Leslie Howard CLIFF

Leslie Cliff skated pairs alongside his wife, Violet Cliff. Together they won bronze medals at the World Championships in 1936-37 and a silver medal at the 1936 European Championships. They also placed fourth at the 1938 Worlds and 1933 and 1937 Europeans.

Also with his wife, the pair won the British Championship every year from 1934-38. When they sought to regain their title after the war, in May 1946, they were beaten by Dennis and Winnie Silverthorne. Dennis Silverthorne was, at the time, a serving RAF officer like Cliff. An expert aviator, both Cliff and his wife obtained pilot’s licences, and Leslie became a flying instructor at Lympne and Brooklands. The pair finished third in the 1938 King’s Cup Air Race and in 1939 were due to compete in a Miles Hawk owned by fellow figure skater Cecilia Colledge. However, the race was cancelled because it was scheduled to take place on 2 September 1939, the day after World War II broke out. Cliff served with the RAF throughout the War, and obtained the rank of squadron leader, being decorated with the Air Force Cross.