Formerly a major highlight on the local calendar, the Sheffield Star Walk was a popular amateur walking contest hosted by the local newspaper.
Held every year from 1922 to 2000, the event welcomed amateur walkers across distances ranging from 12 to 20 miles (19 to 32 km).
The first winner of the race was Harry Ernest Hoyle, he was just 20-years-old at the time. It was a day of double family wins as his father, John Thomas Hoyle, age 62, also entered the same race and he won the sealed handicap.
Drawing as many as 250,000 spectators, the Sheffield Star Walk served as a stepping stone for several participants, including Roland Hardy and John Warhurst – who went on to compete internationally at the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.
Female competitors were officially allowed to join starting in the early 1970s. Following a drop in popularity during the 1990s, the walk was discontinued after its 2000 edition. The final race would be won by Emma Frost and Geoffrey Norton – who won the women’s and men’s races on that day.
Just over a decade later, the Sheffield Star Walk would make a special return in 2013 for a single-event dedicated to fundraising for the Women of Steel statue.
Take a look at our curated photo gallery showcasing the incredible participants and crowds that gathered for this beloved competition throughout history. Do you remember attending or even taking part in the Star Walk? Tell us if you think this tradition should be revived 104-years-ago since its inauguration.
1. The 20-year-old Harry Ernest Hoyle was all smiles
Harry Ernest Hoyle, winner of the very first Star Walk 6th June 1922. He was 20 years old at the time. His father, John Thomas Hoyle, age 62, also entered the same race on the same day and he won the sealed handicap. Submitted by Harry Hoyle's daughter, Mrs G B Petford, Castleton, Derbyshire | Johnston Press
2. The first-ever winner is presented with the trophy
Harry Ernest Hoyle, winner of the very first Star Walk 6th June 1922. He was 20 years old at the time. His father, John Thomas Hoyle, age 62, also entered the same race on the same day and he won the sealed handicap. Submitted by Harry Hoyle's daughter, Mrs G B Petford, Castleton, Derbyshire | Johnston Press
3. Harry Ernest Hoyle
Harry Ernest Hoyle, winner of the very first Star Walk, June 6, 1922. He was 20 years old at the time. His father, John Thomas Hoyle, age 62, also entered the same race on the same day and he won the sealed handicap. Submitted by Harry Hoyle's daughter, Mrs G B Petford
