Earliest meeting: Wednesday 30th June 1841
Final meeting: Thursday 21st September 1848
The south London district of Peckham is a heavily built up area less than 4 miles south east of Charing Cross. However, there is evidence that the Romans once occupied the area and even during the time of the 1086 Domesday Book Peckham, then known as Pecheham, was still only a small village owned by the Earl of Gloucester. In the middle of the 19th century the village held race meetings supported by the East Surrey Hunt. The first two day meeting was on Wednesday 30th June and Thursday 1st July 1841 on an extensive piece of ground next to the Rosemary Branch Tavern. On this occasion the crowd size was depleted because elections were taking place, causing many to miss the East Surrey Stakes in which Mr James’s Pedlar beat Discovery and Mount Eagle. On the second day the Victoria Stakes saw Armelle beat Ascanius and Maid Marion. Meetings continued annually and in 1844 the event was staged on Boxing Day. A two day meeting was held on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st September 1848 when the Hunters Stakes was won by Mr Land’s Chester, beating Sovereign and Clansman. After 1848 the venue was still used for racing, although invariably this involved ponies or trotting races. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Bacon & Mr James (Stewards) |
| Principal Races |
Peckham Stakes, Victoria Stakes, East Surrey Stakes, Hunters Stakes |
Wednesday 30th June 1841
Peckham Stakes
1. Ascanius, bay horse owned by Mr Bacon
2. Kate Kearney, bay mare owned by Mr Jenkin
3. Armelle, bay mare owned by Mr W Scott |
The only recorded meeting took place on 26th December 1844. |
| Course today |
On an extensive piece of ground next to the Rosemary Branch Tavern. |
| 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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