The Hockey Museum in Woking has had a first sight of a 1920 Olympic gold medal. It was won by Harry Haslam OBE, the Great Britain (GB) hockey goalkeeper at the Antwerp Games, and is on loan to the Museum from the Haslam family, together with memorabilia, including an oil painting of Haslam, his Antwerp participation medal and civilian medals.
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| The Harry Haslam display at The Hockey Museum. | ||
The medal and memorabilia was on display at a private presentation at the Museum on 5 September, the centenary of the close of the 1920 hockey tournament, attended by ten of Haslam’s descendants – socially distanced, of course. They received a personalised tour of the Museum and Haslam’s GB honours cap from triple Olympic hockey goalkeeper Simon Mason. It was a wonderful event with three generations of Haslam’s descendents present and the children clearly delighting in the experience.
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| Harry Haslam’s honours cap is presented to his great grandson Richard Ottaway by triple Olympian Simon Mason. | Christopher Ottaway, descendent of Harry Haslam, wearing the honours cap commemorating his relative’s hockey appearances (caps) for Great Britain. | Francesca Ottaway wearing her great, great grandfather’s honours cap. |
Richard Ottaway, great grandson of Harry, said:
“The day was truly memorable for all of us; the cap really is a thing of beauty, significance and status. My daughter Francesca was really taken in by everything. I never want to force anything on her so when sporting and family heritage is able to be passed on in this way it is very pleasing. You captured some wonderful photos – infinite thanks for everything.”
Harry Haslam has been designated as GB men’s player number one. The official launch of honours caps to current and past GB international hockey players will be held at an FIH Pro League weekend in London next May.
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Harry Haslam’s gold medal from the Antwerp Olympic Games of 1920. Font: left / Obverse: right | ||
The Antwerp medal is of gold gilt, unlike the 1908 London Olympic gold medal also held on loan by the Museum and looks more like silver. It is believed this less expensive metal was used be-cause money was scarce so soon after World War One.
On the obverse of the medal, a tall, naked athlete, holding in his left hand a palm leaf and a laurel crown, symbols of victory. On the reverse, the Antwerp monument, commemorating the legend of Brabo, hero of the city, throwing into the river the hand of a giant who had been terrorizing shipping.
If you are a former GB player, we are interested in talking to you about our plans to make available honours caps to you and your peers. Please get in touch via the website contact form.
