Club History

The History of the Veterans Athletic Club 

Founder members of the Veterans Athletic Club at White City stadium around 1933 

Foundation of VAC 

The Veterans’ Athletic Club (VAC) was founded on 12 September 1931 in at Stamford Bridge stadium in London. It is proclaimed as the oldest club for veteran (masters) athletes in the world.  

An article about VAC’s history was written for VAC's newsletter to celebrate the club's 90th birthday in 2021. Material for the article was drawn from a “Veteris” magazine published by the Association of Veteran Athletes in 1973. The magazine contained a detailed account by the late Jack Fitzgerald about VAC's formation, its culture and personalities, and how it had evolved over 42 years to 1973. It is worth reading the original article in Veteris (link below). 

Article about VAC’s foundation in VAC’s Spring 2021 Newsletter (PDF) 

VAC’s Spring 2021 Newsletter containing the article about VAC’s foundation (page 7) 

Veteris Magazine, September 1973, containing the original article by Jack Fitzgerald (page 19) 

VAC’s Cross Country courses on Wimbledon Common 

VAC’s association with Wimbledon Common goes back to around the 1950s but there are no records of the performances, or the courses used. Members’ memories go back to the 1980s and newsletters exist from the early 1990s. Drawing on these, an article was written in 2020 about the history of VAC’s cross country courses on Wimbledon Common since the 1990s to mark the last race from the Camp Road area in January 2020. 

Article about VAC’s Cross Country courses on Wimbledon Common in VAC’s Spring 2020 newsletter (PDF) 

VAC’s Spring 2020 Newsletter containing the article about VAC’s Wimbledon Common courses (page 19)