7 Pindar: The Odes of Pindar (University of Chicago Press, 1947).
8 Beatrice Webb: The diaries of Beatrice Webb: London School of Economics digital library (digital.library.lse.ac.uk).
9 A true ‘hero’ – and subsequent comments by Liddell about Henry Stallard and Olympic competitors in Paris: EL’s own account of his running career from All Sports Illustrated Weekly.
10 When Philip Christison had gone to offer his congratulations: The Flying Scotsman (BBC).
11 At Eltham College: The Glory of the Sons: A History of Eltham College School (1952).
12 Liddell is shown reading the passage from Isaiah: The report of his reading in the Paris Kirk comes from the Davenport Democrat and Leader, 27 July 1924. The Psalm is taken from the King James version of the Bible.
13 Jack Hobbs, etc.: Biographical details and salaries taken from: Leo McKinstry, England’s Greatest Cricketer (Yellow Jersey, 2001); Ric Sissons, The Players: A Social History of the Professional Cricketer (Pluto Press, 1988); R. Creamer, Babe: The Legend Comes to Life (Simon & Schuster, 1992); T. Clavin, Sir Walter: Walter Hagen and the Invention of Professional Golf (Simon & Schuster, 2005); F. Deford, Big Bill Tilden: The Triumphs and the Tragedy (Open Road Media, 2011); R. Kahn, A Flame of Pure Fire: Jack Dempsey and the Roaring ’20s (Harcourt Brace, 1999); Paul Gallico, Farewell to Sport (Simon & Schuster, 1988 – reprint).
14 The makers of Liddell’s track-shoes: Athletic News and Cycling Journal, 14 July 1924.
15 ‘Runs for Six Days a Week’: Altoona Tribune, 22 July 1924.
16 He could ‘preach’ as well as he could ‘run’: The Bee, Dansville, 18 July 1924.
17 ‘Muscular school of Christianity’: Literary Digest, 30 August 1924.
18 There was no shortage of offers: Liddell made this clear to Steve Metcalf during his incarceration in the Weihsien camp and also spoke of his friends in Cambridge and the offer to ‘pull strings’.
19 John Betjeman: On Churches (Collins, 2011 – new edition).
20 Liddell told one congregation that ‘the greatest danger was victory’: Dundee Courier, 6 November 1924.
21 Only D. P. Thomson’s intervention: D. P. Thomson, Eric Liddell: The Making of an Athlete.
22 ‘Because I believe God made me for China’: Interview with EL’s daughters and talk EL gave in the Weihsien camp (interview Steve Metcalf).
Chapter Seven
1 While the Games were still hot in the memory: Football Post, 25 August and 1 September 1924.
2 As well as Liddell’s gold medal: Reports of Stamford Bridge event from the Sunday Times, 20 July 1924; The Times, 21 July 1924; the Daily Mail, 20 July 1924.
3 In the 4×400 metres: Guy Butler’s view on the relay from Runners and Running.
4 Charley Paddock had watched Liddell: Paddock’s recollections of the race appeared in the Charleston Daily Mail, 24 August 1930 (earlier versions appeared elsewhere).
5 Liddell estimated that Fitch was ‘ten yards’ in front: EL’s own account of his running career from All Sports Illustrated Weekly.
6 ‘I thought I could never close the gap’: Ibid.
7 ‘Probably he was feeling the effects of Paris’: Ibid.
8 ‘No man found it harder to say no’: D. P. Thomson, Eric Liddell: The Making of an Athlete.
9 It was estimated that only fifteen out of every hundred: Guardian, 3 May 1922.
10 The Moderator of the Assemblies of the Scottish Churches: Guardian, 28 May 1920.
11 One minister believed: Ibid.
12 Weekend motoring had slashed the size of congregations: Guardian, 22 May 1923.
13 ‘Live wires’: Guardian, 3 May 1922.
14 ‘We reached audiences’, and crowd figures: D. P. Thomson, Eric Liddell: The Making of an Athlete.
15 Liddell introduced himself: Views on drink: Interview with EL’s daughters. Also recalled by the Edinburgh Evening News, 3 August 1926; Dundee Courier, 9 December 1931; diary of D. P. Thomson.
16 ‘The good team sportsman’ / Always Liddell welded sport to sportsmanship: Interview with Steve Metcalf and EL’s daughters. Also, Guardian, 27 April 1925; Sunday Times, 19 April 1925; Hawick News and Border Chronicle, 15 April 1932; Edinburgh Evening News, 14 April 1932; and D. P. Thomson diary and Eric Liddell: The Making of an Athlete.
17 Liddell was also concerned: Aberdeen Journal, 21 April 1925.
18 Liddell’s Olympic gold was delayed: Interview with Steve Metcalf, and M. Ryan, Running with Fire.
19 An Olympic memento for his coach: Details about the watch from Harry and Brian McKerchar, Tom’s grandsons.
20 Eileen Soper: D. Hart-Davis, Wildings.
21 The art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon: Daily Telegraph, 8 August 2000.
22 His last athletics season was a long lap of honour: Details of Liddell’s last races from J. W. Keddie, Running the Race.
23 D. P. Thomson ambitiously booked: Glasgow Herald, 29 June 1925.
24 His ‘impressive send off’ from Edinburgh: Glasgow Herald, Scotsman, Edinburgh Evening News, Aberdeen Journal – all 30 June 1925.
25 One of his best-known essays: George Orwell, Essays (Everyman Library).
26 ‘Earthquake Destroys Town in China’: Guardian, 21 March 1925.
27 On the day Liddell left Edinburgh: The Times, 29 June 1925.
Chapter Eight
1 In late May 1925: Reports in The Times, 3 to 15 June 1925.
2 In 1924 he referred to China’s ‘sad condition’: Reports of the London Missionary Society held at Archives and Special Collections centre at School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
3 He boarded the Trans-Siberian Express: EL letters about his journey; Peter Fleming, One’s Company: A Journey to China (Cape, 1934).
4 Annie Buchan was on the cusp of her thirtieth birthday: Biographical details of Buchan from two privately printed books: Adventures in Faith (1973) and, with William Spiers, A Scotswoman in China (1988). The more revealing notes, letters and documents about her life are held by the Centre for the Study of Christianity at the University of Edinburgh.
5 Liddell often quoted Robert Louis Stevenson’s assertion: Interview with Steve Metcalf.
6 The London Missionary Society: N. Goddall, A History of the London Missionary Society, 1895–1945 (Oxford University Press, 1954).
7 Dr Samuel Lavington-Hart: Ibid. Also, S. Lavington-Hart, Education in China (1923); The Times, 9 March 1951.
8 Liddell had always clipped out and saved newspaper cuttings: Interview with EL’s daughters.
9 Eric Scarlett: Citizen, 4 April 1930; Guardian, 4 April 1930.
10 He’d often be seen playing tennis against himself: William Toop, BBC interview, not broadcast.
11 Tientsin’s ‘other face’: Accounts of the city from Annie Buchan’s papers, the recollections of A. P. Cullen, and EL’s own account.
12 A train and then a springless mule cart: Conditions in Siaochang and her account of them from the Annie Buchan archive, University of Edinburgh.
13 Liddell once caused a social kerfuffle: Interview with EL’s daughters.
Chapter Nine
1 The photographer from the Tientsin Times: Annie Buchan archive, University of Edinburgh.
2 Another eyewitness confirmed it: Letter to the Daily Telegraph, 25 August 2005.
3 One telegraphed dispatch: Ibid.
4 Liddell avoided reporters as much as possible: Interview with EL’s daughters.
5 ‘I fear your correspondent is rather at fault’: EL’s own account from All Sports Illustrated Weekly.
6 Along with a dozen other sportsmen, and BOA report: Daily Mail, 16 February and 12 April 1928.
7 In its first week Lowe: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 2 May 1928.
8 The London Missionary Society staff loaded mule carts and escaped: Annie Buchan archive, University of Edinburgh.
9 According to one dispatch: Peking and Tientsin Times, and EL’s own account.
10 There was a bizarre coda: Peking and Tientsin Times
, 10 October 1928; interview with EL’s daughters.
11 Dr Otto Peltzer: Biographical details from Observer Sports Monthly, 20 June 2008. Accounts of the race: Berwickshire News, 31 December 1929; Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 1 February 1930; interview with EL’s daughters.
12 His hobby of photography: Jenny Liddell, Memories of China Days.
13 At the beginning of 1929: Interviews with EL’s daughters.
14 He could also remember, often verbatim, sections of novels: Interviews with Steve Metcalf, Joe and Joyce Cotterill, EL’s daughters.
15 Missionaries moved through China: Accounts of atrocities from The Times, 1, 13 and 24 January 1930; 13, 15 and 22 February 1930; 1, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 31 March 1930; Nottingham Post, 4 April 1930.
16 A. P. Cullen and Eric Scarlett were travelling to Peitaiho: The Times, 4 and 7 April 1930; Guardian, 4 and 6 April 1930; Nottingham Post, 4 April 1930.
17 In the first nine months: Figures from London Missionary Society and British-American newspapers.
18 When his train had left Waverley station in 1925: Edinburgh Evening News, 29 and 30 June 1925.
19 Thomson noted that he looked: D. P. Thomson, Eric Liddell: The Making of an Athlete.
20 Liddell now became a convert too: Information about Frank Buchman from The Times, 6 August 1961; Dundee Courier, 23 June 1932.
21 China was convinced: Dundee Courier, 13 March 1930; 5 and 13 October 1931; Scotsman, 1 October 1931.
22 The feeling was particularly powerful: EL letter.
23 There was a terrible misprint: Hartlepool Mail, 13 November 1933.
Chapter Ten
1 Tientsin’s Union Church Literary and Social Guild: Peking and Tientsin Times, 10 January 1926.
2 He chose Florence Jean MacKenzie: Biographical information from interview with her daughters.
3 ‘One of Nature’s gentlemen’: D. P. Thomson, Eric Liddell: The Making of an Athlete.
4 When his sister Jenny gave Florence advanced piano lessons: Jenny Liddell, Memories of China Days.
5 In the summer of 1929: Interview with Florence’s brother, Finlay MacKenzie.
6 ‘There’s something I want to talk to you about’: Florence Liddell, BBC interview, not broadcast.
7 His fiancée announced herself: Ibid.
8 ‘Why is he marrying Flo?’: Interview with Finlay MacKenzie.
9 Liddell bought Florence an engagement ring: Jenny Liddell, Memories of China Days.
10 In the same sentence: BBC interview, not broadcast.
11 ‘The mainspring of his life’: Ibid.
12 One of Florence’s friends: Ibid.
13 D. P. Thomson heard about two instances: Letters to D. P. Thomson.
14 One of the most curious: London Missionary Society archive.
15 Ink took the place of speech and sight: Letters between EL and Florence.
16 When Florence finally arrived back in China: Interview with Finlay MacKenzie.
17 ‘Incurable romantic’: BBC interview, not broadcast.
18 A home was built nonetheless: Interview with EL’s daughters.
19 ‘I picked up a cushion and threw it at him’: BBC interview.
20 The LMS became concerned: LMS archive and interviews with EL’s daughters.
21 ‘It took him a long time to be sure’: BBC interview.
22 That call could not have come at a more dangerous time: Details about the situation in China from Jonathan Fenby, The Penguin History of Modern China and Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the China He Lost; Theodore H. White, In Search of History and, with A. Jacoby, Thunder out of China; Edgar Snow, China.
23 The civil war caused Liddell inconveniences: London Missionary Society archive.
24 The pop and crack of fireworks: Ibid., and interviews with EL’s daughters.
25 An agency report: Articles about the conditions in Tientsin: Guardian, 30 and 31 July and 1 August 1937.
Chapter Eleven
1 Eric Liddell was precise and clear-eyed: Hawick News and Border Chronicle, 25 September 1931.
2 Liddell publicly announced: North China Herald, 8 August 1925.
3 In August 1937: Jonathan Fenby, The Penguin History of Modern China and Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the China He Lost.
4 The Anglo-Chinese College opened: A. P. Cullen, Lavington-Hart of Tientsin (The Livingstone Press, 1947).
5 He and Rob had made two early attempts, and subsequent description of journey to and arrival in Siaochang: London Missionary Society archive.
6 Stuck in a district: Annie Buchan archive.
7 On his arrival: London Missionary Society archive.
8 Buchan gave Liddell a graphic account: Annie Buchan archive.
9 A sign hung over the gate: F. McAll and K. McAll, The Moon Looks Down (Darley Anderson, 1987).
10 ‘The floods are only a small part’: London Missionary Society archive.
11 The people in Siaochang were ‘burdened’: Ibid.
12 The peasants’ homes: Ibid., and Annie Buchan archive.
13 The guard would hold up a slate: Ibid., and F. McAll and K. McAll, The Moon Looks Down.
14 His fellow missionaries: Ibid., and Annie Buchan archive.
15 When another missionary wanted to arm himself: Ibid.
16 The Chinese proverb: Interview with EL’s daughters.
Chapter Twelve
1 Once asked outright: Annie Buchan archive.
2 Florence Liddell saw the change: Letter to D. P. Thomson.
3 Liddell considered the Chinese to be ‘calm’: London Missionary Society archive and Annie Buchan archive.
4 Buchan would hear someone say: Annie Buchan papers.
5 As Buchan pointed out: Ibid.
6 He compiled charts and schedules too: Ibid.
7 ‘He never expounded elaborate theories’: Ibid.
8 Liddell liked to teach the Chinese hymns: Ibid.
9 ‘The scenes have changed so quickly’: London Missionary Society archive.
10 He discovered babies and children naked and abandoned: Ibid.
11 ‘The invaders were trying to convince the people’: Ibid.
12 Nothing betrays the character of a man like his manners: Interview with Steve Metcalf.
13 ‘Take it all with a smile’: F. McAll and K. McAll, The Moon Looks Down.
14 Out of earshot of his own troops: Ibid.
15 Turning travel into a trial: Ibid.
16 For Liddell, the Japanese were ‘not to be feared or hated’: EL letter.
17 ‘I think that I have had nearly every type of experience’: London Missionary Society archive.
18 ‘People said it couldn’t be done’: Ibid.
19 She suggested that Liddell hollow out a baguette-shaped loaf: BBC interview.
20 The story Liddell told is essentially broken into two parts: London Missionary Society archive.
21 ‘It was hard for him,’ said Annie Buchan: BBC interview.
22 Liddell sent an air-mail letter to the London Missionary Society: Interview with EL’s daughters.
23 The LMS rattled on: Ibid.
24 Thomson found him ‘different in many ways’: D. P. Thomson, Eric Liddell: The Making of an Athlete.
25 Liddell himself tried to enlist in the Royal Air Force: BBC interview with Jenny Liddell, not broadcast.
26 He was convinced the missionaries were within sight: Aberdeen Journal, 5 February 1940.
27 The zenith of it: Interviews with EL’s daughters.
28 In early August 1940 the Liddells sailed from Liverpool: EL’s account, and interviews with his daughters.
29 ‘We were running for our lives’: BBC interview, not broadcast.
30 One theatre of war disappeared behind him: Theodore H. White with A. Jacoby, Thunder out of China; Jonathan Fenby, The Penguin History of China.
31 Liddell was also coping with a piece of sad personal news: Death certificate of Tom McKerchar.
32 It was late autumn: London Missionary Society arch
ive.
33 There was a solitary spot of colour: Ibid.
34 Annie Buchan said the soldiers: Annie Buchan archive.
35 Five months earlier: The Tripartite Pact was also known as the Berlin Pact.
Chapter Thirteen
1 For a fraught month: Interview with EL’s daughters.
2 ‘My people’: Interview with Steve Metcalf.
3 During the first months of 1941: History of the Second World War (BBC).
4 ‘It was like sitting on the edge of a volcano’: BBC interview, not broadcast.
5 He grew increasingly afraid: Interview with EL’s daughters.
6 The LMS was maddeningly inept: London Missionary Society archive.
7 ‘I wouldn’t have gone’: Letter to D. P. Thomson, and BBC interview.
8 Liddell tried reassuring her: Interviews with EL’s daughters.
9 Liddell told her about another of his ambitions: Ibid.
10 Liddell’s first decision was strategically shrewd: Ibid.
11 ‘Some of our friends still thought’: BBC interview, not broadcast.
12 The show-cabinet: Interviews with EL’s daughters.
13 Instead Liddell lifted Patricia: Interview with Patricia Liddell.
14 When the moment came to part: Interviews with EL’s daughters.
15 ‘I had to snap out of it’: BBC interview, not broadcast.
16 Cullen liked to listen to the BBC: Interview with Joanna Cullen-Brown.
17 As summer faded into autumn: A. Beevor, The Second World War (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2014); M. Hastings, All Hell Let Loose (HarperPress, 2012).
18 The Japanese undermined the missionaries: London Missionary Society archive.
19 Then dawn rose on Sunday, 7 December: Richard Overy, War in the Pacific (Carlton Books, 2012); D. M. Goldstein and K. V. Dillon, The Way It Was: Pearl Harbor (Brassey’s US, 1995).
20 Time regarded the raid: December issues of the magazine.
21 The record was ‘Ave Maria’: Jonathan Fenby, The Penguin History of China.
22 A. P. Cullen saw Liddell’s distress: Interview with Joanna Cullen-Brown.
23 Other restrictions were so prohibitively harsh: London Missionary Society archive.
24 She had arranged for a colour studio portrait: Interview with EL’s daughters.
For the Glory Page 39