The Early Years
Highgate Harriers was founded in 1879 by 16 members of two local cricket clubs, the Magdala and Imperial United, who occasionally ran cross-country races and decided to form their own club. The name Harriers was used by many cross-country running clubs as the sport was based on the followers of hare hounds, or harriers. The club’s first run was reported in the Hampstead and Highgate Express on 22 nd November 1879.
The following year the Amateur Athletic Association was formed and in 1887 the first National Cross-Country championship was held but it was not until 1898 that Highgate Harriers golden period began when the club was 2nd in the Southern Cross-Country Championship. The following year it won both the Southern and National Championships. From then on until 1912it won the National 4 times, was second 4 times and third once and won the Southern 12 times, never being out of the first two. The most famous Highgate runner of that time was Albert Aldridge whose time of 51:49 for ten miles would still put him well up in the club rankings. Track meetings were held mostly at Finsbury Park at that time but references to “summer members” suggests that they were considered secondary to the main sport of cross-country.
WW1 & WW2
The club closed down at the outbreak of World War One but it was re-formed in 1919, thanks to the efforts of Harry Rothery, and they had reasonable success for a few years with fourth and fifth places in the National and a string of firsts and seconds in the Southern. However, more and more clubs were being formed and Highgate’s initial golden period had come to an end.
During World War Two the club was again dormant, the only activity of the club being race walking (possibly because some of the walkers tended to be older and may have missed conscription) and after the war a meeting was held to re-form the club. The walkers, led by ‘A D’ McSweeney, felt that they were the most successful part of the club and demanded that they should be a separate section of the club. As a result the club was split into two sections, the Running Section and the Walking Section, each with its own committee and finances, with a General Committee overseeing both of them, also with its own finances. The situation became even more complicated in 1954 when a Ladies Section, led by Charlie Warner, was formed. This clumsy arrangement subsisted for 26 years until 1980 when the club decided to reunite with all members being under the banner of Highgate Harriers as it is today.
Club Centenary & HQ Origins
The club’s centenary in 1979 was celebrated with an exhibition at Swiss Cottage Library and a banquet at Kenwood House which the Mayors of Camden, Barnet, Haringey and Islington attended together with Sir Horace Cutler, the leader of the Greater London Council.
Although the club started in Highgate its headquarters have roamed throughout North London. Mainly in pubs, sometimes as far away as Ponders End and Wood Green and including the Royal Oak, Golders Green, The Bull and Bush, The Freemasons Arms and the Load of Hay, Haverstock Hill. In 1939 the running track at Hampstead Heath was moved from its old location near the viaduct to Parliament Hill where an 8 lane cinder track was laid and where the club has been ever since. At that time night illumination was provided by oil lamps placed alongside the track. The present all-weather track with proper floodlights was laid in 1978.
Recent Team Success
The era since the mid-2010s has marked a golden age for the club’s men’s distance runners, with the club achieving regular, national success on both road and cross country.
The highest level club team competitions for our senior men are the National & South of England Road Relay Championships and the National & Southern Cross Country Championships.
Highgate men secured their first national title since WW1 by winning the National 12 Stage Road Relay Championships in 2016, the club has since gone on to be regular podium contenders at the National 12 Stage Road Relay Championships which rewards our strength in depth. Highgate also won National 12 Stage Road Relay Silver medals in 2018, 2022 and 2023, the latter of which saw the club claim the English Title in finishing runners-up to Scotland’s Central AC, and the team also won Bronze in the 2024 edition. And at a regional Southern level 2024 saw the men claim their maiden South of England 12 Stage Road Relay Championship title, completing a set which includes bronze from 2016 and 2017, and a hat trick of silvers from 2019, 2022 and 2023.
Though not quite as medal-heavy as in the springtime 12 Stage Road Relays, the club has experienced podium-level success at the autumn 6 Stage Road Relays Championship too. In winning National 6 Stage Championship silvers in 2014 it could be said a new mindset was established amongst the men – where they could, and should, compete at the national level. While the club has won the fiercely competitive Southern 6 Stage Road Relay Championships in both 2015 and 2017.
Through the winter months and on the cross country circuit the men have experienced a similar bevy of success.
The Metropolitan Cross Country League is considered one of the highest standard XC leagues in the country. The league was started in 1966, and 2024 saw the club win the league for a record-breaking 11th season in succession. A base from which they have gone on to build success at regional and national level. At the epic 9-mile-long South of England Cross Country Championships, the club have secured the team title in each of 2016, 2017, 2023 and 2024. With podium finishes achieved in 2015 (bronze), 2018 (silver), 2020 (bronze) and 2022 (silver).
At the prestigious National Cross Country Championships the club were to make a long-awaited podium breakthrough in 2024 where they clinched silver medals behind Bristol & West AC. This came after many near-misses with two 4th place finishes in 2016 and 2023 and a 5th in 2020. At the National Cross Country Relays – held annually in the later autumn over 4 x 5km – the club have found podiums easier to come by. 2024’s bronze medals complemented by second place finishes in 2015 and 2021.
On an individual level the senor men have had 5 team members secure international vests in recent years. Alex Leprêtre, Alex Bampton and Chris Rainsford all representing England in road races. While club 5,000m record holder (13:46:17) Jacob Allen has run for England on both road and cross country. The club’s Iranian distance runner Taha Ghafari has competed at both European (2022) and World Cross Country Championships (2023) representing the IOC Athlete Refugee Team.
Individual domestic honours have also been secured in recent years, notably by the Leprêtre – Allen combination once again, with the pair going 1-2 at the 2022 England 10km Championships. And the former becoming something of a South of England Cross Country specialist – securing a trio of individual silvers in 2020, 2023 and 2024.
Night of the 10,000m PBs
In 2013 the club created an annual celebration of 25 lap track racing in a bid to help boost the progression of club & elite runners, the event was called Night of the 10,000m PBs. In 2014 the club was asked to begin incorporating the British Championships, in 2016 we hosted the Rio Olympic Team GB trials and then in 2018 & 2019 we hosted the European Cup with 8,000 spectators and 500,000 watching via BBC2.
The not for profit event is made possible by volunteer support from Highgate club members and grassroots club friends.
We welcome you with open arms, whether a beginner or seasoned runner we very much look forward to sharing new history with you at the club very soon.
Up the Gate!