Olympic Great returns to her roots
Published on: 30th January 2012
MBE and local Olympic great Anita Lonsborough will be returning to her roots on Friday February 10 when she visits her former place of work Huddersfield Town Hall. A plaque can be seen today in the Town Hall commemorating former employee Anita’s great achievement when she won gold in the 1960 Olympic Games held in Rome at the tender age of 19 for the 200 metres breaststroke. She was the last British woman to win an Olympic gold in swimming until Rebecca Adlington in 2008 – some 48 years later! Anita went on to win three more gold medals at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth.
Anita worked at the town hall at the time as a Treasurer’s Office Clerk and recalls losing £12.13 shillings from her wages due to her training schedule. However, on her return Anita was welcomed with a civic reception and proudly showed her gold medal from the Town Hall balcony. What’s more she was rewarded with free use of the Hall for her wedding reception.
In the run up to the Olympics, Radio 5 Live are broadcasting a series of seven one hour shows presented by Colin Murray celebrating the achievements of every living British Summer Olympic Gold Medallist. Each show will be broadcast on consecutive Sundays leading up to the Olympics. They will be interviewing Anita at Huddersfield Town Hall as part of the series of interviews with Olympic Greats and are sending out an appeal to anyone who used to work with Anita or who was perhaps inspired by her.
Did you work with Anita during her time at Huddersfield Town Hall? Or perhaps you were in the crowd as she waved from the balcony at her civic reception? Anita also trained at Cambridge Road Baths, perhaps you remember her from there? If so we would like to hear from you and there might even be the chance to meet Anita on the day.
Send your details to Richard Batterby at richard.batterby@kirklees.gov.uk or call Huddersfield Town Hall on 01484 221900 or write to Huddersfield Town Hall, Ramsden Street, Huddersfield HD1 2TA
