Eustace Miles

Who was Eustace Miles?

Eustace Hamilton Miles was a British real tennis player who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics. He was the grandson of Sir William Miles, 1st Baronet by his son Captain William Henry Miles, J.P. and Mary Frances Miles, née Charleton. He was born at Hampstead and was educated at Marlborough College and King's College, Cambridge.

In 1908 he won the Olympic Silver Medal at the age of 39, after losing the final to Jay Gould II, the Bronze Medal was won by The Hon Neville Bulwer-Lytton, later 3rd Earl of Lytton. Miles had, in fact, coached the much younger Gould during his stay in America in 1900-2 when he became the first non-American winner of the US Championship in 1900. He won further the amateur raquets championship of the world in singles in 1906 and in doubles in 1902, 1904, 1905 and 1906; and of England in doubles as well as becoming amateur squash raquets champion of America in 1900. He was amateur real tennis champion of England in 1898-1903, 1905, 1906, 1909 and 1911 and amateur real tennis champion of the world in 1898-1903 and 1905.

He was a prolific author on diverse subjects including health, athletics, diet, ancient history and Classics with many of his books still available on Amazon. He married Hallie Killick, also an author, and both engaged in philanthropic works including providing free food and clothing to the poor of London, available during winter months near Cleopatra's Needle, a charitable exercise supported strongly by Queen Alexandra.