The last time London saved the Commonweath Games: As Sadiq Khan says capital could host next year’s event, pictures show how the city stepped in as emergency host before
- Sadiq Khan, the capital’s mayor, suggested yesterday that London could step in
- 1934 event was the second iteration of the British Empire Games
- Had been set for South Africa but plans were cancelled over Apartheid policy
Amid news this week that the Australian state of Victoria has pulled out of hosting the Commonwealth Games, London has been mooted as an alternative destination.
Sadiq Khan, the capital’s mayor, suggested yesterday that London could step in to host the 2026 Games.
If the plan were to go ahead, it would mark the first time since 1934 that London has been home to the sporting extravaganza.
Back then, the event was known as the British Empire Games and was held in large part in West London’s Shepherd’s Bush and Wembley in North London.
More than 50,000 people packed into the now-demolished White City Stadium for the opening ceremony, at which 40,000 pigeons were released into the sky.
The Games had originally been scheduled for South Africa, but London stepped in to avoid a political crisis over the nation’s Apartheid policy, which would have impacted the ability of black and Asian athletes to compete.
London hosted the British Empire Games in 1934. The Games had originally been scheduled for South Africa, but London stepped in to avoid a political crisis over the nation’s Apartheid policy. Above: Female competitors take part in the Women’s 80m hurdles at White City Stadium in West London in 1934
A crowd of workers watch Indian wrestlers including Ajaib Singh (left) in training. The fighters arrived in London to compete in the Empire Games. In the background is the Empire Pool, which was built specially for the games
When the inaugural British Empire Games concluded in Canada in 1930, the Daily Mail prophetically predicted that the event would become a ‘permanent institution.’
The week-long extravaganza in Hamilton, Ontario, saw English athletes top the medal table as they competed with sportsmen and women from nations including Wales, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
The word Empire – then a homage to Britain’s global territories – was only dropped from the Games’ title after the 1966 event, which was held in Jamaica.
White City Stadium, which was demolished in 1985, had previously enjoyed the illustrious honour of hosting the 1908 Olympics, when London stepped in after an eruption of Mount Vesuvius put paid to Rome’s plans to host.
Stunning photos show the event itself and the lead-up, when athletes spent time relaxing and training.
In one image, Indian wrestlers are seen sparring outside the pool at Wembley, in another, three female athletes are seen focusing intensely as they compete in the 80-metre hurdles. Watching on were tens of thousands of spectators.
The games were opened at White City Stadium on August 4. Around 600 athletes march around the sun-flooded arena, before pigeons were released into the sky.
Female swimmers from England, Australia and Jersey are seen having some down time on a water bicycle a day before the Empire Games began. Women competed in only the athletics and aquatics events that year
A girl throwing a tin lid as a makeshift discus, at a gathering in Regent’s Park inspired by the Empire Games, which were then in full swing
Around 40,000 pigeons are seen being released into the sky during the opening ceremony for the 1934 British Empire Games, at White City Stadium in Shepherd’s Bush
At the opening ceremony, around 50,000 people packed in to watch 600 athletes march around the sun-flooded arena. Above: A band from the Coldstream Guards are seen performing to thousands of spectators at White City stadium during the opening ceremony
Competitors from a total of 16 nations and territories took part. At the time, all competitor nations – including Canada, Australia, South Africa, Jamaica and India – were part of the British Empire. By the time the games ended on August 11, England topped the medal table with 73 gongs – 29 of them were gold, 20 silver and 24 bronze. Above: An Indian athlete is seen during the opening ceremony
The youngest athlete was a girl of 14 from South Africa, whilst the oldest was a 45-year-old hammer-thrower from Newfoundland, Canada.
At the time, all competitor nations – including Canada, Australia, South Africa, Jamaica and India – were part of the British Empire.
The Daily Mail’s report of the Empire Games’ opening ceremony in 1934
By the time the games ended on August 11, England topped the medal table with 73 gongs – 29 of them were gold, 20 silver and 24 bronze.
London was confirmed as the host in February 1933 and so had only 18 months to make preparations for the event.
As part of the lead-up, Wembley’s Empire Pool was designed by famed engineer Sir Owen Williams and work on it was complete in July 1934.
Competitors from a total of 16 nations and territories took part, but women competed in only athletics and aquatics.
At the 1930 Games, women did not take part in any events, meaning the times they set in 1934 were new records.
Reporting on the opening ceremony, the Daily Mail said at the time: ‘Fifty thousand people and 40,000 pigeons saw the opening oft eh Empire Games at the White City on Saturday – the biggest athletics festival in this country since 1908.
‘The people paid to go in. the pigeons were released from hundreds of baskets for an ‘Empire Game’ of their own.’
They noted how there was ‘considerable restlessness’ in the crowd as they listened to speeches, whilst each team of athletes had ‘something special to distinguish it’.
The oldest competitor was William Colfield, who at 45 had been throwing hammers for more than 20 years.
The youngest was Molly Ryde, a 14-year-old champion back stroke swimmer from South Africa.
The Daily Mail noted that Indian wrestler Ajaib Singh was ‘very proud of his long beard’ and wore his hair ‘neatly coiled on the top of his head’.
A female diver, a Miss O. Whitsitt, from South Africa, smoked cigarettes between her attempts to calm her nerves.
The Empire Pool was specially constructed for the British Empire Games. Above: Workers are seen painting the bottom of the pool during its construction in July 1934. The impressive building was built in less than a year after London stepped in to host the games
Members of South Africa’s women’s swimming team are seen posing for a photo during training in Hyde Park’s Serpentine lake ahead of the opening of the British Empire Games
The Australian team from left: A Higginson (swimming), JP Metcalfe (athletics), JL Knight (wrestling), N Ryan (swimming), H Pethybridge (cycling), RV Clark (swimming), L Thompson (swimming), L Cook (boxing), HS Yates (athletics), C Dennis (swimming), RE Garrard (wrestling), N Dempsey (athletics), EL Gray (cycling), FI Woodhouse (athletics)
Women from Australia’s swimming team are seen taking a break from training for the games by competing in a game of quoits, where the aim is to throw a ring over a spike lying on the ground
Three South African athletes (left to right) high jumper Marjorie Clark, J Luckhoff and hurdler Barbara Burke in training at Paddington Recreation Ground, London, for the British Empire Games
Louise Fawcett, England’s javelin and discus thrower, is seen teaching her 11-year-old niece Doreen how to throw a discus at Paddington Recreation Ground during her training in the lead-up to the Empire Games
Three South African athletes (left to right) high jumper Marjorie Clark, J Luckhoff and hurdler Barbara Burke in training at Paddington Recreation Ground, London, for the British Empire Games
South African competitors and officials on board the Union Castle liner ‘Armadale Castle’ leaving Southampton on their return from the Empire Games in London
The boating lake outside the Empire Pool is seen being used by swimmers and boaters in 1934, the year that the pool was built
A view from the south-west showing the front elevation of the Empire Pool, which was built specially for the Empire Games. The swimming pool was last used in 1948 at that year’s Olympic Games. The building was renamed Wembley Arena in 1978 and is now commonly used for music and comedy events
The first tweak to the games’ name came in 1952, when they came the British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
The word empire was then dropped entirely in 1970.
The last event to feature it was the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, which was held in Kingston, Jamaica.
The long-term future of the Games was said to be under threat this week after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews opted to pull out of hosting, citing fears of spiraling costs.
He said it had become clear the cost would exceed $6billion (£3.5billion).
The decision comes after Birmingham hosted last year’s Games at the last minute due to South Africa’s decision to scrap plans to host them in Durban, again due to cost.
A spokesperson for Mr Khan said yesterday: ‘Any decision would need to be taken by the Government,’ a spokesperson for London Mayor Sadiq Khan said.
‘However, London is the sporting capital of the world, with a wealth of experience in hosting major sporting events.
‘The Mayor stands ready to support a submission for 2026 and future global events.’
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