Jump to content

Alice Legh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alice Legh, circa 1894

Alice Blanche Legh (1855 – 3 January 1948) was a famous British archer. She has been called "the greatest British woman archer of all-time"[1] and "the greatest British archer ever".[2]

From 1881 to 1922, she won the national ladies' archery championship twenty-three times.[3] In 1908, she declined to compete at the London Olympics in order to prepare for her defense of the national title a week later.[4] She successfully defended the title against Queenie Newall, the Olympic gold medal winner, by a large margin.[1] She held the title for a record eight consecutive years between 1902 and 1909.[3][5] The only international competition she is known to have participated in is a contest at Le Touquet in 1905, although the opportunity was open to her on several occasions.[5] She retired from archery in 1922 at the age of sixty-seven.[5]

Legh died at Resthaven nursing home in Stroud, Gloucestershire, on 3 January 1948. She is buried at Minchinhampton.[5]

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Sybil Newall Biography and Olympic Results". Sports-Reference.com. USA Today Sports Media Group. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  2. ^ Mallon, Bill; Buchanan, Ian (2000). The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company. p. 42. ISBN 0786405988.
  3. ^ a b Uglow, Jennifer (1999). The Northeastern Dictionary of Women's Biography (3rd ed.). Boston: Northeastern University Press. p. 319. ISBN 155553421X.
  4. ^ "Preface to the online release, May 2012". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d Soar, Hugh D. Hewitt. "Legh, Alice Blanche (1856–1948)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/103387. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)