It is with regret that we have to report the death of Peter Martin who is believed to be the oldest surviving Sussex winner of an English Schools title.
Peter, who was 86, was a member of the Sussex Walking and Athletic Club won the Junior boys 440 years title in 1948.
Leaving school early he worked for the Trustees Savings Bank in New Road, Brighton and did not really continue with his athletics after leaving school.
He returned to the sport with his son Paul who was a more than useful sprinter in the late 80s/90s with the Brighton & Hove club and although he won a Sussex Schools 200m title I do not think he made the English Schools. Like his father he did not continue with his athletics after leaving school and the family had moved to Peacehaven.
The oldest known Sussex winners of English Schools titles are now Horsham Blue Star’s David Humphrey, who now lives at Liverpool and Brighton & Hove’s Marie Bridgeford, now Grant Stevens, who lives at Burgess Hill, won the senior one-mile and senior 80m hurdles in 1951. Both are believed to be 86, the same age as Martin.