Harold Jeppe

Harold Jeppe was one of six children of the South African mining and property magnate Sir Julius Jeppe, with the family living in their home Friedenheim in Belgravia, Johannesburg. Harold was educated at the Grange Preparatory School in Crowborough, England, before returning to South Africa to attend St Andrews College in Grahamstown. He went back to England to study at Trinity College, Oxford, where he took part in a track and field athletics meeting in London in 1920. The same year Jeppe ran in the 110 metres hurdles at the 1920 Antwerpen Olympics. He finished in third place in his heat with only the top-two athletes progressing to the semi-finals.

Upon the completion of his studies at Oxford University in 1921 Jeppe went to work at his father’s company, the South African Townships, Mining & Finance Corporation, eventually becoming the managing director in 1934. The same year Jeppe founded the Inanda Polo Club in Johannesburg.

After his retirement from the mining industry Jeppe pursued his love of the arts with the publication of his reference book South African Artists 1900–1962. He continued to work in the arts, running the Lidchi Art Gallery in Johannesburg from 1963 until 1972. Over the next two years Jeppe had some of his own personal collection of Spanish art exhibited at various galleries.

Personal Best: 110H – unknown.