Founding statement

The Club was founded on 10 March 1915 at Barber’s Buildings, 125 Cuba Street, Wellington by Walter (“Pop”) Ballantyne (1862-1942).

Walter Ballantyne was born in Galashiels, a town on the Gala Water River in the Borders region of the Scottish Lowlands. It is believed that the first recorded modern athletics meet of the Scottish Border Games of St Ronan’s took place in this region in 1827.

The founding meeting of the club was held in the rooms of the Scottish Society, whose Secretary, Mr H George, was appointed as the Club’s first Auditor.

Chairperson at the founding meeting of the club, Mr A E M Rowland, was appointed as the Club’s first Secretary-Treasurer. Rowland was one of New Zealand’s three original Olympians who competed for Australasia in the Olympic Games at London on 14 July 1908, finishing fifth in the final of the 3500 walk.

The Club initially participated in an inter-cub fixture on 10 April 1915 and held its first Club event on 24 April 1915 with an attendance of twelve. Both these milestones took place at Cliff House, 1 Milne Terrace, Island Bay, Wellington.