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Reach for the Stars!

Posted by: Blog Administrator on May 17, 2011

The Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre has recently been officially recognised as providing one of the best archive services in the country. It was awarded a maximum four stars overall in an assessment by The National Archives, which acts as the government watchdog for archives. We are listed as seventh out of a total of 124 services in England and Wales.

See: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/self-assessment-results.htm for more details.

 

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Wiltshire's Sports Stars

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Mar 20, 2010

Tagged in: WWII , World War I , World Record , Wisden , Winter Olympics , winner , Wiltshire League , Wiltshire Historic Photographic Collection , Wiltshire , wickets , white horse , Walter George , Victorian , victor , training , three mile , The Oval , test cricketers , Swindon Town , Swindon Museum and Art Gallery , superstar , Sunday Graphic , Stars , St. Vitus’ dance , sports , smoking , silver medal , Shelley Rudman , Septimus Kinneir , running , runner , Queen Alexandra , Purton Museum , Purton , pub , Prittie , Prince and Princess of Wales , pioneering sportswomen , pharmacist , Pewsey , past , Old Trafford , newspaper cuttings , munitions factories , Morgan’s Hill , miracle mile , memorabilia , media , MCC , Lords , London , Lillie Bridge , Lansdowne Monument , ladies football , King Edward , Jim Smith , James Kibblewhite , innings , injuries , home ground , GWR works , Football Association , fastest mile , Fanny Williams , era , English Record , English Ladies Football Association , England , croup , Cricketer , Corsham Cricket Club , Corsham , cigarette cards , child , Cherhill , Challenge Cup , Cedric Ivan James Smith , carried his bat , caricatured him , career , Calne , brine baths , bowls , bowling , beer drinking , bats , athletics , asthma , Ashes , amateur , 2006 , 100-up exercise

After the success of the local(ish) Amy Williams and the continued determination and perseverance from Pewsey’s 2006 silver medal winner Shelley Rudman in this year’s Winter Olympics, I thought I would bring to light another of Wiltshire’s pioneering sportswomen. Fanny Williams played for Swindon Town ladies football team in the 1920s. Ladies football developed during World War I when the employees of munitions factories formed teams to play each other. The Football Association banned ladies football on their grounds but the English Ladies Football Association was formed in 1921. A national Challenge Cup competition was begun in 1925. Fanny’s boots are kept at the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.

Wiltshire can also be said to possess famous athletics stars of the past. Purton produced a famous athlete in James Kibblewhite, born in 1866.
P18380sports

James Kiblewhite running for Spartan Harriers in the two mile NCAA Championship, Manchester, 1890 Ref: P18380 Wiltshire Historic Photographic Collection, reproduced with kind permission from Purton Museum 

He began his athletics career in 1884 and enjoyed great success for over 10 years. In 1890 he was selected to run in London in front of King Edward and Queen Alexandra (then the Prince and Princess of Wales). He won many medals but one of his greatest achievements was breaking the three mile English Record and World Record in London. He was employed by the GWR works in Swindon by 1916 and had a son who was also a promising athlete.  Purton Museum holds many items of memorabilia relating to James Kibblewhite, including trophies, medals, gold chain and watch, and newspaper cuttings of his career which are well worth having a look at.








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