John Macmeikan

John Macmeikan had a short but brilliant career both academically and as a sportsman. The son of a Barrister, he was educated at the 16th century Repton School in Derbyshire, where he excelled as an athlete, notably as a high jumper. He was captain of the school athletic team that won the 1899 Public Schools Trophy, and he won the individual high jump title. Macmeikan won a three-year scholarship to Oxford University where he attended Worcester College. He was president of the Worcester College Athletic Club and was an athletics Blue in 1903 and 1904 and won the University high Jump title in the first of those two years. Although he was a traditional high jumper, he was selected for the standing event at the London Olympics, but did not take part.

After leaving Oxford, Macmeikan became a private tutor and in 1906 he published a collection of original poems entitled “Twilight and Darkness”, which received much acclaim. He was also an excellent chess player and contributed many chess problems to various publications, including “Knowledge”. Sadly, failing health interrupted his work, and in 1912 he died just one week before his 32nd birthday.