Fred Bacon


Fred E. Bacon was a late-19th century British runner who won numerous running titles and briefly held the amateur world record for the mile.
Born in Boxted, Essex, Bacon competed for Ashton-under-Lyne Harriers whilst stationed there as a soldier.
Bacon won the AAA mile title three consecutive years from 1893 , his 1895 winning time a world amateur record of 4:17. The record was short-lived, eclipsed by American runner Thomas Conneff the following month.
He additionally won the AAA four-mile title in 1894, the title in 1895 and set a world record in the One-Hour run.
After his running career ended, Bacon went on to become the trainer for Manchester United Football club until 1912.
There is little information about what Bacon did after leaving Manchester United.
He left Manchester United under a cloud and left his family. In 1914 he joined up and was based on the Humber defences at Cleethorpes where he remained until his death in 1954.