An excerpt from : A Warwickshire Life by Frank Lomas

From Tysoe History Research Group Website

I was growing up a little now and I ganged up with a few friends and between us we went in for athletics – running, jumping etc. We got the use of the first stable at Rectory Farm on left, as you enter Mr West’s stable yard. We took over the stable from Fred Jeffs who specialised in cart horse transporting. He lived where Mrs Hawes does now. It had some iron rings made at J (?) Smiths, and a parallel bar. 

We got an old lantern for light on dark nights. I soon discovered that I could just reach the bar or rings from tiptoe, go over or under bar, or with rings and return to normal. Some others could do so but not everyone. We practised high jumping and long jumps outside where the cow yard now is. I could run the one mile but much faster in the half or quarter and usually came up amongst the first three. 

Then, between us, we bought boxing gloves and went in for boxing. I was pretty good at that too. We went in for jumping in the orchard, as it was then, now a cattle yard. And one Tysoe Flower Show, I managed to do a six foot three inches high jump which was at that time a Tysoe record. I could also do quite a good long jump – twelve feet and beyond, and standing high jump with side swing, four feet or so. So a little jumper. I could run a mile, half mile and quarter mile, usually up amongst the first three. 

I played football at odd times but not regularly at this stage and I still had to help with the gardening jobs. I also got interested in tennis. At that time there was a tennis court in Heritage Field, close to the Green.