Did you know that Lord Desborough, the President of the 1st London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 1908 was a Buckinghamshire resident and that his sporting CV went far beyond this single great feat?
Taplow Court, just a stones throw from Dorney Lake where the rowing and flatwater canoeing events will be held in 2012 was home to Lord Desborough, the President of the 1st London Olympic Games in 1908.
As well as being President of the first London Games, he was Olympic Fencing Silver Medalist, president of the Oxford University Boat Club, Steward of the Henley Royal Regatta, he swam the Niagra Rapids twice, climbed the Matterhorn 3 times, rowed across the English Channel, was amateur punting champion of the Upper Thames and was President of the Amateur Fencing Association, Marylebone Cricket Club and the Lawn Tennis Association…quite a CV I think you would agree.
We are currently collecting tales such as this relating to Buckinghamshire’s association with the Olympic and Paralymic games with a view to developing a living archive in the lead up to 2012.
If you know of an interesting tale relating to Buckinghamshire’s Olympic or Paralympic heritage or recounting your own unique Olympic or Paralympic experiences, we would love to hear from you.
