- This topic has 26 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 10 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Saw this series of books advertised on the Injured Jockeys Fund website on Monday and was delighted to receive all 4 volumes today. The link to the IJF is:-
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
The paperback books, which are produced on extremely high quality gloss paper, cover the histories of over 1500 former ‘racecourses’, and the author has been granted permission by Ordnance Survey to reproduce the original maps showing the location of many of the courses. Although I have only had chance to dip into the books at present, I noted the Alexandra Park members badge of a soldier killed in the First World War; a picture of the silk racecard used by Queen Victoria on the one occasion she attended the Derby, and the gravestone of a racehorse which helped during the Great Irish Famine. A pleasing feature of the 4 books is that an old map of Newmarket Heath spans the four front covers so that when they stand together on a bookshelf the 4 spines continue the map. The final chapter in each volume provides an alternative set of former courses matched with the current 86 courses, with arguments presented as to why the current ones survived whilst others fell by the wayside. I am now eager to visit some of the towns and villages to see if I can spot any tell-tale signs of a former racecourse.
It is a fund raising event for the IJF, so books are only available directly from the author rather than giving Amazon their 30% cut.Thanks for pointing out that offer.
I’m an anorak for that sort of thing and an order for all 4 volumes will be winging it’s way down to Buckinghamshire. Hope to find out about Dunfermline racecourse which I believe was used in the 19th century.
No doubt I’ll have the Wales and Scotland volume in the car whenever we are out anywhere!
Rob
Dashing when you get a moment….. as a child I lived in a road called Povey Cross Road in Horley, Surrey. Before the hotels were built, Povey Cross Road looked straight over what is now Gatwick Airport. According to the 98 yr old lady we used to shop for there used to be a racecourse at Gatwick. One of the inner roads of Gatwick is called Racecourse Way. She said she had watched racing there and told a story of the Grand National being run. Any inclusion in your ‘boxed set’? Many thanks.
Thanks for the information. In volume 2, South of Hatfield, there is a whole section on Gatwick racecourse, including when the Grand National was run at Gatwick. Furthermore, in the colour page section there are many of the members badges from Gatwick.However, in my view the best section is Chapter 9 which matches the 85 current racecourses against 85 former courses, giving reasons why some survived when others did not. Match number 31 is Goodwood v Gatwick. You will enjoy reading why Goodwood survived when Gatwick didn’t.
Hope this helps.Thanks for the reply. I contacted the IJF and there is some reason to do with their charity status which means that they cannot sell the books directly on their stalls at the various racecourses. However, they did acknowledge that the author has agreed to make a significant donation from the sale of each book. Hope this helps.
Had a look in the Volume 3 Scotland and Wales edition for you and can report that there is a whole section on Dunfermline races which lasted between 1801 and 1876. Furthermore, there is a map linked to the article. Hope this helps.
Those of you who still have fond memories of Lewes racecourse will enjoy reading about its history in Volume 2 and, in chapter 9, it is matched against Brighton, with reasons given why it folded when Brighton still thrives!? The author seems to have dugout particularly interesting facts about the majority of the 1500 ‘former’ courses, none more so than at Wigan Racecourse in Volume 1 when in one race two quite independent owners saddled the winner ‘Sweetest when Clothed’ and the third horse ‘Sweetest when Naked’.
Thanks for that dashing, so our old lady was right. Bluebird House was at the end of Povey Cross Road, where Malcolm Campbell had a garage. Thanks for your post it has taken me right back.
As well as presnting the histories of more than 1500 former courses,the 4 volumes use a series of 85 matches to question why the current 85 courses have survived at the expense of former courses in nearby locations. Match 1 is Aintree v Maghull; Match 2 is Ascot v Reading; Match 3 is Ayr v Bogside; Match 4 is Ballinrobe v Ballina and Match 5 is Bangor v Wrexham
Do many readers still remember Bogside?As I plough my way through the books I will list the Chapter 9 matches where the author matches a current racecourse with one nearby which has closed. He then presents a case why one closed and one remains operational.
Match 6 is Bath v Bristol; Match 7 is Bellewstown v Ashbourne (IRE); Match 8 is Beverley v Kiplingcotes; Match 9 is Brighton v Lewes; Match 10 is Carlisle v Kendal
It is remarkable how much affection there still is for Lewes racecourse. Anyone visited it?As I plough my way through Chapter 9 of ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ in which each of today’s racecourses is matched against a nearby former course, Match 11 is Cartmel v Workington, Match 12 is Catterick v Richmond, Match 13 is Chelmsford City v Champion Lodge, Match 14 is Cheltenham v Gloucester and Match 15 is Chepstow v Cardiff.
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
More tomorrow when I get that far.I am still enjoying Chapter 9 of ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ in which each of today’s racecourses is matched against a nearby former course, Match 16 is Chester v Tarporley, Match 17 is Clonmel v Cahir, Match 18 is Cork/Mallow v Cork Park, Match 19 is The Curragh v Phoenix Park (anyone have good memories of that track?), Match 20 is Doncaster v Chesterfield.
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
More tomorrow when I get that far.Managing to digest 5 courses a day of Chapter 9 of ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ in which each of today’s racecourses is matched against a nearby former course, Match 21 is Downpatrick v Ballymoney; Match 22 is Down Royal v Derry; Match 23 is Dundalk v Mullacurry; Match 24 is Epsom v Hampton (that are had a number of racecourses which included Hurst Park which many would have visited and loved); Match 25 is Exeter v Tiverton.
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
More tomorrow when I get that far.I have just finished another 5 matches of Chapter 9 of ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ in which each of today’s racecourses is matched against a nearby former course, Match 26 is Fairyhouse v Baldoyle, Match 27 is Fakenham v Hethersett (which I visited last year but could not see evidence of the course), Match 28 is Ffos Las v Haverfordwest, Match 29 is Fontwell v Chichester and Match 30 is Galway v Loughrea.
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
More tomorrow when I get that far.Managed 5 more matches of Chapter 9 of ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ last night in which each of today’s racecourses is matched against a nearby former course, Match 31 is Goodwood v Gatwick, Match 32 is Gowran Park v Carlow, Match 33 is Hamilton v Lanark, Match 34 is Haydock v Newton-le-Willows, Match 35 is Hexham v Rothbury.
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
More tomorrow when I get that far.I have researched 5 more matches of Chapter 9 of ‘Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow’ last night in which each of today’s racecourses is matched against a nearby former course, Match 36 is Huntingdon v Cambridge (no that’s an interesting match!), Match 37 is Kelso v Berwick, Match 38 is Kempton v Hurst Park, Match 39 is Kilbeggan v Athlone, Match 40 is Killarney v Tralee.
http://www.injuredjockeys.co.uk/fundraising-news.asp?$=323&o=
More tomorrow when I get that far.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.