Earliest meeting: Wednesday 11th September 1850
Final meeting: Thursday 8th September 1870
The Norfolk seaside port and market town of Kings Lynn first held races on Wednesday 11th September 1850. However, they were not successful, lasting for a two year period initially, but returned on Wednesday 4th October 1854 for a further year. Racing then lapsed until a re-launch in 1862 proved to be a more fruitful period of racing, with over 10,000 attending the meeting on Wednesday 10th September. The course, on the edge of the town, was staked at a mile complete with 6 hurdles, and the card opened with the Innkeepers’ Plate which went to Mr Weston’s Maid Marion. The principal West Norfolk Hunters’ Stakes was won by Yellow Jack. Meetings continued annually until a final card took place on Thursday 8th September 1870. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
John Platten & Walter Moyse (Stewards), Mr W M Lambourne |
| Principal Races |
Kings Lynn County Members Stakes, Kings Lynn Nursery Handicap, Borough Members Stakes |
Wednesday 10th September 1862
West Norfolk Hunters’ Stakes over 2 miles and 6 hurdles
1. Yellow Jack, bay colt owned by Mr W Cole
2. Alba, bay filly owned by Mr S Rust
3. Horatia, bay horse owned by Mr Weston
Betting: 2/1 Horatia, 5/1 Alba, 5/1 Yellow Jack |
Thursday 6th & Friday 7th September 1866 |
Kings Lynn County Members Stakes over a mile
1. Begum owned by Mr Fiddaman
2. Unnamed filly by Fazzoletto owned by Mr Wilkinson
3. Homely owned by Mr Godding
The Kings Lynn Nursery Handicap over 5 furlongs
1. Purchase owned by Mr W M Lambourne
2. Tiny owned by Mr Goodwin
3. Ida owned by Mr Moore
The Borough Members Stakes over 5 furlongs
1. Ida owned by Mr Moore
2. Begum owned by Mr Smith
3. Harbinger owned by Mr Reynard |
| The final meeting took place on Thursday 8th September 1870. |
| Course today |
A staked one mile course with 6 hurdles on the edge of town. |
| If you have photos, postcards, racecards. badges, newspaper cuttings or book references about the old course, or can provide a photo of how the ground on which the old racecourse stood looks today, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com |
Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-
London Illustrated News
Racing Illustrated 1895-1899
The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
The Sporting Magazine
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727 |
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ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3
652 pages
774 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0
352 pages
400 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7
180 pages
140 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4
264 pages
235 former courses |
| Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent. |
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