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On 5 April 1917, New Zealand athlete and distance walker Harry Alpe departed from Ashburton at a gentle strolling tempo, sure for Christchurch. His earlier document for strolling the identical distance, 87 kilometres, was 11 hours and 11 minutes, which was set when he walked from Hawarden to Christchurch in 1915. Harry was not an Ashburton native, however his departure from Ashburton for his 1917 stroll was closely attended, and folks waited with bated breath to see if he would beat his earlier document.
A charitable navy man
Harry Alpe was born about 1869. Early in life he toured New Zealand as one of many “Silbon Brothers,” acrobats and contortionists. Within the Eighteen Nineties he was a pressure to be reckoned with amongst athletic circles, primarily within the North Island. He made a reputation for himself in strolling races in Taranaki and elsewhere, together with a 10-mile sweepstake stroll at Whanganui by which he got here third. In keeping with an admirer of Harry’s, although he didn’t win that race, he received the hearts of spectators by “his exhibition of gameness and honest strolling.” After a profitable season on the Taranaki tracks, he volunteered for energetic service within the 1899 – 1902 South African Conflict.
After the struggle, Harry grew to become well-known for doing charity distance walks. In 1915, his Hawarden to Christchurch stroll garnered loads of consideration from newspapers, the aim of which being to boost cash for the Veterans’ House Fund. That stroll was additionally an try and beat his earlier document of 12 hours.
The massive stroll
His subsequent try and beat his personal document, strolling from Ashburton to Christchurch in 1917, was anticipated enormously as one in every of a number of native occasions for “Troopers’ Day”. In keeping with the Guardian, a “giant quantity” of Ashburton residents assembled by the Somerset Resort on the morning of 5 April 1917 to see Harry off on his journey. The Guardian continues to explain the scene:
“His Worship the Mayor (Mr R Galbraith) congratulated Mr Alpe, who undertook the stroll as a way to help in elevating funds for the erection of a Returned Troopers’ House at Christchurch. The Mayor mentioned he hoped Mr Alpe would achieve success in reducing his earlier document. On the invitation of the Mayor, cheers have been then given for the athlete.”
At 10:27 a.m., Harry Alpe departed “at a brisk stroll”, and was escorted out of city by numerous cyclists. A number of ladies and returned troopers collected cash for the charity whereas following him in a motor automotive. Because the nation was at struggle, it could not have been a profitable or noteworthy gathering with no militaristic speech, the honour of delivering which having gone to a Sergeant C. H. Morris, a returned soldier. After Harry set off, he addressed the remaining crowd, reminding them that Harry had served within the Military, and that navy coaching would have contributed to his athletic prowess. He then “suggested all those that might enlist to take action; he assured them that after a couple of weeks in camp they might really feel all the higher for it.”
Document damaged
Having departed at 10:27 a.m., Harry arrived at Rakaia at 2:50 p.m., Dunsandel at 4:46 p.m., Burnham at 6:13 p.m., and at last he reached Christchurch at 10:30 p.m. His strolling time, presumably minus some breaks, was 10 hours and 51 minutes, beating his earlier document by 20 minutes. When he arrived at Cathedral Sq., he was given “a rousing reception.” About £70 or £80 (equal to about $7,000 – $12,000 at present) was collected on the way in which from Ashburton by the motorised cash collectors that adopted him the entire manner.
Harry continued to take part in charity distance walks, notably having additionally raised cash for Barnardo’s Properties in 1925. He handed away in 1934 at his Wellington residence on the age of 65.
Historic newspaper info from the Guardian, problem 4024 – 4026, Pahiatua Herald, problem 12638, Hawera Star, Vol. LIV.
CONTACT
Materials for this web page is co-ordinated by the Ashburton Artwork Gallery and Museum. Articles from different organisations are welcomed, as is any suggestions on what seems.
Electronic mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 307-7890
Copies of the photographs on this web page could also be accessible from the Ashburton Artwork Gallery and Museum.
By Connor Lysaght
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