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From the
https://theisleofthanetnews.com 28 May, 2017. By Kathy Bailes.
A re-enactment of the famous Chariots of Fire run and an unveiling of a
blue plaque in honour of the 1924 Olympic Games athletes who stayed at a
Broadstairs hotel will take place next month.
The plaque will be officially unveiled at the former "Carlton Hotel"
in Victoria Parade on June 29 as part of a day of events marking the
town’s place in the Olympic team’s history.
The event will also include a presentation, film script raffle and a
screening of the film at The Palace Cinema.
It is the culmination of several years’ work to uncover the evidence
linking the 1924 athletics team to the property.
The journey.
Local historian Barrie Wootton had always been interested in Harold
Abrahams, the 1924 Olympic 100 meters Gold medal winner, and knew that
he had stayed at the "Carlton Hotel" in Broadstairs on his way to the
Paris Olympic Games.
In 2011, the year before the London Olympic Games, he thought he
would see if the Broadstairs and St. Peter’s Town Council would agree to
a blue plaque being erected to commemorate the true-life story which was
depicted in the film, Chariots of Fire.
Family history.
The path didn’t run smoothly so by the time Anne Ammundsen, the
great-granddaughter of the builder of the hotel, in 1899 -John Teedum
May – had moved to Broadstairs in 2013, and had started to research her
family history, Barrie was still working away at achieving his goal.
Anne joined forces with Barrie and together they worked their way
through the provenance of the story, with the help of Anne’s friend, a
film-director, who knew Lord Puttnam, the producer of the film.
The letter.
He assured Anne the story of the athletes staying at the "Carlton
Hotel" was indeed true, as the letter in the film portrayed.
Anne then contacted the Amateur Athletics Association in an attempt
to get hold of the original letter.
Event director also tried to track down the letter - eventually
establishing that it was still with the screenwriter, Colin Welland.
He contacted Colin’s family who, sadly, were unable to put their
hands on the letter as, by then, Colin was suffering from dementia and
soon afterwards died.
All these efforts were accepted by Broadstairs and St. Peter’s Town
Council as sufficient evidence that the story was, indeed true.
The blue plaque was commissioned and installed in 2015.
Making it official.
Now there will be an official unveiling and Mike has ensured that the
re-enactment of the iconic beach run from the film Chariots of Fire will
take place in aid of charity.
The film told the story of two young British sprinters competing for
fame in the 1924 Olympics – Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell.
Anne said: “It is hoped that this will become an annual event on the
sands in Broadstairs. Let’s hope it is sufficiently successful to do so!
“For me it will be a personal tribute to my great-grandfather and
grandfather – J.T. May & Son who built the hotel as a place to live and
a place to work for two unmarried daughters, Mabel and Ruth May.
“These ladies were managing the hotel at the time the Olympians
stayed there.”
Money raised at the event will go to Demelza Children’s Hospices,
Kent and Variety Children’s Wheelchair Provision.
On the day of the event Anne’s daughter Nina will be wearing Ruth’s
platinum and diamond ring, most probably worn when the Olympians were at
the hotel, and Anne will be wearing the diamond engagement ring of John
Teedum’s daughter-in-law, Ellen Elizabeth May.
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