In 1911, Australia, Canada and New Zealand came to Britain for a competition held at Crystal Palace in South London as part of celebrations for the coronation of King George V.

Even then, the idea of such a competition was not new.

Twenty years earlier, in October 1891, John Astley Cooper had written to a number of magazines and newspapers to suggest a "Pan Britannic Festival".

This was to be "a festival and contest of industry, athletics and culture, as a means of increasing goodwill and good understanding" in what was then known as the British Empire.

Shortly afterwards, French nobleman Baron Pierre de Coubertin proposed reviving the Olympics.

From the first Modern Games in 1896, Australia and Britain proved enthusiastic supporters of the Olympic movement.

Canadians first participated in 1900, then South Africa in 1904. 

The first New Zealanders competed in the 1908 Olympics.

British officials played an increasing role in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and London hosted the 1908 Games.

Organised under the chairmanship of Lord Desborough, they were held in conjunction with a Franco Britannic Exhibition.

A similar event was planned to honour King Edward VII, but in May 1910, he died.

"In consequence of the death of his late Majesty, the Festival will not be opened this year, in the hope that it may take place next year under happier auspices," organisers announced.

The Coronation of King George V was scheduled for June 1911 and the celebration "Festival of Empire" included sport, but only for the men.

Lord Desborough led organisers and called upon a colleague from the 1908 Olympics to help.

William Henry, secretary of the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) was sent to Australia to rally support.

"The idea was to get teams of athletes to participate in a series of special events to be brought off in the space of a week," he told sports officials in Sydney.

The Australian competitive spirit in sport soon won over any misgivings.

"It would be a magnificent advertisement for the Commonwealth," one delegate agreed.

IOC member Richard Coombes, a prominent figure in Australian sport, was elected "President" for the trip, in today’s terms a "Chef de Mission".

Australians and New Zealanders were to compete as "Australasia" as they had done at the 1908 Olympics.

Lord Lonsdale donated a special trophy for the competition, valued at £250 ($326, €302).

It stood 76.2 centimetres high and weighed 9.6 kilograms.

The South Africans announced that they would not take part, even though they had performed well at the London Olympics and were to do even better in 1912.

Better news came from Canada, where the Government gave a grant to cover the cost of a team.

"Australasia" were the first to arrive, on the Royal Mail Ship Orvieto. 

"The Referee", an Australian sports newspaper, described the festival as "second only in interest and importance to the Olympic Games".

Coombes soon discovered that tennis had been removed because the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) had refused to sanction the competition.

He protested to LTA Secretary George Mewburn who admitted "there had been an entire misapprehension" over a possible clash with Wimbledon.

Mewburn reversed the decision and tennis was re-instated.

The Australasians were very keen for it to take place, because their representative, New Zealander Anthony Wilding, was the reigning Wimbledon champion.

Unfortunately, it proved impossible to contact the Canadian players who had set off on holiday.

"Mr Wilding must be accorded the thanks for standing by to represent Australasia at any time or under any circumstances if called upon," Coombes noted.

"I reserved the right to claim the playing of a match, if our position in the Lonsdale Cup score warranted it."

A week before the competition, the Canadian team docked on the White Star Liner Megantic.

The Australians meanwhile were competing at the Crewe Alexandra Sports in the North West of England.

This was described as a "red letter day" by Coombes and New Zealand sprinter Ron Opie won the 100 yards.

A few days before the main event at Crystal Palace, Lord Desborough welcomed delegates to dinner at the Terrace Club with a toast to "the overseas athletes and representatives".

Coombes and the Canadian official James Merrick were amongst the gusts, joined by British Olympic Association secretary Reverend Robert de Courcy Laffan.

"We live in an age of international athletics and I have no hesitation in saying that if the present ideal permeating athletics is maintained, it would not only be good for individuals but good for making lasting friendships between nations," Desborough declared.

The sports competition was held on a site occupied today by the National Sports Centre.

"Notable athletes from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom will compete, on even terms," said advertisements.

Seats in the grandstand were priced at one shilling (five pence).

Crowds had flocked to London for the coronation procession, but were less enthusiastic for the sport, put off by a rainy morning and windy conditions.

"In order that the visitors may attend the sports without sacrificing their social functions, it has been arranged that the athletic meeting will start at 3.45 pm and finish about 5.30 thus assuring an early return to town," the Daily News reported.

Proceedings began with the 100 yards, won by Toronto University’s Frank Halbhaus by a foot (0.30 centimetres) from Duncan Macmillan, a Cambridge University "Blue" representing Britain.

Ten minutes later, the 880 yards began and was won by the British runner Jim Hill of Queen’s Park Harriers in 1:58.6.

He had won the 1910 Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) title and "has filled out into a fine, powerful runner," said The Athletic News.

Within the hour, Halbhaus was back on track again in the 220 yards, this time beating New Zealander Opie into second by over two metres to give the Canadians a second victory.

Their third came from Jack Tait in the mile in 4:46.2 in what The Athletic News called "a weird sort of race".

Such were Canadian celebrations that many reports mistakenly stated that they had clinched the Lonsdale Trophy.

The athletics concluded with the 120 yards hurdles, where home runner Kenneth Powell was "too clever" for Canada’s Frank Lukeman.

Powell was a veteran of the 1908 Olympics where he had also competed in tennis.

Australia had high hopes of Harold Hardwick, their own double sportsman.

Unlike many other Australian-born athletes who visited the 'Old Country', he would appear to have found the climatic conditions agreeable from the outset.

An outstanding swimmer, Hardwick won the 100 yards freestyle in 1:00.6 defeating Britain’s Olympic gold medallist Rob Derbyshire.

Hardwick had also been persuaded to take part in boxing.

"He was the only one in it," the Auckland Star reported.

He beat English heavyweight champion Bill Hazell, a police constable. 

Hardwick "made short work of the man of law and order".

The contest was stopped after two and a half minutes.

In his second bout, he defeated Canadian Julius Thompson "treating him to the same sauce", in other words another stoppage and heavy punishment.

In wrestling, there was little surprise when 1908 Olympic middleweight champion Stanley Bacon beat Australian Bill Smythe and then overcame Canadian George Walker.

Canadian George Hodgson did win the one mile swim as Canada clinched the Lonsdale Cup.

The Festival also included other sports which didn’t count for the trophy.

An Empire Cycling Championship was won by double Olympic gold medallist Clarrie Kingsbury.

A display of gymnastics was also on the programme.

"The fact which differentiated this show from continental ones was the preponderance of women in the display," the News and General Advertiser, a local newspaper reported.

The Bowls competition was for the Coronation Cup and  was described as "the amateur championship of the world".

There was an added incentive for entrants, each was given a voucher permitting free admission to the festival grounds.

"Much lasting goodwill will be the outcome of our participation," Coombes concluded when he returned to Sydney, though he offered a warning for Australian sport.

"It is quite apparent that we cannot hope for any marked success unless there be more cohesion, more thoroughness as to detail and more system as to procedure."

In time, Australia would become the most consistently successful nation at the Commonwealth Games.

The Canadians returned home with their huge trophy but James Merrick still had reservations.

"This British apathy does seem to me to be a rather disturbing fact," Merrick said.

"In Britain as far as we can judge, they are more concerned with an average county cricket match than a meeting of the Empire's athletes."

It may help explain why it was not until 1930 that the first full Empire Games, destined to become the Commonwealth Games, were finally held.

As for the trophy, it was eventually melted down by the Canadians and miniature replicas presented to each competing nation.

The New Zealanders use their replica as an annual award for sporting achievement. 

Canoeist Lisa Carrington was the most-recent recipient in 2021.