Dorothy (Doris) Elizabeth Scouler (23 August 1910 – 27 November 1972) was a British athlete specialising in

running Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion by which humans and other animals move quickly on foot. Running is a gait with an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is in contrast to walkin ...

. She took part in the

1926 Women's World Games The 1926 Women's World Games (Swedish II. Internationella kvinnliga idrottsspelen, French 2èmes jeux féminins mondiaux ) were the second regular international Women's World Games, the tournament was held between 27

as part of the 4×110 yds relay team for the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. Alongside Florence Haynes, Eileen Edwards and Rose Thompson she achieved a

gold medal A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture. Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have b ...

for the event. Their time of 49.8 seconds was a world record, ratified by the

International Women's Sports Federation The Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale (FSFI) – or, in English, the International Women's Sports Federation – was founded in October 1921 by Alice Milliat because of the unwillingness of existing sports organisations, such a ...

, and was the first time the world record broke 50 seconds for the discipline. Their performance was used as a case study in correct form for relay racing in the 1930 book "Athletics of To-day for Women" by F.A.M. Webster. Their world record held until the 1928 Olympic Games, the first in which women were able to compete in athletics. Scouler was born in

Northampton Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is sit ...

, but grew up in

Deanshanger Deanshanger () is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, west-northwest of Milton Keynes. In 2007 it was joined with the civil parish of Wicken to form Deanshanger ward, returning two councillors. The population of the civil par ...

with her grandfather. Scouler trained at the

Wolverton Wolverton ( ) is a constituent town of Milton Keynes Milton Keynes ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of Milton Keynes urban ar ...

Athletics track, provided by the

London & North Western Railway The London and North Western Railway (LNWR, L&NWR) was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. In the late 19th century, the LNWR was the largest joint stock company in the world. Dubbed the "Premier Line", the LNWR's main line connec ...

, before joining an athletics club training at the

White City Stadium White City Stadium in London, England, was built for the 1908 Summer Olympics. It hosted the finish of the first modern marathon and swimming, speedway, boxing, show jumping, athletics, stock car racing, concerts and a match at the 1966 FIFA W ...

, where she was identified as an Olympic hopeful. Scouler was only 16 at the time of her entry into the Games, and was accompanied to Sweden by her aunt as a chaperone. This was due to the insistence of her grandfather that she would only be able to go with a chaperone. Scouler also took competed in the 103 yards and 220 yard events for Middlesex women. In 1936 she married William Thomas Hawtin, with whom she went on to have 7 children and lived in Caldecote,

Towcester Towcester ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority area of Northamptonshire, England. From 1974 to 2021, it was the administrative centre of the South Northamptonshire district. Towcester is on ...

. She died in 1972 at the age of 62. In 2011 Dorothy Scouler was included as part of an exhibition of Milton Keynes' sporting heroes, as part of the national "Our Sporting Life" exhibition.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scouler, Dorothy 1910 births 1972 deaths British female sprinters English female sprinters Women's World Games medalists 20th-century English sportswomen