Ernest John HENLEY

The 1910, and 1911 Sussex half-mile champion, Ernest Henley finished third in the 440y behind Cyril Seedhouse and George Patching at the 1912 AAA Championships, and placed fourth in the 880y three times (1914, 1920-21). In 1920 he won the 880y at the first Southern Counties Championships and at the Olympic Trials, but he did not make his second Olympic team. He took part in the first tri-nation tournament involving England, Ireland and Scotland, at Hampden Park Glasgow in 1914. Henley won the 880y and helped England to win the team prize. His last major success was in winning the Sussex half-mile championship in 1921, 11 years after he first won the title. After his retirement he regularly officiated at local athletic meetings and as well as serving as president of his club, Brighton & County Harriers, he also served as a vice-president of both the Brighton Athletic Club and the Sussex County Amateur Athletics Association. For 44 years Henley worked for the famous Brighton department store Hanningtons.

Personal Bests: 400 – 50.5 (1910); 800 – 1:57.6 (1912).