of athletics in the Lancaster District go back before 1900. An illustrated article in the Lancaster Guardian and Observer issue dated 1st March 1963 sets down the recollections of Mr. Jim Preston, then aged 79, of Carnforth who was an active member of Primrose Harriers in the early 1900’s. One photograph shows members of Primrose Harriers in 1907 when the Club won the Combination Race against Kendal Harriers at Kendal. Another photograph shows members on the occasion of the Club’s inauguration in 1904. I think this was when the Club first affiliated to the Northern Counties Governing Body. In the group is Sam Mulliner who worked as a blacksmith for Lancaster Corporation and was widely known for officiating as Pioneer on the Septennial Ceremony of the Perambulation of the Town Boundaries, more popularly known as "Boundary Riding". Sam Mulliner was still living on Prospect Street when I joined Primrose Harriers in January 1949.

At this time there were two athletic clubs in Lancaster, Lancaster Harriers who had a hut at the back of Fenton Street and Lancaster Primrose Harriers who had a hut in the old Scotch Quarry adjacent to the Moorlands and Primrose Districts.

Between the two World Wars, there were other harrier clubs in the area namely Freehold, Friends and Skerton but only Freehold Harriers in addition to Lancaster Harriers and Primrose Harriers survived up to the outbreak of war in 1939. Freehold were unable to re-form after the War and their trophies were divided between the other two Clubs.

In 1954, policy differences at Lancaster Harriers resulted in a breakaway group forming a new club, Lunesdale A.C., with C.P.Taylor as it’s mentor and coach.

The early years of the 1960’s saw moves to strengthen athletics in the City by having one large club. Lancaster Harriers’ Committee Members were not interested in this idea but the other two Clubs combined to create Lunesdale and Primrose A.C. in September 1962.

Shortly after this, the athletic track at the College of Further Education was constructed and became the H.Q. of the Lancaster and Morecambe College of F.E. Athletic Club. This Club initially comprised students and staff of the College, but was quickly joined by athletes from the Trimpell Works Sports Club.The advantages of having a shale track instead of a grass track soon became apparent to L.and P. members who were training from their wooden and corrugated iron hut on the Far Moor.

Another round of discussion took place and again, Lancaster Harriers were unwilling to join with the other two Clubs. They quickly lost support and subsequently ceased to exist.

However, this did not prevent the formation of the present Lancaster and Morecambe A.C. in September 1965 with Mr. E. Matthews as President, Malcolm Hall as Chairman, Chris Hill as Treasurer and Arnold Bibby as Hon. Secretary.

The present membership includes former members of the old clubs, Stephen Armer (Lunesdale A.C.), Colin Gemson (Lancaster Harriers and Lunesdale and Primrose A.C.), Tom Sawford (Trimpell and College A.C.) and Arnold Bibby (Primrose Harriers).

In 1975, some members thought that the Club’s name was too long and unwieldy and should be renamed Lancaster A.C. The Committee called a Special General Meeting to discuss and resolve the issue and the result of a vote was to retain the existing name. Since then the Athletics Press have adopted the well known abbreviation "L.& M." when referring to Club and it’s members.