| Level | Sub-fonds |
| Finding Number (Click this to view full catalogue structure) | ATH/CS |
| Title | Papers of Colin Simpson |
| Extent | 1 standard box |
| Date | 1945-1990 |
| Thumbnail (Click this image to open a larger image) | 
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| Description | Medals, badges, awards and trophies presented to the athlete and athletics administrator Colin Simpson during the course of his athletics career. These items were awarded to Simpson as both a young runner and a veteran athlete, spanning the mid-late 20th century. The papers also include a cartoon depicting Simpson in running poise. |
| Notes | Old reference: CS |
| Access Conditions | Access to all registered researchers. |
| Copyright | Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Director of Special Collections (email: special-collections@contacts.bham.ac.uk). Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material. |
| Language | English |
| Finding Aids | A catalogue of this collection is available on the online archive catalogue. Click on the Finding Number to display the summary contents list of the catalogue and to view the full catalogue. |
| Access Status | Open |
| Creator Name | Simpson, Colin J. (1929-2011), athlete and athletics administrator |
| Administrative History | Colin Simpson was born in Birmingham on 2 April 1929, the son of Herbert and May Simpson (nee Glynn). He was educated at King Edward VI Camp Hill School and later joined the old boys association. In 1944 he joined Small Heath Harriers, prior to the club's merger to become Solihull and Small Heath Harriers, and competed in the Post Office Sports that year. He participated in many handicap races over half and one mile distances and was four times winner of the Coronation Cup, awarded to the winner of the Warwickshire senior men's mile, later 1500m. He won in the inaugural year, 1953 and in 1954, 1956 and 1958. As a veteran athlete he achieved success at the first World Veterans Athletics Championships held in Toronto in 1975, winning silver in the 800m and 1500m; and in Hannover in 1979. Although a track specialist, he did compete in a 10k road race in August 1976 in Rugby, finishing in third place. He was also a member of the winning UK cross-country team at the 1990 World Championships in Gateshead.
For many years Colin was treasurer of the Midland Veterans Athletic Club (MVAC), renamed Midland Masters Athletic Club (MMAC) in 2006. He was treasurer from the club's inception in 1972 until his death. His membership number was the first number issued following his win at the inaugural MVAC race. For many years he was also the club's membership secretary, editor of the club newsletters and was a member of the sub-committee which organised the annual National Masters Road Relays in Sutton Park. He was president of MVAC in 1986-7 and was awarded the President's Trophy for services to the club on two occasions, in 1994-5 and 1996.
Colin had married Margaret in 1952 and was an enthusiastic family man with two children, Roger and Lyn, and three grandchildren. He enjoyed jazz music, gardening and football, supporting West Bromwich Albion. He worked as an administrator for Birmingham City Council and then as a personnel officer at Aston University, retiring from full-time work in 1981. He kept a training diary throughout much of his life and between 1970 and 1981 regularly trained twice a day. In 2010 he was the West Midlands regional award winner for 'Services to Athletics' awarded by English Athletics. Colin Simpson died on 24 July 2011.
Sources: papers of Colin Simpson; obituaries published in MMAC newsletter No.227, August 2011 accessed 2 October 2014 from: http://mmacnewsarchive.wordpress.com/2011-2020/; obituary published in The Guardian, accessed 2 October 2014 from: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/sep/11/colin-simpson-obituary |
| Custodial History | This collection was previously in the custody of the National Centre for Athletics Literature (NCAL). |
| Archival Note | Papers arranged and described by Mark Eccleston, October 2014, in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description (ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; and in-house cataloguing guidelines. |
| Related Material | Other archive collections, formerly held as part of the National Centre for Athletics Literature (NCAL), are catalogued as collections distinct from this collection. They comprise both institutional archives and collections of personal papers of athletes, athletics administrators, journalists and others associated with the athletics world.
Catalogues of the institutional archives available on the online archive catalogue are as follows:
Amateur Athletic Association: papers, 1880-1992. Finding No: ATH/AAA;
English Cross-Country Union: papers, 1911-1989. Finding No: ATH/ECCU;
Midland Counties Amateur Athletics Association: papers, 1900-1991. Finding No: ATH/MCAAA;
Midland Counties Cross Country Association: papers, 1898-1985. Finding No: ATH/MCCCA;
Midland Counties Women's Amateur Athletic Association: papers, 1949-[1980s]. Finding No: ATH/MCWAAA;
Northern Counties Women's Amateur Athletic Association: papers, 1933-1989. Finding No: ATH/NCWAAA;
Northern Cross-Country Association: papers, 1906-1983. Finding No: ATH/NCCA;
Northern Women's Track and Field League: papers, 1982-1983. Finding No: ATH/NWTFL;
Southern Counties Amateur Athletic Association: papers, 1958-1983. Finding No: ATH/SCAAA;
Southern Counties Cross-Country Association: papers, 1911-1990. Find No: ATH/SCCCA;
The Sports Council: papers, [1940s]-2001. Finding No: ATH/SC;
Women's Amateur Athletic Association: papers, 1932-1989. Finding No: ATH/WAAA.
Catalogues of personal papers available on the online archive catalogue are as follows:
Abrahams, Harold Maurice (1899-1978), athlete, administrator, commentator and journalist: papers, 1902-1989. Finding No: ATH/HA;
Adam, George Mair (1898-1989), athlete, coach and athletics administrator: papers, 1909-1989. Finding No: ATH/GA;
Binks, Joseph (Joe) (1874-1966), athlete and athletics commentator: papers, [1920s-1950s]. Finding No: ATH/JB;
Brown, Audrey Kathleen (nee Court) (1913-2005), athlete: papers, [1930s]-2005. Finding No: USS22;
Cardew, Martin H. (b 1927), athlete: papers, 1964-1988. Finding No: ATH/MHC;
Cullum, Dennis Noel Johnson (1913-1985), athlete and coach: papers, [1930s]-1985. Finding No: ATH/DC;
Ives, Bert (1890-1975), athlete and athletics administrator: papers, [1920s-1970s]. Finding No: ATH/BI;
Jarvis, Walter (c 1888-c 1935), athlete: papers, 1910-1996. Finding No: MS4;
Jewell, John Christopher (1912-2001), athlete and athletics commentator: papers, 1897-2002. Finding No: ATH/JJ;
Lloyd-Edgley, Ralph: scrapbook, [c 1924]-[c 1931]. Finding No: ATH/RLE;
MacLean, Duncan (1884-1980), athlete and coach: papers, 1948-1977. Finding No: ATH/DM;
Monk, Walter Harry (Wal) (1896-after 1965), athlete: papers, 1918-1961. Finding No: ATH/WHM;
Morgan, Wilf (b 1935), athlete and athletics historian: papers, 1937-2012. Finding No: ATH/WM;
Newton, Arthur Francis Hamilton (1883-1959), athlete: papers, [c 1904]-[1990s]. Finding No: ATH/AN;
Payne, Howard (1931-1992), athlete: papers, 1899-[c 1975]. Finding No: ATH/HP;
Percy, Joe W. (1912-2001), athlete and athletics administrator: papers, 1910-1997. Finding No: ATH/JWP;
Perry, George (b 1903), athlete: papers, [1920s]-1956. Finding No: ATH/GP;
Powell, Edgar Robert Leslie (Peter), (fl 1920s-70s), athlete: papers, 1813-1988. Finding No: ATH/ERLP;
Richards, Wilf (b 1906), athlete and journalist: papers, 1924-[mid 20th century]. Finding No: ATH/WR;
Roberts, Dave (fl 1930s-1990s), athlete and statistician: papers, [1930s]-1991. Finding No: ATH/DR;
Simpson, Colin J. (1929-2011), athlete and athletics administrator: papers, 1945-1990. Finding No: ATH/CS;
Tatham, Wilfrid George (Gus) (1898-1978), athlete: papers, 1908-1960. Finding No: ATH/WGT;
Thomas, Dr Philip, athletics administrator and coach: papers, [c 1900]-[late 20th century]. Finding No: ATH/PT;
Vargas, Charles Climaco (1905-1975), athlete: papers, 1921-31. Finding No: ATH/CCV;
Ward, Leonard H., athletics coach: papers, [mid-20th century]. Finding No: ATH/LW;
Watman, Melvyn Francis (Mel) (b 1938), athletics journalist and statistician: papers, 1980-1993. Finding No: ATH/MW;
Wight, Robert M., athletics administrator: papers, [mid-20th century]. Finding No: ATH/RW;
Winter, Arthur E. H. (d 1990), athlete and athletics commentator: papers, [early 20th century]-1983. Finding No: ATH/AW;
Yarrow, Squire Stevens (1905-1984), athlete and athletics administrator: papers, 1938-1984. Finding No: ATH/SY. |