William Seagrove

Who was William Seagrove?

William Raymond Seagrove was a British athlete who competed mainly in the 3000 metre team.

After service in the army in World War One he competed for Great Britain in the 1920 Summer Olympics held in Antwerp, Belgium in the 3000 metre team where he won the silver medal with his team mates Joe Blewitt and Albert Hill, and also in the 5000 metre event where he finished sixth.

Four years later in the 1924 Summer Olympics he won the silver with the British team again. In 1926 he founded Normansal preparatory school in Seaford, East Sussex where he was initially Headmaster and mathematics master. He remained actively involved in the running of the school after his retirement, and the appointment of Rex Hackett to the headship. Seagrove Way, a street in Seaford, is named after him.

Seagrove was an all-rounder in life. An accomplished pianist and violinist, he ran the Normansal School choir, introduced boys to opera and organised annual visits to the Vienna Boys Choir concerts in Brighton. He was master of ceremonies and umpire at the annual sports day: eight-year-olds competed in pole vault, long jump, shot as well as the usual events. Long distance running was encouraged.