| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 23 March 1910 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 19 June 2001(2001-06-19) (aged 91) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Clifton College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Corpus Christi College, Oxford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Schoolteacher | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relative(s) | Charles Stewart Addis (father-in-law) Robina Addis (sister-in-law) John Addis (brother-in-law) William Addis (brother-in-law) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | University of Oxford AC Achilles Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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John Frederick Cornes also known asJerry Cornes (23 March 1910 – 19 June 2001) was an Englishmiddle distance runner, colonial officer, and schoolmaster. He was born inDarjeeling,British India.[1]
The son of a judge in theIndian Civil Service, Cornes was educated atClifton College[2] and won a scholarship toCorpus Christi College, Oxford, where he read history. He stayed at Oxford for an extra year, studying one of the languages ofNigeria and learning how to work in the colonies. He left Oxford in 1932, when he competed in the Olympics at Los Angeles.[3]
After the1932 Olympic Games, Cornes was posted to Nigeria as a civil servant. He stayed there for five years, during which time he was given leave to attend the1936 Games in Berlin. He only decided to go for the '36 Olympics a year before, so he did no intensive training in between, but during that time he raced a local Nigerian around the walls ofKatsima and lost.[3]
In 1937, Cornes returned from Nigeria and on 12 June he married Rachael Addis inFrant, Sussex. Their marriage was extremely happy. In 1997, they celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.
Also in 1937, he went to work for the civil service inPalestine, as assistant district officer ofRamallah, inJudea. He also worked inHebron andSafad. His three elder sons, Nick, Colin and John were born in Palestine. He was working at the King David Hotel at the time of theKing David Hotel bombing. He was curious when he heard a small explosive blast in the street outside the hotel, which had been set off by terrorists to keep passers-by away from the area. He went outside to investigate, and while he was outside a bomb inside the hotel was detonated, killing everyone on his floor.[3]
Cornes left Palestine in 1947. Returning home, he worked for theColonial Office and taught colonial service students at Oxford until 1953. His youngest son, Andrew, was born during this period. In 1953, he came into an inheritance and boughtWest Downs School,Winchester, where he taught history, Religious Studies andLatin, as well as being headmaster. He retired in 1988 and the school was closed down.[3]
Cornes first became interested in running at Clifton, where he won the seven-mile cross-country 'Long Pen Pole' race, as his father had done twice before him. When theAchilles Club from Oxford and Cambridge came for a match against Clifton, he beat, on handicap,Douglas Lowe, who was an Olympic champion. At Oxford, he won the Freshman cross-country race.
Shortly before the1930 British Empire Games in Canada, Cornes finished second behindReg Thomas in the 1 mile event at the1930 AAA Championships.[4][5][6] At the1930 British Empire Games he won the bronze medal in the 1 mile event. Four years later at the 1934 Empire Games he won again the bronze medal in the 1 mile competition.
Cornes became thenational 1 mile champion after winning the BritishAAA Championships title at the1932 AAA Championships.[7][8]
Shortly afterwards he was selected to representGreat Britain at the1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, in the 1500 metres, where he won the silver medal. His time was 3 minutes 52 seconds. He then competed in the1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, gaining sixth place in the1500 metres event but running his personal best time of 3 minutes 51.4 seconds. The race was exceptional because the first two runners broke World Records and the first five, Olympic Records.[9]
