Lord David George Brownlow Cecil, also known as Lord Burghley, was born at Burghley House in February 1905 and became a Conservative MP for Peterborough in 1931, following in the footsteps of a great number of his forebears.
What was remarkable about Lord Burghley was his athletic ability. His first notable athletic success was running around the great court at Trinity University in Cambridge in a record-breaking time. This story was included in the film Chariots of Fire, although his name was changed.
His real skill was in hurdling and that was what earned him a place in the British Olympic team in Amsterdam in 1928. He travelled to the games by boat from Liverpool with his team mates; a photograph shows him grinning with them on their journey. He competed in the 400m hurdles and won! British spectators were said to be ‘wild with delight’ and made a ‘deafening’ noise when the Union Jack was raised whilst he was on the podium. Burghley was even lifted out of the stadium on a chair by his excited supporters.1
After his win, he went to have tea with his fiancée in his hotel. She had been a great support to him during the games, as had his parents The Fifth Marquess and Marchioness of Exeter, who supported him from the stands.
Before the next Olympic Games in 1932 he had become MP for Peterborough, so when he earned a silver in the 4 x 400m hurdles, he did so as a representative of the city and soke. He was also captain of the British team.
He decided to retire in 1933 and looking back said ‘The greatest race I ever had…was the four hundred metres at the Olympic Games at Amsterdam. Never did I strain every ounce of strength and muscle so hard as I did then.’2
He was an advocate for increasing the number of athletics tracks in the UK, as well as being an active member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Amateur Athletic Association.
Some memorabilia is available to view at Burghley House as part of the house tours.
1. Sheffield Daily Press, 31 July 1928, p. 10.
2. Northampton Mercury, 14 July 1933, p. 14.
