# Dave Stevenson

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Scottish athlete

David Stevenson Personal information Full name David Deas Stevenson[1] Born (1941-11-28) 28 November 1941 (age 84) Hawick, Scotland Sport Country Great Britain Scotland Sport Athletics Event Pole vault Club Edinburgh Southern Harriers

**David Deas Stevenson** [CBE](/source/CBE) [DL](/source/Deputy_Lieutenant) (born 28 November 1941) is a Scottish former [athlete](/source/Sport_of_athletics). He competed for [Great Britain](/source/Great_Britain_at_the_Olympics) in the [men's pole vault](/source/Athletics_at_the_1964_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men's_pole_vault) at the [1964 Summer Olympics](/source/1964_Summer_Olympics), where he placed 20th.[2][3] He was also a successful businessman, serving as managing director of [Edinburgh Woollen Mill](/source/Edinburgh_Woollen_Mill) from 1970 to 1997.

## Athletics career

In addition to the Olympics (where he cleared three heights with no fails but could not achieve the qualifying mark for the final, 4.60m, from his three attempts), Stevenson also took part in the [Commonwealth Games](/source/Commonwealth_Games) in [1962](/source/Athletics_at_the_1962_British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games_%E2%80%93_Men's_pole_vault) (10th place), [1966](/source/Athletics_at_the_1966_British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games_%E2%80%93_Men's_pole_vault) (4th place, matching the height of the bronze medallist) and [1970](/source/Athletics_at_the_1970_British_Commonwealth_Games_%E2%80%93_Men's_pole_vault) (9th place).[1][3]

At local level, he competed for Edinburgh University and [Edinburgh Southern Harriers](/source/Edinburgh_Southern_Harriers)[4] and won the Scottish Athletics Championships eight years out of nine between 1962 and 1970,[5] claimed the gold medal at the 1965 [AAA Indoor Championships](/source/AAA_Indoor_Championships) (plus four silvers from other years),[6] and two bronze at the [AAA Championships](/source/AAA_Championships).[7] While at university, he had also challenged for the Scottish title in the [long jump](/source/Long_jump) and [triple jump](/source/Triple_jump).[8]

## Business and personal life

Raised in [Langholm](/source/Langholm), [Dumfriesshire](/source/Dumfriesshire) and a graduate of the [University of Edinburgh Business School](/source/University_of_Edinburgh_Business_School) in 1962,[9] he joined the textiles firm founded by his father Andrew in the 1930s[10] and successfully expanded it as the [Edinburgh Woollen Mill](/source/Edinburgh_Woollen_Mill) clothing retail company, with a catalyst for growth coming from the supply of the Scotland team's [tartan](/source/Tartan) uniforms at their 'home' [1970 British Commonwealth Games](/source/1970_British_Commonwealth_Games) in [Edinburgh](/source/Edinburgh), at which he was also a competing athlete.[9] The company absorbed several others across Scotland to diversify its product line,[10] and had almost 200 stores before being sold in 1997 for £69 million.[9] He retained an interest in business with the Ashleybank Investments company which had shares in [Schuh](/source/Schuh) and [Dobbies](/source/Dobbies) among others,[9] and also set up a charitable organisation, the Stevenson Foundation, sponsoring local sports clubs and other civic causes.[11] The Woollen Mill (in reality Stevenson's close family) owned several [National Hunt](/source/National_Hunt_racing) racehorses, with [Gordon W. Richards](/source/Gordon_W._Richards) as trainer.[12][10] His Irish son-in-law Ger Lyons is also a successful racehorse trainer,[13][14] with his own daughter Kerri among his staff,[15][16] while [Ian Stark](/source/Ian_Stark), Scottish Olympic medallist in [Eventing](/source/Eventing), has credited Stevenson for his long-term support.[17][18]

He was made a [Commander of the British Empire](/source/Commander_of_the_British_Empire) in the [1988 New Year Honours](/source/1988_New_Year_Honours). In 2012, Stevenson was made an [Honorary Freeman](/source/Freedom_of_the_City) of [Dumfries and Galloway](/source/Dumfries_and_Galloway) for "his involvement in bringing national recognition to the town [of Langholm], his generosity of spirit, and the time he has devoted to his local community".[11] He was a baton-bearer for the [2014 Commonwealth Games](/source/2014_Commonwealth_Games) held in [Glasgow](/source/Glasgow). At that time he was also Deputy [Lord-Lieutenant](/source/Lord-Lieutenant) for Dumfries.[19]

His wife [Alix Jamieson](/source/Alix_Jamieson) was a fellow competitor in the 1964 Olympics in the [long jump event](/source/Athletics_at_the_1964_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women's_long_jump);[9][3] they have two children and four grandchildren.[11] His brother Neil was a top-level [rugby union](/source/Rugby_union) player with [Langholm RFC](/source/Langholm_RFC) in the era before professionalism in the sport, also working in the family business.[10][20]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cgf_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cgf_1-1) [David Deas Stevenson](https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/39520), The Commonwealth Games Federation

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SportsRef_2-0)** Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; [Mallon, Bill](/source/Bill_Mallon); et al. ["Dave Stevenson Olympic Results"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200418035958/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/st/dave-stevenson-1.html). *Olympics at Sports-Reference.com*. [Sports Reference LLC](/source/Sports_Reference). Archived from [the original](https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/st/dave-stevenson-1.html) on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Last21_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Last21_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Last21_3-2) [Scots Olympic couple recall 'amazing experience' of last of the 'Goodwill Olympics' at Tokyo 1964](https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19457271.scots-olympic-couple-recall-amazing-experience-last-goodwill-olympics-tokyo-1964/), Jack Davidson, 21 July 2021 (subscription required)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Sport in a Flash"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003741/19660523/018/0018). *Daily Record*. 23 May 1966. Retrieved 6 April 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Scottish Championships](http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/sco.htm), GBRathletics

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [AAA Indoor Championships (Men)](http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaai.htm), GBRathletics

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [AAA Championships (Men)](http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm), GBRathletics

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [University Track and Field: 1960 – ’64](http://www.anentscottishrunning.com/university-track-and-field-1960-64/), Anent Scottish Running, 1 December 2017

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-heights_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-heights_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-heights_9-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-heights_9-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-heights_9-4) [Reaching New Heights](https://www.business-school.ed.ac.uk/alumni/aluminate/features/reaching-new-heights), University of Edinburgh Business School

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-jumpers_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-jumpers_10-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-jumpers_10-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-jumpers_10-3) [Jumpers are winners for David Stevenson](https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/11916610.jumpers-are-winners-for-david-stevenson/), The Glasgow Herald, 23 May 1989

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-free_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-free_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-free_11-2) [Date set for David Stevenson Freeman honour](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/date-set-david-stevenson-freeman-2549210), Daily Record, 31 August 2012

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [The Boss: The Life and Times of Horseracing Legend Gordon W. Richards](https://books.google.com/books?id=vh3T5OR8gpYC&dq=%22Alix+stevenson&pg=PT80), John Budden; Random House, 2012; [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781780577753](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781780577753)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [Down royal's big hope for a bold Ayr show](https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/down-royals-big-hope-for-a-bold-ayr-show/28090600.html), Jimmy Walker, Belfast Telegraph, 14 April 2002

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** [Lyons' Den](https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=EAIM&u=anon~e0719685&id=GALE%7CA133932037&v=2.1&it=r&sid=sitemap&asid=d87b1e57), Michael Clower, The Times, 3 July 2005, via [Gale](/source/Gale_(publisher))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** [About](https://gerlyons.ie/about), Ger Lyons Racing

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [No blurred Lyons as straight talker aims for the top](https://m.independent.ie/sport/horse-racing/no-blurred-lyons-as-straight-talker-aims-for-the-top/40932448.html), Michael Verney, *The Irish Independent*, 9 October 2021

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** [Meet the...XC Course Designer](https://bramham-horse.co.uk/about-bramham/the-team/meet-the-xc-course-designer-ian-stark/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200811212136/https://bramham-horse.co.uk/about-bramham/the-team/meet-the-xc-course-designer-ian-stark/) 11 August 2020 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Bramham Horse Trials

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** [Olympian Ian Stark is Scotland's main eventer](https://www.scottishfield.co.uk/outdoors/eqy/olympian-ian-stark-is-scotlands-main-eventer/), Scottish Field, 6 December 2019

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** [An all too common feeling for David](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/commonwealth-games-pole-vault-hero-3364389), Daily Record, 4 April 2014

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** [Obituary: Neil Stevenson, accomplished rugby player who ran dyeworks and Edinburgh Woollen Mill](https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituary-neil-stevenson-accomplished-rugby-player-who-ran-dyeworks-and-edinburgh-woollen-mill-1424506), The Scotsman, 20 December 2018

## External links

- [Dave Stevenson](https://worldathletics.org/athletes/-/14552757) at [World Athletics](/source/World_Athletics)

- [Dave Stevenson](https://www.olympics.com/en/athletes/david-deas-stevenson) at [Olympics.com](/source/International_Olympic_Committee)

- [Dave Stevenson](https://www.teamgb.com/athletes/5nHdp2MVvqBTD7vGRyx9gv) at [Team GB](/source/Team_GB)

- [Dave Stevenson](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69510) at [Olympedia](/source/Olympedia)

Authority control databases: People World Athletics

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dave Stevenson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Stevenson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Stevenson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.