William Seagrove

William Seagrove
Medal record
Olympic Games
Men’s athletics
Representing  United Kingdom
Silver 1920 Antwerp 3000 m team
Silver 1924 Paris 3000 m team

William Raymond Seagrove (2 July 1898 – 5 June 1980) was a British track and field athlete who competed mainly in the 3000 metres team event. He was born in London and educated at Highgate School, leaving in April 1917.[1]

After service in the army in World War One he competed for Great Britain in the 1920 Summer Olympics held in Antwerp, Belgium in the 3000 metre team where he won the silver medal with his team mates Joe Blewitt and Albert Hill, and also in the 5000 metre event where he finished sixth.

Four years later in the 1924 Summer Olympics he won the silver with the British team again.

For a time he taught at Glenalmond College and in 1926 he founded Normansal preparatory school in Seaford, East Sussex where he was initially Headmaster and mathematics master. He remained actively involved in the running of the school after his retirement, and the appointment of Rex Hackett to the headship. Seagrove Way, a street in Seaford, is named after him.

Seagrove was an all-rounder in life. An accomplished pianist and violinist, he ran the Normansal School choir, introduced boys to opera and organised annual visits to the Vienna Boys Choir concerts in Brighton. He was master of ceremonies and umpire at the annual sports day: eight-year-olds competed in pole vault, long jump, shot as well as the usual events. Long distance running was encouraged.

He died in Seaford, East Sussex.

References

  1. ↑ Thomson, W. Sinclair (ed) (1927). Highgate School Roll 1833-1922 (3rd ed.). p. 218.