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Speed skating began in 1814. The National Skating Association was formed in Cambridge in 1879. Organised championships followed the establishment of the International Skating Union in 1892.
Amateur champions included F. W. Dix of Raunds in 1908, 1909, and 1912. A record set by 'Fish' Smart in 1881 of a mile with a flying start in three minutes at Cowbit Wash, which was beaten in 1912 by F. W. Dix.
From: 'Sport', A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume 5 (1973), pp. 279-303.
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Rushden Echo, 17th January 1908, transcribed by Kay Collins
Skating Record Again Beaten by F. W. Dix
Remarkable Performance
At Lingay Fen on Tuesday, between the races for the professional Championship, several speed tests were skated. The most notable was the performance of the amateur champion, F. W. Dix, of Raunds, who went over the mile course, with three turns, and accomplished the remarkable time of 3min. 12sec., as against the previous amateur record of 3min. 22 4/5 sec., by J. C. Aveling on January 10 1893. The professional record is 3min. 8sec., by Marten Kigma of Holland, also in 1893. For his performance Dix received a N.S.A. gold badge.
Mr Dix and the World’s Championship
Dix is so satisfied with his achievement that it is not unlikely he will enter for the world’s championship.
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Rushden Echo, 24th January 1908, transcribed by Kay Collins
The Champion SkaterMr. F. W. Dix, of Raunds, the amateur skating champion, leaves to-day for Switzerland, to take part in the world’s championships. Mr. Arthur Gates, the captain of the St. Peter’s F.C., goes with him.
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Rushden Echo, 5th February 1909, transcribed by Kay Collins
The Amateur Skating Championship - Still held by Dix of Raunds
New World’s Record
The amateur skating championship was decided on Friday on Lingay Fen. F. W. Dix, of Raunds, the holder, and A. E. Tebbit, of Wentworth, the amateur ex-champion, met twice in the race. In the first round they skated a grand race. Dix’s time for the mile and a half with three turns was 4min. 37sec., which was 2/5ths of a second faster than his last year’s record, and makes a new world’s record. Tebbit skated the course in 4min. 55sec.
They raced together again in the final round, but the times of both were slowerthat of Dix being 4min. 41 2/5sec. and Tebbit 4min. 57sec. None of the other competitorswho numbered nine in allsucceeded in getting under 5min.
H Collins, of Leigh, and F. Hudson of Raunds, who qualified with Dix and Tebbit for the final round, figured in a remarkable heat. Both men fell when almost abreast within thirty yards of the post, but Collins was carried by his impetus past it, and won in 5min. 5sec.
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Rushden Argus, 9th February 1912
F W Dix - Skating A Third Win
After a lapse of three years the executive of the National Skating Association succeeded in bringing of the race for the Amateur Championship at Lingay Fen, near Cambridge, on Thursday last. [part of a longer article]
In the same edition:
The Amateur Champion at the Top of His Form
On Friday Dix was still at Lingay Fen, and there ran up against a local opponent in the person of C. R. Clarke, a fellow townsman. [continues...]
F W Dix at Hendon
There was a very large attendance on Saturday afternoon at the Welsh Harp Lake, Hendon, to wintness the National Skating Association’s 220 yards scratch race for the Baker Challenge Cup.
F. W. Dix, of Raunds, the triple winner of the amateur mile championship and of the 1½miles race at Lingay Fen on Friday, was again seen to advantage both in the preliminaries and final, in which G. Page, the holder, could only gain third place, F. C. Hudson, who was beaten by C. F. Morley, the well-known Cambridge ex-cyclist in the mile championship heats, gaining second position.
Final: Dix, time 22 4/5sec. 1: Hudson, 23 1/5sec. 2: Page, 23 4/5sec. 3. Dix was smarter at the start, and, moving in faultless style, never once looked like being beaten.
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Rushden Echo, 9th February 1912
Raunds Skater’s Successes
New World’s Record Enthusiastic Welcome to Raunds
F. W. Dix, of Raunds, who has three times won the British Amateur Speed Skating Championship, which carries with it the cup presented by King Edward, and who also won the Littleport amateur race on Friday last, is thinking (says the “Daily News”) of turning professional, but his numerous supporters are hoping that he will not do so. Many regard him as the finest speed skater in England, but he is particularly anxious to meet F. Greenhall, the British professional champion, and should he decide to go over he will have an opportunity of doing so today over a five-turn course in the Littleport professional race. He has not yet obtained highest honours as an amateur, for Albert Tebbit won the amateur championship four times.
On Saturday last Dix won the National Skating Association 220 yards contest for the Baker Challenge Cup at the Welsh Harp, Hendon. [part of a longer article]
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Rushden Echo, 26th November 1915, transcribed by Kay Collins
Joins the A.S.C. - Mr. F. W. Dix, the famous Raunds athlete, cyclist, and skating champion, has, with his brother, joined the motor transport section of the Army Service Corps.
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Rushden Echo, 2nd November 1917, transcribed by Kay Collins
Mr. F. W. Dix, contractor and laundry-man, disposed of his stock-in-trade on joining up for military service. His 2-ton motor lorry fetched £260; a smaller motor lorry £116; a 5½-h.p. gas engine £28. Carts and vans sold readily at big figures.
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The Rushden Echo, 9th February 1917
Higham Ferrers V.A.D.Auxiliary HospitalMiss Newman and Miss Tinston, as the result of a concert and dance held on January 23rd, have handed in the sum of £4 to the hospital. By selling photographs of Mr F W Dix of Raunds, the amateur champion skater, a profit of 5/8 was made, and, at Mr Dix’s request, Mr Geo Hunt expended that amount in cigarettes for the wounded soldiers and handed them in on Wednesday night. [more about the VAD hospital]
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Rushden Echo, 27th September 1917, transcribed by Kay Collins
Pte. F. W. Dix, Royal West Kents, of Raunds, the champion skater, is wounded in both hands. He is now in hospital in Bradford.
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Rushden Echo, 6th January 1928, transcribed by Kay Collins
Raunds Skater Loses Championship
Beaten by Man Twenty Years Younger And One of His Pupils
The Raunds Skater Mr F W Dix was deprived of the amateur skating championship of Great Britain on Saturday at Lingay Fen, before nearly 5,000 spectators.
Mr Dix is 42 years of age, and his conqueror was Mr G W Horn, who is 20 years younger. This was the first time the championship, held over a 1½ mile course, had been held since 1912. Horn first came into prominence when he defeated Dix, from whom he has received training, last week in the Duddleston Cup competition.
Their times on Saturday were: Horn 4min. 55 4/5sec.; Dix 5min. 9 3/5sec.
Four other competitors reached the final, H Martin, of Nordelph (Norfolk), being third.
Dix won his preliminary heat against A Norman (Haddenahm) with a time of 5min. 14 3/5sec. The six fastest competitors qualified for the three finals, the championship being decided as a speed test and not as a race.
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