Spectacles from Jim Peters Opticians
Object number
LDVAL 2012.17.1
Description
Prescription glasses in origional case with printed cleaning cloth and busines card. Purchased from Jim Peters (Dispensing optician) of 192 High Road, Chadwell Heath, Essex. Cloth has his logo with a running man in a triangle.
James (Jim) Peters (1918-1999)
Jim Peters moved to the Becontree Estate as a child for the sake of his health. He lived in Grafton Road, Dagenham and attended Grafton Road School. He began running to train for football, and at the age of 17 he joined Essex Beagles athletics club, which then trained on the running track at Mayesbrook Park.
Jim went on to become one of Britain’s greatest-ever marathon runners, setting 4 world best times and becoming the first man ever to run the distance (26.2 miles) in under 2 hours 20 minutes. He was ranked fastest in the world from 1952 to 1954. His arduous training routine (80-100 miles a week) and mental preparation revolutionised the event in the mid-1950s.
His career came to an end at the Commonwealth Games in Vancouver on 7th August 1954 when, suffering from exhaustion and dehydration, and 20 minutes in front of the next runner, he collapsed with 200 yards to go and failed to finish. He never raced again. Jim Peters later worked as an optician in Chadwell Heath.
Physical description
Case; Oval shaped, Mottled Green with gold text on the front lined with faded Brown Velvet a White sticker.
Cloth; Tan Orange with Brown text and a Brown Jim Peters logo.
Glasses; Clarret on a metal Frame with Circular Lenses.
Condition
Fair
Type
Spectacles
Size
Case length: 151mm
width: 63mm
Depth: 37mm
Cloth length: 110mm
width: 70mm
Glasses width: 120mm
Depth: 105mm
height: 40mm
Material
Case: Plastic
Lining: Fabric
Cloth: Fabric
Glasses: Metal
Glasses: Plastic
Glasses: Glass
Collection type
Social history
Inscription
Inscription Stamp On lid: JIM PETERS / DESPENSING OPTICIAN / FAIR GREEN, / MITCHAM, / SURREY, [AND] 192 HIGH RD / CHADWELL HEATH, / ESSEX.
Alternative reference
Entry number E1792 (2012-08-17)
Looking for records| Metadata | |
|---|---|
| Institution | Valence House Museum |
| Type | Spectacles |
| Material | Plastic Fabric Fabric Metal Plastic Glass |
| Collection type | Social history |