James Rowan - a Comprehensive History

Resident historic sports writer Pete Welsh has written an incredibly detailed piece on the life and professional times of James Rowan, one of Tyneside's best known runners in the 19th century. Pedestrianism, alongside rowing, moulded celebrities out of the ordinary.

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As John/Jack White was the ‘Gateshead Clipper’ James Rowan was the Gateshead ‘Flash’, a cracking runner but he came, he saw, he conquered and then he died young, like James Dean, ‘too fast to live, too young to die.’ Much of what has been written about Rowan’s character has been impossible to verify through the sources such as newspapers and books and there is also some confusion about what the newspapers themselves wrote about the start of his career. Thus, in October 1859, the Newcastle Daily Chronicle in discussing his match with Cooke, at Hackney Wick, for the 10 Mile belt, offered this resumé of his career ‘James Rowan, of Newcastle, is now 23 years of age stands 5‘4“ in height and weighs 7 stone 7 lb. He has been before the public some years, for in 1851 we find him winning a handicap mile race at Hyde Park, Sheffield, receiving 80 yards start and beating 32 others. In the same year he beat Borders, 1 mile for £10 a side, at Axwell Park, near Newcastle, also in the same year beat Harry Armstrong, 1 mile for £15 a side on Newcastle racecourse. At the latter end of the same year he defeated Micky Freany for £25 a- side, once around Newcastle racecourse, one and three-quarter miles.’ Well, possibly, but there has been no way to verify these three early races, certainly they aren’t described in the newspapers. In fact, if he was twenty three in 1859, he’d only have been fifteen in 1851 – so, not impossible but some kind of phenomenon.

Illustration of James Rowan - original source unknown

The first race I’ve found was in August 1854 when The Era reported on ‘GREAT ONE MILE HANDICAP FOOT RACES – at Hyde Park Sheffield – the third of these large events commenced on Monday. Prizes £40, £10, £5 and the winner of each heat £1.’ Rowan in the third heat, off 80 yards, beat Sheridan, of Doncaster, off 105, Bottomley of Crookes, off 125, and Staniforth, off 130 yards. Rowan won but Staniforth’s blocking of Rowan’s attempts to pass caused Mrs Heathcote to discharge him from running on the grounds. Rowan won the final on the Tuesday evening. He followed this with a challenge, reported by Bell’s Life in November that year, ‘James Rowan of Gateshead will run John Mew of Nottingham one mile round Hyde Park, for £25 a-side and give 15 yards start, to come off in 4 or 5 weeks, Bell’s Life to be stakeholder.’ I can find no record of this race actually happening.

In January 1855 the Manchester Times  reported on ‘THE TWO-MILE CHAMPIONS BELT, VALUE £50 – Shrove Tuesday is the ‘Derby day’ at Hyde Park, Sheffield, Mrs Heathcote invariably originating a price of great worth for this day. She offered the above prize and £6 of money to the first, £4 for the second, £3 to the third, £2 to the fourth, £1 to the fifth, of the competitors as they reached the winning post. Eight individuals entered by paying five shillings each - namely T Hosspool the 1 mile champion, J Saville, of Oldham, J Syddall, of Radcliffe, R Bunn, of Norwich, HA Read, 1 mile champion, J Rowan, of Gateshead, C Welton, of Gateshead, and R Manks. The intense coldness of the weather operated against a visit to the park.’ Hosspool was the favourite. Manks and Rowan did not put in an appearance. Syddall beat Welton.

In June 1855 the Newcastle Daily Guardian – ‘GREAT FOOT RACE – A race of One mile for the Championship of Northern England came off on Monday afternoon, between James Rowan of Gateshead and Christopher Welton, for £25 a-side, which, from the well-known excellence of both men, excited considerable interest in sporting circles and drew an immense concourse of spectators to the Three Mile Bridge, where the contest came off – not less than 10,000 being present. Both men came on to the ground in good condition and were equally confident as to the result of the race. The umpires etc having been chosen a start was effected without much difficulty and the men went off at a slashing pace, Welton having a slight lead and he was nearly 20 yards ahead at the half distance. Rowan, however, gradually caught up and ultimately went in the winner by about 25 yards.’

In September 1855, the Glasgow Herald covered ‘WESTERN MEETING AT AYR. FRIDAY. RACE OF THE NUDE MEN. The sports were resumed today. The dense throng which crowded the racecourse from Glasgow and all the towns and districts of Ayrshire - greater in number, we are assured than has been seen on a similar occasion for more than thirty years - was caused, we believe, by the novelty of foot racing which has been introduced this year. We cannot say that we would like to see this kind of racing adopted as a permanent adjunct of the sports on the Ayr turf. To our thinking, the competitors are subjected to very severe torture and the scene is altogether disgusting into the bargain. Just think of half a dozen fellows, naked as the hour they were born, with the exception of a shred of garment round their loins, presenting themselves on the course, as they actually did on this day, before the men, matrons, and maids, and the beauty and fashion of Ayrshire. Away they skelp upon a racing contest of some 10 miles in length, which is performed by running round and round the course at the full top of their speed and strength and without a moment’s intermission. The men, of course, after keeping up the strain for half an hour or so, get terribly distressed; their eyes are fixed in their heads; their veins corded on neck and temples; the froth flies from the mouth and the breathing is rapid and painful. Now and then a friend rushes into the course and, running alongside of the racer, wets his mouth with a sponge, but the relief is momentary and the torture only ends when the struggle closes. Of course these men shewed admirable bottom and great physical endurance - the winner running the whole distance in some 52 minutes, or at the rate of about a mile in the five minutes. The others were not much behind him. These men may be trained to this kind of work and may pass through it with comparatively little danger but we are perfectly confident that if ordinary mortals were subjected to it, not an inconsiderable portion of them would break down by the bursting of a blood-vessel before the half of the course was run. The suffering and torture was so palpable that, were the judges of the land in the habit of sentencing the ragamuffins who are brought before them to a death and life gallop of this kind, all the humanity-mongers in the kingdom would rise up against the practice, and give Parliament no rest until it was abolished. We desire to see all manly exercises encouraged and there are plenty of ways in which this can be done - by leaping, putting the stone, cricket, golf, quoiting, bowling, curling and even dancing the ‘Ghille Callum’ [sword dancing] but we admit no peculiar distinction in a man who can run a little quicker than his neighbour. His speed of foot will neither make him a better workman nor a better soldier. The only advantage he would have in the latter capacity would be that he could run faster away - a kind of competition however, which has happily not yet been introduced into the British army. We think this kind of sport will not go down in Ayrshire; but if it really is to continue, we would advise the steward of the Western Meeting to put, in future, a pair of drawers and a light jacket upon the persons of their two footed racers. The following is the result of the contest: A HANDICAP RUNNING MATCH of 10 Miles for £50; entrance £5 each, £2 forfeit. The whole six competitors started in this match at the relative distances indicated below, and they came in thus – 1 James Rowan of Gateshead, 220 yards start; 2 John Levett of Battersea at the scratch; 3 W Jackson (the American Deer) scratch; 4 J Bunn of Norwich 350 yards start; 5 Cook of Marylebone 225 yards start; 6 James Murdoch of Lanarkshire 440 yards.

 As on the previous day the distance to be gone over was eight times round the racecourse, the men kept pretty much in the order in which they set out for the first round; when they came the second time round the starting post, James Rowan had the lead and during the third circuit he improved his distance and gradually gained ground up till the close. Levett and Jackson kept side-by-side during the first seven rounds but in the last circuit Levett shot ahead and came in considerably in advance of the American Deer. All the others were much distanced. The ten miles were gone over by the winner in 52 minutes the last circuit being accomplished by him in six minutes five seconds.

The men, as we have said, run in an almost nude state, and their general appearance indicated careful training, having wiry, well-knit frames. Levett was evidently the favourite at the start, and his style of running throughout was greatly admired. Rowan, the winner, who is a little lank man, apparently about 20 years of age, seemed to do his work without much distress. This match excited a very deep interest, and at its conclusion the victor was born off in triumph on the shoulders of a crowd.’ All of which suggests the Glasgow Herald was some way behind the crowd in terms of its attitude towards pedestrianism and offers an early euphemism for ‘woke’, in ‘humanity-mongers’.

Later the same month the Newcastle Daily Chronicle  reported, ‘On Monday a match, said to be for £50, came off near the Baths, Northumberland St, between James Rowan of Gateshead and William Spooner of London, each man being backed against time, Rowan to run 101/2 miles within the hour and Spooner to walk 71/2 miles within the period. A considerable number of persons assembled to watch the contest, which, throughout, was of a very exciting nature. A more beautiful runner than Rowan can scarcely be seen, and his reputation for swiftness and endurance was nobly shown at Ayr, where, as we stated last week, he was victorious over Levett and Jackson. Spooner is Champion of England as a walker. Both men came to the post apparently in excellent condition and performed the distance within the stipulated time – Spooner with four and a half minutes to spare and Rowan about one minute.

In November 1855, the Sheffield Independent reported ‘SAVILLE AND ROWAN’S MILE RACE FOR £100. On Monday, about 2,000 persons assembled at Hyde Park, Sheffield, to witness the long-pending race of one mile between John Saville, of Oldham, and James Rowan, of Newcastle. This race has excited much interest in all the sporting towns of England, particularly in Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Oldham etc. Saville, who is a strongly built young fellow, is a native of Oldham and is 27 years of age, stands 5ft 7in high and weighs 10 stone. For this race he took his breathings at Middleton, under the care of the once celebrated pedestrian Thomas Hayes, who brought his man to scratch in fine condition. Rowan comes from Gateshead, is 19 years of age, stands 5ft 3ins high and weighs 7st 5lbs. He was trained at Swalwell, near Gateshead, under the champion walker of England, Wm Spooner of Turnham Green, who also brought his man to post fit to run for his life. At nine minutes to four o’clock the men appeared on the ground. After making two false starts, they got off amid the cheers of the spectators, Saville with a slight lead, which he maintained for the first hundred yards, when Rowan made a spurt, went ahead and finished the first round of 506 yards, five yards ahead. Going up the hill the second time, Saville put on the steam, went in front and led the way to the front of the house the second time round, when the gallant little Gateshead pet again went in advance and finished the second lap six yards ahead. Within ten yards of finishing the third lap Saville rushed past Rowan and at the end of the next 100 yards was a dozen yards in front. The race was over; nevertheless the Gateshead pet struggled gamely on but was defeated by about 15 yards.’

In January 1856, in Bell‘s Life – ‘LEVETT AND ROWAN - On Monday last (December 31st) John Levett, formerly of Battersea, but now of Sheffield, and James Rowan, of Gateshead, met at Hyde Park to decide the race of 10 miles for £25 a-side, Levett receiving a start of 200 yards. The betting commenced in favour of Levett at 2 and 3 to 1 with a few takers. The race is soon told: Rowan was never able to gain more than 40 yards upon his opponent. Levett won just as he liked Rowan giving up at about nine miles; Levett at that time was leading the way 160 yards and finished the last mile at his leisure and amidst the loud plaudits of his former friends who thought his day was gone by. Levett will still prove a dangerous customer to anyone at evens that may fancy him. The stakes shall be sent to Levett at the Tankard and Punchbowl, Broad Street Park, Sheffield, on Tuesday, deducting the £4 for another match, as requested.’

In March 1856 The Era noted arrangements for ‘Great Ten Miles Handicap at Glasgow for £20, £5 and £1.10s at Glasgow Cricket Ground, next Saturday – entries from Levett of Battersea, Rowan and Fromow of Norwich and Bell’s Life of 6th April reported that  the contest had taken place at Hampton Place Grounds, Glasgow, in front of about 1,000 spectators. ‘Never before had faster or better running been seen in Scotland.’ Six had entered the handicap but only Rowan, Levett and Fromow appeared, the latter having a start of 400 yards and the others being off scratch. Levett took the lead in the fifth mile and won by about 50 yards. ‘Rowan , the champion of the late Western Meeting (at Ayr) was loudly applauded.’

1857 was a quiet year in the career of James Rowan, the newspapers carrying a couple of challenges to him, one for a road race, and a proposed match, at Sheffield, but with no reporting of any actual races.

He returned to action in 1858, the Gateshead Observer reporting, in February, that Rowan, of Gateshead, beat Pudney, of London, over six miles, for £30 a-side. The race was at Victoria Grounds and Rowan, off 100 yards, won by 25 yards in 31mins 24s. A good muster assembled but 1,000 broke down the fence to get in. This was not, as we shall see, a wholly unusual turn of events. Interesting to note that the ‘hardy knights of the black diamond’, who came down, in their thousands, from Northumberland pit villages to watch potshare bowling on the Town Moor, were often extolled in the newspapers for their calmness and willingness to accept defeat, even when money had been lost, and yet fans of pedestrianism or athletics were guilty, on a number of occasions, of breaking down fences to gain entrance. Perhaps the difference was that fans of potshare were not ordinarily expected to pay for the privilege of watching.

The site of the Victoria Running Grounds at Newcastle

 In April 1858, Gateshead Observer ‘FOOT RACE – On Monday a foot race came off at the Victoria Grounds, Newcastle, between James Rowan, the celebrated pedestrian, of Gateshead, and James Cummins, of London, for £50. The affair was expected to be something out of the common line, but, as the sequel will prove, it terminated in a very hollow manner. The distance was ten miles and, as this was considered to be Rowan’s forte, he was backed for a pretty considerable sum at 6 and 7 to 4. The London man took the lead at starting but was very quickly passed by his opponent who carried on the lead at a very rattling pace until he had placed a very considerable gap between them. Rowan continued to increase his lead at every stride and, after running nearly two miles, finding himself unable to keep the pace, Cummings succumbed. Rowan then finished the distance at his leisure.’

In March 1859, the Newcastle Courant, under the headline ‘FOOT RACE’ reported ‘a half mile race between J Rowan and J White, both of Gateshead, for £50, and the championship of the North, came off at the Victoria Grounds, on Saturday afternoon. Rowan has been before the sporting world for some years, having competed with the best man in England and proved successful in several contests. His forte, as is well-known – is distance – ten miles being his favourite race. White – being several years younger, and known to have great speed, having proved successful in several contests – was backed unhesitatingly by his friends, who considered that the distance militated against his opponent’s chances. Some hundreds were bet at evens on the ground; and so great was the confidence of White’s backers that 6 to 4 was freely offered on him. Mr Young acted as referee, and Mr Morrow as stakeholder. The men appeared on the ground to start about half past five o’clock. After four false starts they went off at the top of their speed. Rowan led slightly at first; but before they had covered fifty yards White took the foremost position and kept it for nearly half way. Rowan then went to work and succeeded in passing his man, gradually gaining to the finish and winning, amidst tremendous cheering, by about fifteen yards. Time about 2 mins 6 secs.’

14/7/1859 Newcastle Daily Chronicle – PEDESTRIANISM GREAT 10 MILE RACE FOR THE CHAMPION’S CUP AT THE WHITE LION, HACKNEY WICK – The ‘Derby’ of the pedestrian arena was brought to a decision on Monday, on the pedestrian ‘Epsom’ at Hackney Wick. The cup, given by the proprietor [Mr Baum] is of the value of £30, in addition to which the winner received £5, second £3 and third £1 and fourth half a sovereign. The competitors were C Cook of Marylebone, S Barker of Billingsgate, H Baines of Marylebone, W Jones of Islington, H Andrews of Holborn and T Ray of Limehouse. J Rowan, Jackson (the Deer) and Cummins of Liverpool had also entered but did not make their appearance at the scratch; the reason of Rowan not doing so being inexplicable as he had come all the way from Gateshead for no other purpose.’ Cook, Barker and Ray were the first three.

There followed, in June, 1859 a ten mile match between J Rowan, of Gateshead, and Patrick Burns, an Irishman, of Manchester, at the Victoria Grounds. A large crowd attended, many of whom had scaled the walls. The race started about 7pm, Rowan in black drawers and anklets as opposed to Burns in white, with his hair netted. Burns stopped, his spike digging into his heel, in the fifth mile (he was well behind at the time) so Rowan won comfortably.

In October 1859, in the Newcastle Daily Chronicle – ‘THE RACE FOR THE CHAMPION’S CUP AND £50.’ The Chronicle noted that ‘The Sporting Life gives the following account of Rowan, of Gateshead, who wrested the championship the other day from Cooke, at Hackney Wick:- James Rowan, of Newcastle, is now 23 years of age stands 5‘4“ in height and weighs 7 stone 7 lb. He has been before the public some years for in 1851 we find him winning a handicap mile race at Hyde Park, Sheffield, receiving 80 yards start and beating 32 others. In the same year he beat Borders 1 mile for £10 a side at Axwell Park, near Newcastle, also in the same year beat Harry Armstrong 1 mile for £15 a side on Newcastle racecourse. At the latter end of the same year he defeated Micky Freany for £25 a- side, once around Newcastle racecourse, one and three-quarter miles. [As indicated at the start of the piece these races may have happened but there was no reporting of them, even in the Gateshead Observer or the Newcastle papers, all of which took an interest in the ‘doings’ of local athletes.] In 1855 he defeated Kit Welton at Newcastle in a race of 1 mile for £25 a side; he then ran J Saville, of Oldham, 1 mile for £50 a-side at Hyde Park, Sheffield, and lost. In the same year he won a handicap, 10 mile race for £50 given by Lord Elgie at Ayr, Scotland, Rowan having 220 yards start, Cooke 225 yards, Bunn of Norwich 350 yards, Murdoch 440, Levitt and W Jackson on the scratch. He then gave Levitt 200 yards in 10 miles for £25, at Hyde Park, Sheffield, by whom he was beaten. In 1856 he won a sprint handicap 120 yards at The Grapes (Westgate Rd) in Newcastle, having 15 yards start and soon after one a mile handicap at the Victoria Grounds from the scratch, beating 15 others. He then won a 10 mile handicap at the same place having 50 yard start and on the following week, at the same ground, won a 2 mile handicap from the scratch, 20 others starting for it. In 1858 he beat Cummins, of London, in a 10 mile match for £25 a side at Newcastle; he also, at the same place (see above), beat Pudney, 6 miles for £30 a side, Pudney giving him 100 yards start. After that he came to London and met Pudney in a 4 mile race for £25 a side, receiving 50 yards start, on which occasion he was doomed to defeat. At the commencement of the present year he ran White, of Gateshead, half a mile for £20 a side and won by 20 yards. He then ran Paddy Burns, of Preston, 10 miles for £50 a side, at Newcastle, in which race he was also the winner (see above).

The Life supplies the following account of the race:- on the pistol being fired Cooke went away with a lead of about a yard, he taking the inside place, Rowan close at his elbow. They had to traverse the course 68 times to complete the 10 miles. The style of Rowan’s running was much admired, he bounding along with apparent ease and lightness. They continued thus to the end of the first mile which was run in five minutes three seconds and, on finishing the eighth lap, the favourite, amid loud cheers, went to the front and increased the pace; Cooke now seemed labouring and continually pressed his hand to his right side as though he had the cramp and the match was virtually over. In the 14th lap Rowan was 20 yards ahead and finished the 2nd mile in 10 minutes 20 seconds; in the 19th lap he led by 200 yards and Cooke, though not having the least chance put on a spurt and decreased the distance between them by some 200 yards, but in the second round Rowan had fully regained his advantage; 3 miles was done in 15 minutes 40 seconds; the 4 miles by Rowan in 21 minutes eight seconds, Cooke at this time being nearly one lap behind. Rowan, now taking it easy completed the 5th mile in 26 minutes 40 seconds, and in the next (or 36th lap) Cooke, finding that he had no chance, and being much distressed, judiciously pulled up and was assisted off the ground by his friends. Rowan, after running two more laps stopped and put on his flannels and walked the remainder of the distance. The time, considering the heavy state of the ground from the rain, was very good. Little Rowan throughout exhibited a degree of northern hardihood and determined confidence which we can like to the aspect of Chambers, the great Newcastle aquatic champion, who defeated Kelly in the recent clipping race on the bosom of old Father Thames. The coincidence is worthy of remark that Chambers should beat Kelly for the aquatic championship and that another Newcastle man should challenge and defeat the first holder of the champion’s cup for pedestrianism almost simultaneously. The company was quite respectable; good order and a clear course was kept by a strong party of the N Division of police. Rowan arrived in Newcastle last night and the cup is now exhibiting at Mr Morrow’s, the White Swan, Cloth Market, Newcastle.’

7/4/60 Gateshead Observer – Pedestrianism – A foot race for £100, distance five miles, came off on Monday afternoon at the Copenhagen Grounds, Newton Heath between J Rowan of Gateshead and J Brighton of Norwich. Brighton won easily, Rowan giving up about 300 yards from home.

On New Year’s Day 1861 The Era – ‘CHRISTMAS SPORTS AT THE WHITE LION, HACKNEY WICK - THE TEN MILE RACE FOR THE CHAMPION CUP AND £50 BETWEEN JACKSON AND ROWAN.

The continuous drizzling rain that fell during the great part of Monday was sufficient to damp the ardour (to say nothing of soaking the clothes) of the most enthusiastic admirer of the Olympian games which are wont to be celebrated at the White Lion, and the unfavourable weather militated against the success of the sports in two ways - by causing a thinner attendance than was confidently anticipated and by rendering the ground extremely heavy for the principal performers in the games There was, not withstanding, a numerous gathering to witness the long-looked for contest for the 10 miles’ champion cup between James Rowan, of Gateshead, and Jackson, ‘the American deer’, an event which had excited very considerable interest in the pedestrian world, more especially among the ‘metropolitan division’. Both men are well known. Each has been in training for a long time past, Rowan at Garratt Lane [Wandsworth, where there was a running ground], attended by Hogg, a Newcastle celebrity, and Jackson, at Hackney, under the tutorship of C Jenkinson, a well-known name though associated rather with the light of other days than with the present. As we have before observed, the ground was very heavy, especially at the top turn, where the men sank up to their ankles each time in passing. This made the backers of Jackson look blue for he is not so young as he was, very much the elder of the competitors and possesses much less stamina, and strength was certainly necessary on Monday. At quarter past three the men appeared on the ground ready for starting, and having taken a run round were placed in position by the ever-willing and ready Bill Price. On the start being effected ‘the deer’ took a slight lead but this he did not maintain for more than 150 yards when the Gateshead man polled him and when 3/4 of a mile had been done Rowan was upwards of 20 yards in front. He continued to improve his position - Jackson all the while doing his utmost to overtake him - and at the seventh lap was about 60 yards ahead. Very little change occurred in the next 2 miles when Rowan left Jackson further in his wake and on the completion of half the distance - 34 rounds to the 5 miles - the American must have been 90 yards behind his opponent. The 5 miles were covered in 27 minutes - not a bad pace all things considered. The race was now virtually over; Jackson ploughed along most gamely amid the cheers of his partisans but the ‘northerner’s’ strength was too much for the ‘old un’s’ pluck and Rowan gradually increased his distance, running in a winner by fully 130 yards. Jackson was loudly cheered at the finish for the manner and which he had struggled on to the end of the distance hoping against hope; and some of his friends caught him up on their shoulders and carried him off in triumph, though not a victor. The distance was performed in 58 minutes 25 seconds. There was but little speculation on the event, the odds being in favour of Rowan at 2 to 1 towards the close, however 4 and 5 to one were offered, but even these tempting odds failed to draw forth the ready. This is the second time within the past three months Rowan has asserted his claim to the 10 miles championship gaining a victory over C Cooke (of Marylebone) a short time since. It is rumoured that he will shortly be challenged by an East End ped of great celebrity, when he will have to look to his laurels.’

1/5/61 Sporting Life – ‘HACKNEY WICK. RACE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP BETWEEN J ROWAN AND J PUDNEY.

On Monday last, the scene at these well-known grounds was animated in the extreme, hundreds flocked from all parts by rail, and in every description of vehicle, whilst the surrounding trees and all elevated spots were crowded to get a sight of the competitors. The cause of this was the race of six miles between J Rowan, of Gateshead, and J Pudney, of London, for £25 a-side and the champion’s belt. That handsome trophy was presented by Mr Baum, to be run for on June 11th 1860, when it was won by J Brighton of Norwich, defeating Job Smith of Manchester 2, Toddy Ray of Limehouse 3 and Jones of Islington 4. The following started but were not placed – W Lang, S Harker, C O’Connor and E Mills. He was not allowed to retain his honours long, for a competitor in the now-renowned J White, of Gateshead, challenged him for it and articles were at once entered into to run for £25 a-side and the belt on August 20th and after one of the fastest races on record it was won by White, doing the distance in 30 mins 57.6 seconds. There now appeared every chance of this little hero holding it permanently but, however, at the commencement of the present year, another claimant put in his appearance, in the person of the renowned Jem Pudney and they contended for it on 25th February last and, after a slashing race, Pudney won by 2 yards only. Rowan at once issued a challenge to run the winner, which led to the present contest. The race was set for 6 o’clock, but long before that time crowds had entered the grounds, which was in beautiful running order. The admission to the grounds was one shilling each, this tended to keep the company select, and the result was that a beautiful clear course was kept throughout, and although there was a strong body of police on the ground, under Inspector Bowler and Sergeant Butane, their services were not called into requisition. At the appointed hour nearly 1,500 spectators had assembled and, soon after the hour named, the men came on the ground, Pudney attended by Mills and Rowan waited on by a friend. The betting was very languid, 5 to 4 being offered on the countryman: but the Londoners stood out for more odds. The course had to be traversed 40 times and 160 yards to complete the distance. On stripping, both men looked in fine condition, Pudney, if anything, appearing to have overdone it, and looking much staler than when he ran White. The referee having taken up his position,  the word to go was given and, at a very slow pace, Pudney took the lead on the outside, Rowan running at his elbow. By the end of the fourth lap Rowan led by a dozen yards and by the end of the first mile by 25 yards, the mile being completed in 4 mins 44 secs. By the end of the 4th mile Pudney was almost run to a stand-still and gave up, leaving Rowan to finish by himself, the backers of Pudney allowing him not to run the whole distance.’

Sporting Life may have opined that the entrance fee had kept the company ‘select’ but The Morning Herald, of 2/5/61, described the crowd as ‘500 of the roughest class of men that London can boast of’ and noted that the ‘course was of gravel’. An added detail was that ‘when they (i.e. the runners, not the crowd) arrived they were muffled up and one had on ‘two pairs of trowsers’, they ‘rinsed mouths with brandy and water’ and then were stripped to the skin, the ‘only garment being retained being the ordinary bather’s covering.’

Newcastle Daily Chronicle  described Rowan’s return to Newcastle with his belt. ‘The trophy he brings with him is worth contending for. [It cost 55 guineas, i.e. around £8,000.] The belt may be worn as either a waist or shoulder sash or scarf, as it is full seven feet long. The material is rich blue velvet interspersed with medallions of gold and silver, the whole being embossed with pedestrian figures. On each edge is a gold border, the ends finishing with a rich gold fringe, and in the centre are the words ‘Champion’s belt' in gold letters. The value is said to be up to fifty five guineas. Rowan, for the present has taken up his quarters at the White Swan, Cloth Market, Newcastle, where the belt is exhibited.’

Sporting Life of 5th June 1861 – ‘ROWAN AND MILLS. On Monday last, the Victoria Grounds, Newcastle, was frequented by at least 6,000 persons to witness the race between E Mills, of London, and James Rowan, of Gateshead. The match was 10 miles, for £25 a-side. They appeared on the ground a few minutes before three o’clock, prepared for action. The betting was 2 to 1 and 5 to 2 on Rowan but very little money was speculated. Rowan took the lead for the first mile, Mills lying about 2 yards behind. In the second mile Mills took the lead but Rowan again went to the front for a lap and again dropped behind, 6 to 4 being offered on Rowan. Mills keeping the lead up to 5 miles when Rowan improved his pace and in the 6th mile came up to Mills and they raced together until the 7th mile, Rowan showing a little lameness and got a few yards behind, and after running another half mile, gave in, having strained one of the sinew in his legs and was obliged to resign the struggle, Mills running the remainder of the distance at his leisure. The first 5 miles was run in 25 minutes 45 seconds.’

Some measure of Rowan’s fame can be taken from the fact that George Newbold, a photographer based at 303-304, The Strand was offering for sale, in January 1862, portraits of sporting heroes like Mills, Deerfoot, Westhall, Lang, Rowan, Sayers, Heenan, Mace and Travers, all boxers apart from Lang, Deerfoot, Mills and Rowan. The images were 17 by 21 inches, at 5shillings each and George Hardy of the Rising Sun, Swan St, Manchester and George Martin, the White Lion, Millgate, Manchester were also selling them. Also available were portraits of four rowers, Bob Chambers, Henry Kelley, Messenger and Tom White. Bell’s Life of 23/2/62 also advised that Barker and Rowan were matched to run 10 miles, on 31st March, at Hackney Wick, for £20 a-side. And on March 9th, the same source said Rowan had agreed to run a man who never won above £10 for three miles for £15 a-side, stating they would meet to draw up articles.

6/4/62 The Era ‘PEDESTRIANISM AT THE WHITE LION, HACKNEY WICK. Rowan v Barker of Billingsgate for £25 a-side over 10 miles. A thousand spectators were present but ‘reluctant to part with their sugar’. Rowan was waited on by Spooner of Turnham Green while Barker was attended by Mills and W Richards of Millwall. ‘From the fifth mile, Rowan had it all his own way and was never again passed. In vain did the gallant ‘Sammivel’ try all he knew…’ and at the beginning of the ninth mile, he succumbed, dead beaten. Rowan was ordered to pull up rather than complete the distance. The next article on the page noted that Richards and Rowan had been matched over three miles on Monday next, for £15 a-side, at Hackney Wick.

13/4/62 Bell’s Life – ‘Richards, the Welshman, and Rowan, of Gateshead, at Hackney Wick, to run three miles for £15 a-side, there being a good attendance. The distance was twenty one laps, Rowan being waited on by Haller, had given Richards 100 yards. Richards was attended by Grace, of pedestrian notoriety. The ‘off’ was signalled by pistol and they went away at a slashing pace. Rowan gained 50 yards in the first mile and another 30 in the second mile. In the sixteenth lap Rowan first took the lead but he was not destined to win. Being by no means in condition, the efforts he had made to close upon his man told on him terribly and, so much distressed was he, that when Richards challenged him in the twentieth lap he was unable to break from his opponent, so that the Welshman again took the lead. Rowan pulled up dead-beat in the last lap. The three miles were done in 16 mins 10secs.’

19/4/62 Illustrated Sporting Chronicle – ‘GOOD FRIDAY AND EASTER RACING AT HACKNEY WICK. Champion’s Race at 2 miles for a silver cup, second £4, third £1; entrance 10s each. Entries Mills, Lang, Brighton, Rowan, Pudney, Barker etc.’

7/6/62 Sporting Life – ‘Entries for Sterling and Emmerson’s Great All-England Handicap for June 23rd and 24th at Fenham Park, included Albison scratch, Richards off 75, Rowan off 93, Hogg off 100, W Freek off 115 and many others with up to 265 yards start.’

21/6/62 Newcastle Daily Chronicle – ‘Great Four-Mile Handicap of 28th June at Victoria Grounds for £20, £2 and £1. Entries E Mills scratch, S Barker 150 yards, P Stapelton 180 yards, J Rowan 200 yards, W Richards 280 yards’ and around twenty others.

5/7/62 Illustrated Sporting Life – Of the acceptances for the Four Mile handicap (above) only seven appeared, not including Rowan. Brunnell won 19/10/62 Bell’s Life - W Park of Glasgow challenged Bell of Felling (who he’d just beaten) to a rematch from eight to ten miles for £25 a-side, or J Rowan, on the same terms, for a deposit of £5 to Bell’s Life or Henry Wardle of 103 Percy St.

18/10/62 Newcastle Chronicle – Rowan ‘did the needful’ i.e. acted as trainer and support, for Joseph Hogg in his match v Forster.

            And that, Ladies and Gentlemen was that…there are no newspaper entries of any kind for 1863 and the next we hear of the Gateshead Flash or, as some stated, the ‘Black Callant’ [callant a Scottish term for a little laddie] was on 29th October 1864 when the Newcastle Chronicle reported, ‘Robert Stephenson [probably not the railway engineer] gave a concert on Monday night in the Queen’s Head Assembly Room Gateshead, for the benefit of James Rowan, the Pedestrian, who is now lying dangerously ill. He was assisted by Messrs Tom Handford, Duncan McGreggor, Broomfield, Makepeace, McDougall, Carr and Monkhouse. Mr Robert Chambers, the champion sculler, also appeared. The room was crowded. The programme was long and varied and the parts allotted to the different performers were well sustained.’

5/11/1864 Bell’s Sporting Life – ‘It will no doubt be learned with deep regret by the pedestrian public generally that the celebrated Gateshead clipper, James Rowan, is now completely prostrated by illness. A few years ago he held the champion’s belt, when it was wrested from him by Mills of London, and although he has several times since appeared in public he has invariably met a reverse. This would appear to have made him extremely despondent and under these circumstances the public in Newcastle and Gateshead will, it is to be hoped, sympathise with him in his present affliction.’

19/11/64 Bell’s Life – ‘The celebrated long distance pedestrian, J Rowan of Gateshead, still continues in precarious health, and though his once numerous retinue of admirers appear at the present time to have almost forgotten him, we are glad to observe that he has not been forsaken by his many metropolitan friends. Notwithstanding his success as a runner, his station in life in a financial point of view is by no means an enviable one just now, and we trust that his peculiarly sad case will soon be more generously considered by his north of England neighbours.’ In fact, as the Gateshead Observer had reported there had been a benefit for James though no financial numbers had been given.

10/12/64 Gateshead Observer – Died ‘at Liddle’s Yard, High St, on Tuesday, aged 28, James Rowan, late 10 mile Champion pedestrian.’

16/12/64 Newcastle Courant – ‘DEATH OF A WELL-KNOWN PEDESTRIAN – On Sunday afternoon, the remains of James Rowan, well-known in sporting circles as the Champion 10 mile pedestrian prior to the debut of Mills, who now holds that position, were interred in St Edmund’s Cemetery, Gateshead. Upwards of 100 sporting celebrities attended, and walked in procession to the graveside. Among them were Chambers, champion rower, and Cooper; numbers of the same fraternity being present from London, and also from several provincial towns. Deceased died on the previous Tuesday and was only 28 years of age. During his championship, his career was regarded with the utmost confidence by his friends but, unfortunately, he became unsteady and was soon surpassed by others.’

17/12/64 Bell’s Life in London – ‘DEATH OF MR JAMES ROWAN OF GATESHEAD – The celebrated pedestrian, James Rowan of Gateshead, who some years ago, held for a considerable time the Ten-Mile Champion Belt, has, we regret to announce, at length succumbed to his late severe illness. His demise took place on December 6th at his residence in Gateshead and created a great amount of surprise and sympathy, not only in Newcastle, but in the neighbouring district, as he was a comparatively young man, being only in his 29th year. His career, it will thus be seen, has been a brief one, but while it lasted he proved himself one of the swiftest and finest runners that ever lived. His public life began in earnest when he was but 18 years of age, when he contended with the well-known John White in a mile handicap race at the Victoria Running Grounds, Newcastle, for £5 a side. This race proved an easy victory for him, as was also his next with Richard Turner of Gateshead, on the Swalwell Turnpike Rd, the distance of the match again being a mile. He then essayed a challenge to Burdess of Gateshead, which was accepted and the couple turned out on the Orwell Park Turnpike Rd for £15 and he again proved a winner. His next public performance of any note was with H Armstrong of Newcastle, with whom he had arranged to run a mile on the Newcastle Town Moor, and in this race he again showed himself worthy of the confidence of his backers and friends. Shortly after this he ran one M Franey round the Newcastle Race Course, two miles and three quarters, and once more carried off the palm; and all these were within the year in which he had commenced his career as a pedestrian. In the following year a mile handicap came off for £40 at Sheffield, when with 80 yards he ultimately carried off the prize. Soon after this he ran C Welton of Gateshead a one mile race at the Three Mile Bridge for £50, and beat him. His next appearance was in a long-distance handicap, at the Grapes Running Grounds, Westgate Rd, Newcastle and he won, after which he entered a ten mile handicap at Ayrshire for the Championship and £50, and again added another victory to his laurels.

These were once more augmented by his match with his old opponent, J White of Gateshead, with whom he ran half a mile in the Victoria Running Grounds for £25 a side. About this time, too, he met at the celebrated Jack Saville of Oldham at a running ground at Sheffield, for £50 a side, the distance being 1 mile. After a capital race our hero had to succumb and in his next race, with Brighton of Norwich, for £25, 4 miles, he was equally unsuccessful. Subsequently he appeared and took part in a 10 mile handicap for £50 at Hyde Park, Sheffield, but was beaten by Jack Levett of the town just named who, however, received a start of 200 yards. A short time afterwards he met Pudney of London in a 10 mile race at Hackney Wick, for £25 a side, and won. His career extended over a period of between six and seven years and during that time he ran, as may be presumed, a great many more races than we have above-stated. The above, however, amongst the principal and most popular he ran and after beating Pudney he retained the 10 mile champion belt until about 1860 when he was beaten in the Victoria Running Grounds by Teddy Mills of London who, we need scarcely say, has almost ever since been the undisputed champion at 10 miles. Since that occasion Rowan, it must be confessed, although we are loth to say so, gave himself up to dissipation and eventually laid the foundation of the severe illness which at length terminated by death. He was at first confined to his house about three months since, when he gradually sank until he expired, as already stated, on December 6th. The respect for him however was general everywhere on Tyneside, which was fully exemplified by the attendance at his funeral on Sunday the 11th. His remains were removed in the morning to the Gateshead Cemetery, when upwards of 100 sporting celebrities, including aquatic, pedestrian and other sporting gentlemen, attended. A large number of the general public also followed the mournful cortege to the grave.’

Joseph Hogg became an established licensee and then butcher; James Rowan, ‘the Flash’, flashed brilliantly for a short time and then burned out; Stephen Ridley (whose brother George went to Blaydon Races on 9th June, 1862) was another local hero; but the greatest of the local runners was John/Jack White, the Gateshead Clipper.

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Peter Welsh taught history in Sunderland for 37 years. He is the author of Washington in the Great War (Pen and Sword) and now devotes his time to watching cricket, his allotment, hoping for a trophy for NUFC before he dies and local history – not necessarily in that order. I’ve attached a passport photo but it should be noted that I do, occasionally, smile.

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Sources

Lynne Pearson – Played in Tyne and Wear

Newspaper Archive – Find My Past

Census and Births, Deaths and Marriages – Find My Past.

WD Lawson - Tyneside Celebrities (1873)

Wiki

Playing Pasts website

Image taken from a framed copy of James Rowan Selling Antiques – original photograph by George Newbold, The Strand, London, available in 1860s. Google ‘James Rowan runner’