How Hashing actually started in Cambridge

An extract from the Cambridge Chronicle, 1871: "A Good Run with the Harriers. A correspondent writes: "Perhaps those of your readers who are fond of sport may like to hear of a good day with Mr Hick's little pack of harriers. The meet last Monday was Fulbourn Windmill, and on getting there with the pack, Mr Fred Ellis was justly complimented on their appearance. The first hare was found on land belonging to that good friend of hunting, Mr James King, and was killed after a fair hunting ring of about 20 minutes. A second was found on Mr Hardwicke's farm, and they ran with an improving scent to a plantation on Mr Webb's farm at Babraham, and back to Foxborough plantation, about 25 minutes; but several fresh hares having got up, the hounds were stopped. They were then taken back to Fulbourn, and a third hare was found in a field adjouning the Asylum. She made off at a a good pace to Teversham, turned to the right at Mr Fyson's plantation to Fulbourn village, over Windmill Hill, across Shelford-road, by Mr Thomas Wright's homestead to Mr Chaplin's heath farm, across the Roman Road to Foxborough; here she was headed; across the green road to cottages on Mr Webb's farm, across the Hill's turnpike-road to near the boundary of Shelford parish. Unfortunately the Squire had to attend to a meeting at the Asylum in the afternoon, so he and Miss Hicks lost this good run."


How it really began in Cambridge

The Cambridge Hash started in a strange position, in the personal column of the Cambridge Evening News of September 11th, 1978. Wedged between "Gentleman, forties, wishes to meet lady" above and "Widow, aged 60, wished to meet gentleman..." below was the advertisement "HASH HOUSE HARRIERS. Isn't it time there was a Hash in Cambridge? Interested runners please call Taylor. - Comberton 3636". Lew 'Lewd Silverspoon' Silverman claims it was the advert underneath the Hash one that he was interested in, but he phoned the Hash by mistake!

The advertisement was placed by Howard Taylor who was an inaugural runner with the Bankok Hash in Thailand in 1977. He actually had some problems getting the Evening News to publish it, as they thought he was running drugs from the Far East!

A few people answered the ad. and a meeting was held at the Fort St. George on 22nd September, on which memorable occasion were present: host Alan Winfield-Chislett, Warren Dosanjh, Terry Kavanagh, Len Boothby, Rowan Jackson and Howard. According to the first Annual General Meeting of the Cambridge Hash, the first run took place on September 31st 1978, which is believed to be a world record - being the first September in recorded history to have 31 days.

For the more prosaic historian, the first run took place on 1st October, the 'The Hoops' at Barton, with Howard Taylor laying the trail. A total of 13 ran, including all those at the inaugural meeting, plus Lew Silverman, Wendy Polito and Anne Jeffrey. This remained the smallest CH3 pack until 8th August 1999 when only 6 dedicated Hashers, Swollen Member, Sweller (the Hares), Pedro (RA), Jetstream (GM), Unmentionable and Zorro, turned up at the Wagon & Horses in Sudbury.

The Cambridge Hash has run every Sunday since then.


This page used to be maintained by Chris 'Limp Member' Howell until it was highjacked by Jetstream!