First Woman Walks London to Brighton

Date: April 29, 1922 • Location: London, United Kingdom

Sixteen-year-old Lilian Salkeld became the first woman to walk from London to Brighton. The London to Brighton walk was a competitive walking race held on the road from London, England, to the south coast resort of Brighton. In the era before organised sport, individuals covered the distance for wager or personal challenge with the first race occurring in 1872. Open races organised by athletics clubs commenced in 1886. From 1903 races took place almost every year and from 1919 they were held annually, organised principally by Surrey Walking Club and by the Stock Exchange Athletic Club. The Surrey Open included a team prize for the first three from any one club to finish, with the most number of wins being recorded by Belgrave Harriers. The first woman to finish arrived in Brighton in 1922. That same year there was a race for blind military veterans, and this continued until 1927. In 1935 Harold Whitlock became the first man to complete the journey in less than eight hours. The record for the event was set in 1957 by Olympic champion Donald Thompson of the Metropolitan Walking Club at 7 h 35 min 12 s.