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Discovering a long distance walker

Posted in Behind the Scenes on 09 Jan 2025

In 2024, we hosted a work experience student to list the papers of the Collins and Martins families of Waltham St Lawrence and East Berkshire (ref. D/EX2911) ready for cataloguing. Amongst the family’s research notes, service records, and local postcards, was a photo album of a cycling tour that three men took in Cornwall and Devon.  

While most of this album simply shows the sights visited by the three men and some boats they had spotted from shore, there are three photos of another, unrelated man. Our volunteer student started investigating, and found some interesting details about this man.

Thomas Edgar Hammond worked as a stockbroker at the London Stock Exchange for most of his life, but he was more notorious for his accomplishments as a long-distance walker. Despite starting as an amateur, Hammond beat professional records, and even appeared in the 1908 Olympics, rising into fame over the course of a decade long career. He first appeared on the racing scene in 1903, when he participated in, and won, the Blackheath Harrier’s annual seven-mile race. After this, he consistently competed in notable cross country walking races, and became one of the most prominent athletes in his field.

He joined the Surrey Walking Club in 1904, which truly started his competitive career. Later that year, he set the record in the 52-mile race from London to Brighton, with a time of 8 hours and 26 minutes, beating the previous record holder, Jack Butler, and sparking a rivalry for the record that would last through most of Hammond’s career.

In 1905, Hammond came second in the London Athletic Club vs London Stock Exchange race, leading the Stock Exchange to their overall victory. It was this race that pushed Hammond onto the international scene, as it led to suggestions of a race between the London Stock Exchange & the Paris Bourse.

Hammond’s rivalry with J. Butler would resurface in 1906. Despite having broken the London to Brighton race’s record the previous year, Hammond finished in 2nd place with a time of 8 hours 42 minutes, 19 minutes behind the winner, Jack Butler. Prior to the race, there had been rumours that Hammond might not even participate, and, for much of the actual race, he was stuck in 4th place. With this in mind, his 2nd place finish does seem quite an achievement.

A man walking with others on bicycles in a 104 mile race from London to Brighton, 1907, ref. D/EX2911/77

In March 1907, Hammond walked 54 miles from London to Oxford (pictured in photo album) in just 8 hours 51 minutes, setting a new record for the race. Later in the year, instead of contesting for the record in the race from London to Brighton, Hammond doubled the distance and claimed the world record for the 104 mile walk from London to Brighton and back, in a time of just 18 hours 13 minutes and 37 seconds (the photo album shows Hammond undertaking this walk, with cyclists riding beside him, presumably providing support). Whilst Butler had beaten Hammond in the record for London to Brighton, it had become clear that Hammond could contest this. 

1908 was undoubtedly the best year of Hammond’s career. In June, he competed in the Bradford Walk, winning it for the third consecutive time. Hammond was presented with a replica of the club’s trophy (the original of which couldn’t be given out) in front of an audience of 40,000 people. By July, Hammond was competing in the Olympics in the 10-mile race. Hammond did not make it past his heat, and it was widely felt that he was more suited to running a sustained, long race, rather than a speedy one. Despite not performing very well, the fact that he had, as an amateur walker, made it to the Olympics was demonstrative of his immense athleticism.

Hammond’s greatest feat, though, came in September of the year, when he beat both the amateur and professional record in his all-night walk. Over the 24-hour walk, Hammond covered 131 miles and 580 yards, beating the amateur record (set by A.W. Sinclair in 1881) by 11 miles and the professional record (set by William Howes in 1878) by 3. Hammond’s closest competitor in the race was H.W. Horton, who finished 10 miles behind him, and reportedly couldn’t walk by the end.   

A man walking in a race, 1908, ref. D/EX2911/7

After the race, Hammond was awarded a golden stopwatch and chain at the London Stock Exchange and was honoured by his walking clubs. The public notoriety that Hammond had earned resulted in him being something of an early celebrity, with people taking pictures with him whilst walking (as seen in the album). He also featured in multiple newspaper adverts, like OXO’s in 1908 where he was quoted saying “I have OXO every night before bedtime. It does me a lot of good.” & Robinsons in 1914, saying that “Athletes would do well to follow the example of… Mr T. E. Hammond” by drinking barley water. 

After his victory in 1908, Hammond’s racing career began to slow down. Whilst he won the race from Bradford to York in 1909, 1911, and 1913, he was no longer breaking world records, and in 1912 he won the Stock Exchange’s race from London to Brighton for the final time. He was also a founding member of the Brotherhood of Centurions, a club for those who had walked at least 100 miles in 24 hours. By 1914, Hammond’s retirement had begun as he opted to judge the race to Brighton, not compete. In 1910, Hammond married Mary Page, an alderman’s daughter, and he went on to serve in the army throughout WWI until 1920 when he left service with the rank of Major. 

Hammond continued to play a role in the sport until his death in 1945, at 67 years old, through serving as president of Surrey Walking Club, and judging these notorious and popular competitions. His world record for the 24-hour walk still stood at the time of his death. This is quite a story to draw out from three simple photographs in an album and just shows that you never know what might you discover amongst the archives.