ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD

MEMORIES came leaping back into the mind of Bertha Tompkinson after spotting my piece about Tom Colquitt, the legendary professional jumper from Parr.

For Tom was her godfather . . . "a real Christian gentleman and one of the finest athletes who ever drew breath."

He was nothing special to look at, just a medium-built man who happened to have been blessed by nature with an extra spring in his heels.

One of Bertha's earliest memories is of seeing him don a dramatic black cape before setting out to tackle fresh jumping challenges.

Tom, who smashed numerous world records (with or without hand-weights) had lived in Brown Street, Fingerpost, just around the corner from the home of Bertha's parents.

He was a friend of the family and a worshipper at Holy Trinity Church, Parr Mount, when he became the godfather of Bertha (nee Hargreaves) who now lives at Morley Way, St Helens, and will celebrate her 81st birthday at Christmas.

Tom died some time in the 1930s when Bertha was a teenager and he was lain to rest at St Peter's churchyard, Parr.

All of which will come as interesting detail to Susie Cameron-Cornish of Portsmouth, a descendant of Tom's who is attempting to build-up a complete picture of the leaping legend's life and times.

It was fitting that Tom should have become Bertha's godfather. For she, too, proved a fine athlete during her Pilkington days, excelling at rounders, badminton, tennis, cycling . . . and high jumping!

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.