James Hill

The son of a Royal Irish Constabulary policeman, Irish-born James Hill won the English AAAs 880 yards title in 1910, and between 1911-13 was also the Ireland AAA 880 yards champion. In the latter of those years he was also the IAAA 440 champion and was third in the English AAAs 880. To make it a memorable 1913, Hill also won both the 440 and 880 in the Ireland versus Scotland match at Belfast, having made his début in the contest in 1910. Another major victory of Hill’s was the 880 at the Inter-Empire championship at Crystal Palace in 1911, when he beat the best of the British Empire’s runners.

Hill moved to London in 1907 and worked in the millinery department at Harrod’s. He ran for the Harrod’s Athletic Club and made his début for them in the West End AAAs Cross-country Championship over five miles. He helped Harrod’s win the West End Championship on several occasions. Between 1917-19 Hill served in the Irish Guards, and saw service in France. He later moved to a Suffolk farm, where he died in 1938 at the age of 50.