Polytechnic Stadium (London)

The Polytechnic Stadium is a sports venue on Hartington Road, Chiswick, London. It is the centre piece of the Quintin Hogg Memorial Grounds (now known as University of Westminster Sports Grounds).[1]

The Polytechnic Stadium
LocationChiswick, London
Coordinates51.4759°N 0.2685°W / 51.4759; -0.2685
Tenants
Fulham RLFC (1985-1990)

In 1888 Quintin Hogg, built a boathouse at Chiswick, which is used at the finish of the boat race each year.[2][3] When Hogg died in 1903, an appeal to raise funds for a memorial in his memory took place. The Quintin and Alice Hogg Memorial was built and a piece of land in Chiswick was purchased.[3][4] In 1936 plans were drawn up for a stadium to be built at the site. The designs were drawn up by Joseph Addison, Head of Architecture at Regent Street Polytechnic. The grandstand is now a grade 2 listed building, but is unused due to it not being able to meet health and safety criteria.[5] In 1938 the sports ground was extended for the stadium to be built by 7.5 acres.[3] The grandstand had a capacity of 658 spectators and contained a restaurant on the first floor. In July 1944 the stadium suffered bomb damage with all the windows blown out and the running track damaged.[3] Behind the stand there is a miniature railway.[6]

From 1938 until 1973 the Polytechnic Marathon finished at the stadium.[7] In the 1963 edition of the marathon a world record was set at the stadium by Leonard Edelen.[8]

Primarily a track and field athletics venue, it hosted the field hockey preliminaries for the 1948 Summer Olympics.[9]

It was the home stadium of rugby league team Fulham RLFC (now the London Broncos) between 1985 and 1990.


References
  1. "POLYTECHNIC STADIUM, Hounslow - 1096141 | Historic England".
  2. http://www.quintinhoggtrust.org/pdf/QHMF%20QHT%20BOARDS%20ROWING%20RUGBY%20LO_RES.pdf
  3. http://recordsandarchives.westminster.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/70/2019/05/Chiswick-Research-Guide.pdf
  4. http://www.quintinhoggtrust.org/history.html
  5. http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/(S(andasi4544gnyd45ywlcb345))/documents/s3299/07%20Quintin%20Hogg.pdf
  6. Hadfield, Dave (28 April 1999). "Rugby League: Broncos' rocky route to stardom". The Independent.
  7. Hill, Dave (23 April 2016). "London Marathon: 35 years of change in 26.2 miles". The Guardian.
  8. "Recognition at Last for an Overlooked American Marathoner". 9 November 2016.
  9. 1948 Summer Olympics official report. p. 46.
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