George Wilson (racewalker)

[1][2][3] Wilson held several jobs throughout his life, first serving as an apprentice cobbler under his uncle, John Bell.

In 1805, satisfied that his wife and children could manage his hosiery and drapery business, he began selling maps and other travel guides as he walked around the country, which had by then become the main occupancy of his time.

This proved to be inadequate at providing his expenses, and by 1814, Wilson was in debtor's prison for failure to pay a £20 debt from John Bell.

[1][2][4] When he was released from prison, Wilson became a full time competitive walker, supplementing his meager income by selling books.

[1] On 26 April 1824, Wilson completed his final feat of pedestrianism at Alston, Cumbria, successfully walking 140 miles in under 48 hours, despite having been "lame in one of his legs for three months past.

[1] On 11 September 1815, the 50-year-old Wilson undertook his longest feat: walking 1,000 miles around Blackheath, in 20 days for £100, to be collected from the people of Woolwich.

By the tenth day, they had become nearly unmanageable: the dust they were kicking up impaired Wilson's breathing and several disgruntled bettors tried to attack him.

Though he was eventually acquitted of disturbing the peace on 5 October 1815, the decision to arrest him proved to be effective: the crowds had all but dispersed.

His inability to walk for the final 5 days resulted in his failure to complete the feat and he was unable to collect the £100 prize.

[5] In this book he tells of his many exploits and failures, including him being arrested for causing a breach of the peace, charged and tried for "walking for money" and ending up in debtor’s prison.

[6] In the song "On Russell The Pedestrian" which appeared in 1840 in The Tyne Songster, George Wilson is mentioned by name as a well-known competitive walker.

[7] The notes to the song mention the last feat of his walking career at Town Moor racecourse in Newcastle.