1st International 
Astley Belt
Agricultural Hall, London​, 1878
From Left to Right: 
Rowell, Corkey (Winner, 521 miles) and Brown
Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News ​
9 November, 1878
Agricultural Hall, Islington, London
Incidents and scenes during the: 
4th International Astley Belt
race at the Agricultural Hall, London​, June, 1879
George Hazael leads
(Above) The start of the 5th Astley belt race, Madison Square Garden, New York, 22 September, 1879

Sir John 
Astley MP

Creator of the
'Astley Belt' races...
​IMAGES, From Left to right: 
(1) Weston, Harding, Brown and Ennis in line at the start.
(2) Weston leads Harding on the second day.
(3) Weston WINS with a new six-day world record!
(4) America celebrates!
BBC feature

2nd International Astley Belt
Gilmore's Garden, New York, Sept./Oct., 1878
Incidents and scenes before, at the start, and during the 3rd International Astley Belt, Gilmore's Garden, New York, March, 1879
Daniel O'Leary 
(Centre) 
John 
"Lepper"
 Hughes 
(Right) 
Rowell, Harriman, O'Leary & Ennis
BBC History Magazine  
(Some images supplied by KotP)




                                                              Henry Vaughan: Chester
                                                         George Ide: North Woolwich
                                                        Henry "Blower" Brown: Fulham
                                                      Daniel O'Leary: Chicago (USA)
                                                         J. Smith: York
          William 'Corkey' Gentleman: Bethnall Green
          George Johnson: Barrow-in-Furness 
The Pictorial 
World
30 March, 1878
Illustrated Sporting 
& Dramatic News 
20 March, 1878
Illustrated Police News
30 March, 1878 
Right: Henry Vaughan 
  Middle: "Blower" Brown  
  Left: Daniel O'Leary


(See 'Usage of Images' note at bottom of page) 
Frank Hart leads Norman Taylor
​(Above) Images of the contestants before the race
Rowell & Ennis help Harriman (above) with the cartoonist's version (right)...
The Astley Belt, won outright by Charlie Rowell, can be viewed at the Museum of Cambridge
The museum has given this website its kind permission to reproduce its copyrighted image, which must not be copied from this website. Thank you!
Usage of images on websites & in magazines / newspapers. 
 Some of the images on this website have been sourced from 
magazines & newspapers bought by P.S. Marshall. 

Apart from the image of the Astley Belt, they are FREE to use, 
but please have the courtesy to credit this website.

 Thank you!

Suggested credit... Thanks to: www.kingofthepeds.com
(See 'Usage of Images' note at bottom of page) 
Race Action --- First Day
Incidents and scenes before, at the start, and during the 5th International Astley Belt, Madison Square Garden, New York, September, 1879
ASTLEY 'LONG DISTANCE CHAMPIONSHIP OF ENGLAND' "CHALLENGE" BELT
From Left to Right: 
Corkey, Brown, Rowell, Howes, Crossland, Weston, Higgins and Hancock
The Illustrated Police News
9 November, 1878
Agricultural Hall, Islington, London
​GEORGE LITTLEWOOD
Would eventually become the 
outright owner of the English 
version of the Astley Belt, with a 
72-hour score of 405 miles, at the London Aquarium, on 29 Nov. 1884, 
after having won it three times previously (second belt from top)