The recent death of Mr. Albert George N icholson will be keenly felt by Wallasey athletes past and present, as he has been closely associated with the sport for nearly sixty years. In his early days, he was a track runner of some repute, having won the Salford 600 yards Invitation Scratch event against first class opposition whilst prior to 1906 he was a prominent member of the West Cheshire harriers and a leading runner in their cross-country team.
In 1903, he won the combined Stock, Com and Provision Exchange walk from Birkenhead to Chester, via West Kirby, covering the distance of twenty five miles in 4 hours 23 minutes, 2.5 secs. In 1906, whilst a Sunday school teacher at the Liscard Congregational Church, Rake Lane, he along with two other stalwarts, formed a small running section, and in 1906, this became known as Wallasey Harriers, the forerunner of the existing Wallasey Athletic Club.
In September of this year, he was elected to his 45th year of office as president of that club. Throughout this period, A.G., as he was affectionately known, rendered extremely meritorious service to the Club, and had at all times been a source of guidance to younger members, whilst his pithy anecdotes at annual general meetings will long be remembered by those privileged to have heard them. Despite his 77 years, he recently attended the Wallasey Schools Cross-Country Championship .5, and as donor of the Challenge Trophy, officiated at the presentation. He was known, in all parts of the country, having served for long periods on the executive committees of all the main athletic bodies. He was president of the English Cross Country Union in 1927, and was at the time of his death a life member of that union. He was president of the Northern Cross-Country Association on five occasions, and was elected a Life Vice-President of the same body.
He was the first president of the West Lancs Cross-Country Association and served in that capacity on many occasions in later years, as well as serving for many years in the same position of the Liverpool and District Cross-Country Union He was president of the Northern Counties Athletic Association in 1933, and of the Cheshire County Amateur Athletic Association in 1953. In business life, he had served in the town trade for 62 years, and in July 1924, was admitted as a member of the Corn Exchange, being a partner in the firm of Kirby and Co.