My Own Olympic Hero!

by

Ray Hulley

John HulleyBorn 19th February 1832 – Died 6th January 1875

Journal of Olympic HistoryWinter 2001

John Hulley – information from Don Anthony

• Born in Liverpool in 1832• Taught skills of gymnastics by Louis

Huguenin• Appointed first director of the Liverpool

Gymnasium in 1865• Joined with Brookes and Ravenstein to

form the National Olympian Association in 1865

• Died in 1875

John Hulley – His ancestors

Jasper Hulley• 1697 – 1778• |• |• James Hulley (+ 8 others)• 1750 – 1799• Surgeon• |• |• Thomas Boydell Hulley (+ 3 others)• 1784 - 1839 • Surgeon• |• |• John Nevitt Hulley Robert Churchman Hulley James Ridley Hulley Thomas Hulley• 1803 – 1840 1809 - 1862 1818 - 1837 1820 - 1857• Surgeon Surgeon/Physician Chemist & Druggist Surgeon Apprentice• |• |

• JOHN HULLEY• 1832 - 1875• Gymnasiarch

1841 census Gloucester Street Liverpool

Collegiate Institute Liverpoolwhere John Hulley studied 1844-1850

1851 census entryBrookhouse Farm Huyton

1861 census entryWoolfall Hall Huyton

Theatre-Royal Liverpoollocation of a Physical Display by the

Liverpool Athletic Club in 1861

John Hulley – quote from his address December 1861

“We should not be contented with a low standard of physical elevation.  We should make it our religious aim, that every one of us, man, woman, and child, should possess a large, powerful frame, whose blooming health shall set consumption and other diseases of debility, at deliverance.   Each man and woman should take as much pride, in the cultivation of the bodily as of their mental faculties ………”

Bold Street Liverpool First location of the

Liverpool Athletic Club in 1862

The Liverpool Athletic Club

Motto of the L.A.C

Mens Sana in Corpore Sano

A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body

Charles P. Melly – President of the Liverpool Athletic Club

Grand Olympic Festivals

1862 Sat 14 June at the Mount Vernon Parade-ground, Liverpool

Mr Melly - They were indebted for it to Mr John Hulley, the excellent honorary secretary of the club, and it was entirely owing to his indefatigable and praiseworthy exertions that the festival had been brought to such a successful and highly satisfactory issue. - Liverpool Mercury 16 June 1862

1863 Sat 13 June at the Mount Vernon Parade-ground, Liverpool

Mr Hulley, the indefatigable honorary secretary, and the committee, had used everyexcursion to render the affair a complete success, and the thousands who were presenton Saturday, must admit that this second Olympic Festival was highly successful in every

respect.• - Liverpool Mercury 15 June 1863

Break-up of Gymnasium partnership

Newspaper announcement - December 1863

************

Rotunda, gymnasium, Bold-Street No annual subscriptions can be received for the year 1864

Mr Hulley will cease to have any share in the Direction of the Establishment, from the 31st instant.

The Liverpool Gymnasium in Myrtle Street

New company formed –

Mr C. P. Melly is the prime mover in it;

The Mayor is the President;

Mr Hulley, who is second to no man in Europe as a practical and thoroughly skilled gymnastic preceptor, is the Manager. Liverpool Mercury 19 March 1864

Grand Olympic Festival

1864 Sat 9 July at the Zoological Gardens, Liverpool

Mr Hulley, vice-president of the Athletic Society, director of the festival,

worked with his usual energy to make everything go off smoothly.

The Athletic Society of Great BritainLiverpool has the merit of being amongst the foremost in this salutary

movement, and that the society of which Mr. Hulley may feel proud of

being the founder holds a position of second to none in the kingdom.Liverpool Mercury 11 July 1864

The Liverpool Gymnasium in Myrtle Street

Foundation stone laid on 18 July 1864 By the Mayor of Liverpool

The Liverpool Gymnasium in Myrtle Street

View towards the front door

The Liverpool Gymnasium in Myrtle Street

View from the front door

Grand Olympic Festivals

1865 Sat 22 July at the Croquet Ground LlandudnoThis included a display of illuminated boats in the bay followed by

dancing on the sands. The organiser of the games, Mr Hulley, of Liverpool,

spared neither personal exertion, time, nor trouble, to perfect his

arrangements.- North Wales Chronicle 29 Jul 1865

1866 Sat 23 July at the Croquet Ground LlandudnoThe Athletic Society of Great Britain, established in 1860, had arranged to hold

its first meeting called an Olympic Festival, at Llandudno on this occasion. The proceedings, which included a regatta, with a yacht- race from Liverpool, a

variety of gymnastic performances, and a sort of Venetian carnival to crown the

festivities, took place on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday last week. All

passed off with entire success. - The Illustrated London News 7 Jul 1866

NATIONAL OLYMPIC FESTIVAL

• 1866 Sat 31 July at the River Thames at Teddington and 1 Aug at the Crystal Palace for other events

John Hulley appeared at the latter venue in costume to represent the East.

SIXTH ANNUAL OLYMPIC FESTIVAL

1867 Friday and Saturday 28 and 29 June in the

Sheil Park Athletic Grounds Liverpool

Organised by

THE ATHLETIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN

There were over 220 entries and competitors came

from Paris, Marseilles, London, a large contingent

came from Manchester, and most of the Northern

counties were represented

Publication of Book

• In 1867 "A Handbook of Gymnastics and

• Reference," written by John Hulley and

• Mr. E.G. Ravenstein was published

• (copy still available at the British Library)

Liverpool – the best Gymnasium

in the World!

It is very satisfactory indeed to the inhabitants of Liverpool, to be informed by an American –

of all the people in the world -

that they have in their town the most complete gymnasium which has yet been built,

and Mr Hulley, the gymnasiarch, will no doubt be as much pleased as his pupils with the words

of Mr Avon C. Burnham, the proprietor of a gymnasium in Brookland, North America, who is at

present in town, and has wandered over England and the continent on an errand of examination

into the arrangements of various popular gymnasia in France, Germany, Belgium and other places.

Liverpool Mercury 21 Jul 1868

The Introduction by John Hulley of the Velocipide to Liverpool in January 1869

The On-Off-On Wedding!

Toxteth Unitarian Chapel

The On-Off-On Wedding!

The Date -15 July 1869The Groom - John Hulley the Liverpool GymnasiarchThe Bride – Georgina Bolton daughter of a wealthyLiverpool merchant and grand-daughter of a former Mayor of Liverpool

1871 census91 Grove Street Liverpool

Death Notice

Liverpool Mercury – 8 Jan 1875

Deaths

HULLEY – Jan.6, at 91 Grove-street,

aged 42, John Hulley, Esq.

Death certificate of John Hulley

Cause of Death – Emphysema of Lungs, Bronchitis

Tribute to John Hulley

SOME OLD LIVERPUDLIANS [by One of Them]

No. 11 - JOHN HULLEY, GYMNASIARCH

John Hulley, professor of gymnastics and

Gymnasiarch, is still a pleasant memory in

this native city. Hulley was born with a

mission, which he fulfilled; and, take him for

all and all, we may never see his like again.

Smithdown Road cemetery

Found - John Hulley’s grave

The renovated grave

Future Plans

• To ensure that the memory of John Hulleyis enshrined in British Olympic history;

• To create a lasting sporting memorial in his name;

• To have his achievements listed in the Dictionary of National Biography.

John Hulley Website

Please visit

www.johnhulley-olympics.co.uk

to discover the full story

of his life