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Lot 322
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← Sporting Memorabilia 18th & 19th May 2015

The stopwatch used by W. J. Burfitt a timekeeper at Iffley Road, Oxford, on the occasion of Sir Roger Bannister running the first sub-4 minute mile 6t

Hammer Price:
£20,000
Estimated Price:

£5,000 - £8,000

The stopwatch used by W. J. Burfitt a timekeeper at Iffley Road, Oxford, on the occasion of Sir Roger Bannister running the first sub-4 minute mile 6th May 1954, a Swiss made chrome Nero Lemania stopwatch, 1/10th seconds, outer dial to 30 seconds, inner dial to 60 seconds, upper-central dial for 30 minutes, in leather carrying case; sold with an invoice for repairs made out to Mr Burfitt; Burfitt's personal copy of the O.U.A.C. programme from the day signed by Roger Bannister; and a signed copy of Roger Bannister's autobiography ''First Four Minutes'' The official timekeepers on that famous day at Iffley Road 6th May 1954 are listed in the programme as W C A Findlay, C S Hill, R G Hudson, L R Richards & W J Burfitt. The chief timekeeper was Charles Hill and the stopwatch he used when Sir Roger Bannister broke the four minute mile barrier was bought by Lord Archer for £8,855 at an auction at Bonham's in 1998 and donated to Oxford University Athletics Club.