LANCASHIRE - FRED NORRIS

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 12th Year

Issue

Issue No.

10

Date Released

Jun 1959

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1GLAMORGANSHIRE - WELSH SHOVEL
2. 2LONDON - BEER FROM COAL
3. 3LANCASHIRE - FRED NORRIS

Story

Story No. within this Issue

3 / 3

Summary

BFI synopsis: Look at the life of miner Fred Norris who is a long-distance champion runner. Norris and family. Participating in a 10-mile race, 3A’s meeting at Hurlingham, with Derek Ibbotson and Basil Heatley. Practice running in streets. Fred as a miner. Mosely Common colliery.
NCB Commentary - On the rare occasions when he isn’t training, Fred Norris, Britain’s 37 year old long distance runner, likes nothing better than a quiet evening at home with his wife and 12 year old son Edmund. Fred holds the British records for the 7, 8, 9 and 10 miles and World records for the two hour run and the 20, 21 and 22 miles. But Fred is something else as well as a runner, Fred is also a miner.
One of his greatest ambitions is to better Zatopek’s times. And at a three A’s meeting at Hurlingham his target was the Czechs 10 mile record. Also in the field were Basil, Heatly of Coventry and Derek Ibbotson. Ibbotson using the race for training, made the running in the early stages.
These three great athletes wre soon out in front of the rest of the field. At the 17th lap Ibbotson dropped out.
At the half way mark, Heatly began to fall back, no-one could match the flying miner from Tyldesly. But the seconds were ticking away and soon there was no-one near enough to give him his pace. Lapping another competitor at the post he had beaten his own British and British Empire records but Zatopek’s time had eluded him by only half a second a lap.
Up at 6.15 every morning Fred covers about 10 miles before his 9 - 4.30 shift as an underground greaser. He’s been at Cleworth Colliery for 10 years and in spite of his running success intends to stay in the industry.
When he goes off shift, it’s training again and a dozen or so more miles are reeled off. Fred already holds the British Empire and all-comers records for the one hour run. He hopes to represent Britain in the Olympic Marathon in Rome. After that he plans to retire and concentrate on coal mining. But at the moment those flying feet are after Zatopek and the Marathon for Britain.

Keywords

Mining; Athletics; Physical fitness and training

Locations

Hurlingham

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
Film User   Vol.13 No.157 November 1959, p586.
The National Archives COAL 32   /12 Scripts for Mining Review, 1956-1960

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board