The grave of “Sheffield’s greatest sportsman” is to be restored thanks to a local community fundraiser.
George Littlewood, known as the ‘Sheffield Flyer’, was an endurance walker and runner in the late 1800s and holds the world’s longest-standing athletics world record – walking 531 miles in six days in 1882.
Nick Duggan, 66, set up the fundraising page and knew about Littlewood through the Sheffield Running Club. He said: “As one of Sheffield’s sporting heroes he’s been very well forgotten.
“When you think of who Sheffield’s most famous runner was, everyone will think of Seb Coe, but actually it was probably George Littlewood. He was the best in the world.
“He needs not to be forgotten. We just need to keep pushing it out there to raise the money. Ideally, I’d love to raise a couple thousand so the extra money can go towards the cemetery. It’s a great story.”
The fundraiser follows a community restoration project over the past year where volunteers have helped to clean and maintain Darnall Cemetery with help from local donations.
Norman Zide, 56, organised the restoration and founded the Darnall Cemetery community group.
He said: “The grave is quite imposing. If we get it restored it’d look perfect right where it is.
“When we first got into the cemetery, the circles and the path had all grown over, so we started trying to bring some respectability and dignity back. Someone told us about George Littlewood and we found out that he is where we’re trying to clean up.
“We found it amazing what he’d achieved. It’s a pleasure to have him in our cemetery.”
George Littlewood’s fallen grave at Darnall Cemetery. (Source: Norman Zide)
Littlewood competed in the sport of pedestrianism, a popular indoor endurance sport in the Victorian-era deemed to be ‘tougher than bare-knuckle boxing’.
As well as his long-standing walking world record, he also set British six-day race record by travelling 623 miles in front of a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden, New York, a record that stood for 96 years.
Littlewood died on 4 December 1912 of tuberculosis and his funeral was attended by up to 5,000 people.
P. S. Marshall, author of ‘King of the Peds’ and great-great-nephew of George Littlewood, believes it’s very important for his headstone to be maintained.
He said: “As well as the restoration of his tombstone, I would still like to think that Sheffield City Council would actually recognise George Littlewood. I have, in the past, campaigned for a statue of the great man outside the town hall – a campaign that has sadly fell on deaf ears.
“The ‘Sheffield Flyer’ was simply sensational and the fact that thousands turned out to welcome him home from his victories in the USA and for his funeral is testament that a statue would be a fitting memorial to this incredible athlete.”
To donate to the fundraiser, click here and to learn more about George Littlewood visit kingofthepeds.com.