He won the gold medal in the men's double York round at the 1908 Summer Olympics on his 41st birthday.

William was educated at home by private tutors and his family fortune, gathered from the cotton trade, meant that he never had to work for a living.

He took up archery at the home of the Legh family, who had an estate close to the Dods in Cheshire and were one of the greatest names in the sport.

William Dod mastered the torrential rain on the first day of the Olympic competition to hold a 10-point advantage.

When the rain gave way to swirling wind conditions on the second day, Dod forged ahead and comfortably took gold with a margin of 47 points over Reginald Brooks-King.