A member of the Torquay Athletic Cub, Sid Francis was the last of the 107 runners who carried the Olympic Torch 200 miles from Wembley Stadium to Torbay for the opening of the sailing events at the 1948 Olympics. He was accompanied by two Torquay team-mates (George Collings and R. C. Hemmings) on the final leg of the journey to the opening ceremony at the ancient Torre Abbey on the sea-front at Torquay. After The Games Francis gave the torch away, and in 1996 it came up for auction and was purchased by the local Council for £2,700.
Great Britain