THE WORLD COAL CARRYING CHAMPIONSHIPTHE WORLD COAL CARRYING CHAMPIONSHIPEVERY EASTER MONDAY
Starting around noon at the Royal Oak public house on Owl Lane, Gawthorpe and finishing at The Maypole on the village green.
The Current World Records are.
4 mins. 6 secs.
( Men )
5 mins. 5 secs. (
Ladies )
Gawthorpe is a small village situated on the outskirts of Ossett, Nr. Wakefield in Yorkshire. Parking is available within the area of the village and the actual race.
THE WORLD COAL CARRYING CONTEST.
At the century-old
Beehive Inn situated in Gawthorpe the following incident took
place one day in 1963. Reggie Sedgewick and one Amos Clapham,
a local coal merchant and current president of the Maypole Committee
were enjoying some well-earned liquid refreshment whilst stood
at the bar lost in their own thoughts. When in bursts one Lewis
Hartley in a somewhat exuberant mood. On seeing the other two
he said to Reggie, " Ba gum lad tha’ looks buggered
!" slapping Reggie heartily on the back. Whether because
of the force of the blow or because of the words that accompanied
it, Reggie was just a little put out.‘’ Ah’m as
fit as thee’’ he told Lewis, ‘’an’ if
tha’ dun’t believe me gerra a bagga coil on thi back
an ‘ah’ll get one on mine an ‘ah’ll race thee
to t’ top o’ t’ wood !’’ ( Coil, let
me explain is Yorkshire speak for coal ). While Lewis digested
the implications of this challenge a Mr. Fred Hirst, Secretary
of the Gawthorpe Maypole Committee ( and not a man to let a good
idea go to waste) raised a cautioning hand. " ‘Owd on
a minute,’’ said Fred and there was something in his
voice that made them all listen. ‘Aven’t we been looking
fer some’at to do on Easter Monday? If we’re gonna ‘ave
a race let’s ‘ave it then. Let’s ‘ave a coil
race from Barracks t’ Maypole.’’( The Barracks
being the more common name given by the locals to The Royal Oak
Public House )
Thus was born The World Coal Carrying Contest which every Easter Monday lifts the village of Gawthorpe out of obscurity and into the headlines. No event in the Olympic Games could stimulate more enthusiasm than this annual contest of stamina and muscle.
Gawthorpe is a tough little place, lying between Dewsbury and Wakefield where the Yorkshire coalfield merges into the Heavy Woollen District. The nearest pit is closed now, but hard work is still so much of a tradition here that the residents can scarcely have enough of it! Hence, the yearly battle to be King of the Coil Humpers – or Queen, for the ladies in these liberated times have joined in the game.
The main event, the men’s contest, starts at The Royal Oak, Owl Lane from where competitors, each carrying 1cwt. of coal, ( 50 kg. ) have to run close on a mile, 1108. 25 yards to be precise, (1012.5 metres) as quickly as possible, before being allowed to drop the " secks ‘o’ coil " at the foot of the Maypole, which stands on the village green. The current and WORLD RECORD is 4mins. 6secs held by one DAVID JONES of Meltham. He has achieved this time twice, in 1991 and again in 1995, just to prove that the first time wasn’t a fluke. In fact of the top ten times he holds 6 of them.
Initially the Ladies were let off rather lightly as all they had to do was run from the bottom of the village to the Maypole, carrying a 25lbs (10kg) bag of coal. However in these enlightened times they now run the same course as the men, But no-one complains, for they add a feminine touch where it is least expected and who would quarrel with that?
The current and WORLD CHAMPION is Julia Knight of Meltham in 5mins. 5secs. Incidentally, when the Coal Carrying Contest began in the early ‘60’s there was some talk about having a rolling-pin throwing contest instead. It may have been that the men were afraid the women might become too expert, but at any rate the idea never caught on.
For the
last two years a childrens event has been added which seems to
be a success and for them there are 3 different age classes.
Under 9’s, Under 11’s and Under 15’s.
Due to the safety considerations required, a maximum of thirty are allowed in each event, fifteen postal registrations and fifteen on the day. All, except the previous years winner are on a first come first served basis.
Competitors come from near and far – even an American turned up one year – and a variety of occupations. On the whole you would expect coalmen to make the best showing but no, window cleaners and farmers have done splendidly in the past years. Neither is it necessary that big men are the automatic winners, ten and a half stone is considered to be a favourable weight for a competitor. Providing of course that his legs and lungs are strong enough.
Training for the Olympics is very important but no more than training for the Coal Race. One former champion, a farmer, revealed that his training consisted of running up and down hills carrying " secks ‘o’ spuds " ( sacks of potatoes ).
The prizes are sponsored by a local brewery, H. B. Clarke & Co. ( Successor’s ) Ltd of Wakefield. Modest cash prizes for both men and women as well as commemorative trophies and tankards. The brewery has previously offered a barrel of beer, the Solid Fuel Advisory Service free vouchers for coal and even a free holiday has been offered.
However non of these compare with the possibility of becoming THE WORLD COAL CARRYING CHAMPION and having an entry in the Guinness Book of Records. But what of those unfortunates who do not make first place. There is no sight sadder than that of the defeated " Coil Humper " staggering the last quarter mile or so having to weave their way between the abandoned sacks of coal that litter the course.
