Horace Armstrong, vice captain at the time of George Butterfield was the first winner of this trophy
Horace was a celebrated champion, winning this one mile flat race in a reported 4mins 17 seconds. That would have been more or less world record pace at the time, although there is an assumption that it wasn’t an official timed race as no record of World Record status can be found.
Horace also won a number of northern championship races and according to a contemporary press article, sixty athletics prices in seven years. It would seem that he and George made a formidable captain/vice captain partnership during a golden era for DHAC during which the club was also Northern Counties XC champions. It’s interesting that although George Butterfield was Landlord of the Hole in the Wall, the club’s headquarters at the time was the Bulls Head Hotel. Unlike his compatriot George Butterfield, who was killed in action in Belgium in 1917, Horace died in his home town of Darlington in 1939 aged 58 years. He’s buried in the West Cemetery. Horace Armstrong was hugely successful as a Harrier around the turn of the 20th century
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Horace or St Paul as we sometimes referred to as.
Gareth Mountfield has highlighted a number of photos that he believes is Horace
(from left to right) Darlington Harriers Team Photo 1909/10 – Back Row far left believed to be Horace Armstrong.
Darlington Harriers Team Photo 1904/05 Horace Armstrong believed to be 3rd from left front row
Northern Counties Senior Champions 1902 Horace appears to be on this photo too highlighted by the red arrow.
Northern Counties Junior Champions 1902 Charles Mountford back row highlighted by purple arrow. Front row believed to be Horace Armstrong highlighted by red arrow.
Club photo 1900/01 seated two rows up 8th from left