1830-1840 John Robinson
John Robinson, son of John 'Joppa' Robinson, a Newmarket trainer, was born in 1791 and followed his father into the training business. John Robinson senior trained for two famous owners of the 18th century, Tommy Panton and Mr Crockford, and married in 1789, the couple having at least 3 children, John, James and a half-brother Thomas. John Robinson junior trained at the Severals throughout the 1830s, moving to Sandpit Lane in the 1840s where he was joined by his father until John senior died on 4th January 1845. Whilst at The Severals his most famous horse was Tarantella, who won the 1833 1000 Guineas when owned by T H Cookes and ridden by Edmund Wright.
1833 1000 Guineas TARANTELLA (SR 1939) 2/1 owned by T H Cookes, trained by John Robinson and ridden by Edmund Teddy Wright
1848-1855 William Goodwin
William Goodwin was born at Blandford, Dorset in 1820, beginning his working life as a maltster before turning his hand to training in 1845. By 1848 he had transferred to Newmarket, training on The Severals for George Hobson, and soon attracted other prominent owners, including T H Forth, son of the more famous John Forth. In 1850 he won the Epsom Oaks with Rhedycina (SR 1840), owned by George Hobson, renaming the Cottage on the Severals, Rhedycina Cottage, which he was living in at the time. In later years other residents of the house were Richard Cotton and Henry Jennings. In 1854 he won the Epsom Oaks for a second time with Mincemeat (SR 1825), owned by William Cookson and ridden by Jack Charlton. By 1855 he mad moved to Phantom House where he became a public trainer.
1850 Epsom Oaks RHEDYCINA (SR 1840) 6/1 owned by George Hobson, trained by William Goodwin and ridden by Frank Butler
1854 Epsom Oaks MINCEMEAT (SR 1825) 10/1 owned by William Cookson, trained by William Goodwin and ridden by Jack Charlton
For over 4 centuries racing has been staged in Newmarket, but how have the racecourses evolved from an initial starting point at Fleam Dyke Pumping Station, some 8 miles from the town, with a winning post barely 200 metres from the town centre, into two world recognized, excellent racecourses and a universal acceptance that Newmarket is the Headquarters of racing?
To access an interactive racecourse map showing over 50 individually named racecourses CLICK HERE. The map will enable you to:-
1. Determine when extended races over 8 miles, 6 miles and 4 miles began to be replaced by the courses now visited by thousands annually;
2. Consider how the challenge of crossing the Devil's Dyke was overcome;
3. Contemplate why the town no longer has a steeplechase course despite having at least 5 courses during the past 2 centuries;
4. Examine the practicalities of having up to 48 starting posts and winning posts;
5. Appreciate that it was not financially viable to have an open racecourse spread widely across the heath, with a finishing post barely 200 metres from the town centre;
6. Research how and why the Cambridgeshire Handicap has been contested over 3 different courses.
NOTE: The map does not make mention of 2 particular courses:-
(i) Sefton Course (also known as the Cambridge Road Course)
Source: 1970 Raceform. Used from 1959 to 1975.
(ii) New Circular Course
The Circular Handicap was run on Friday 29th October 1875 on the New Circular Course of about two miles.
Source: London Standard (30th October 1875): ''the horses started near the Turn of the Lands, ran back way of the Cambridgeshire Course towards the Ditch, and afterwards proceeded down the side of the Tan Gallop, and turned into the Rowley Mile near the Bretby Stakes starting post, finishing at the stand at the end of the flat. Except in the hollow near the Cambridgeshire start the runners should have been visible all the way if the sky had been bright and clear''.
Another report hoped that the Circular Handicap would become a feature in future programmes, as it would be contested in front of the new grandstand which would be completed in about a year and would be able to accommodate thousands.
(I am grateful to Tim Cox for bringing attention to these 2 courses.)
Enjoy researching the intriguing history of Newmarket and its many racecourses.
1857-1874 William & Robert Bocock
Between 1857 and 1874 Severals Farm, which consisted of some 200 acres, was owned by John Dobede of Exning, was leased to William and Richard Bocock. John Dobede died on 7th June 1875.
Prince Dimitry (Demetry) Soltykoff, son of Prince Peter Soltykoff and nephew of Prince Alexis Soltykoff, was born on 11th December 1827 into the famous Imperial Russian Soltykoff family.
Despite being a member of an Imperial Russian family, he came to England after the Crimean War (5th October 1853 to 30th March 1856) and loved the racing scene so much, and in particular Newmarket, that he decided to stay on. Although his father was a famous art and antiquities collector, and his uncle Alexis was inspired by Indian art, Dimitry gained a life-long love of racing. He was the first Russian to be appointed a member of the Jockey Club in 1867, and he served as a Jockey Club Steward from 1890 to 1892. However, he is best remembered for buying 4 acres of land adjoining The Severals, on which he built Kremlin House, on the Fordham Road in 1874, using rendered and painted brick, which he used as his Newmarket base and home, and later adding his own stables in the summer of 1891.
1881-1885 Lord Gerard
Colonel William Cansfield Gerard, 2nd Baron Gerard, born on 1st June 1851, lived at Severals House from 1881 when the house was built and is likely to have commissioned its construction. He had certainly left by 1885 when Henri Louis Bischoffshelm was resident.
1885-1888 Henri Louis Bischoffshelm
In 1885 a wealthy Jewish banker Henri Louis Bischoffshelm is known to have owned Severals House. He owned the Bischoffshelm and Goldschmidt Bank in the centre of London, and one of his prominent workers was Sir Ernest Cassell who later became an important benefactor of The Severals. On Wednesday 4th October 1882 his daughter Amelie Catherine had married Sir Maurice Fiztgerald and the couple later leased Severals House, and at some stage purchased it from the Marquess of Londonderry.
1888-1892 Marquess of Londonderry
Two separate Directories listed Charles Vane-Tempest, 6th Marquess of Londonderry as resident at Severals House between 1888 and 1892. He almost certainly owned it at that point, and written documentation indicates that he leased it to Sir Maurice and Lady Fitzgerald in the 1890s.
1892-1919 Sir Maurice and Lady Fitzgerald
Between 1892 and 1919 Sir Maurice Fitzgerald, who was born on 5th February 1844, lived in Severals House with his wife Amelie. In 1911 Sir Maurice decided to put it on the market whilst, at the same time, moving his string of horses to Berkshire to be trained. However, Sir Maurice died on 22nd October 1916 aged 72, and it was not until 1919 that his widow, Lady Fitzgerald, sold it to Major Edward Clayton. In 1916 Severals House had been taken over by the Red Cross to treat wounded First World War soldiers.
1897-August 1911 Sir Ernest Cassel
Sir Ernest Cassel owned Grafton House between 1897 and 1904, but felt that it was superfluous after he had purchased Moulton Paddocks. In August 1904 he sold Grafton House to Major-Gen Sir Stanley Clarke, a royal equerry and effectively nominee for the King. It is thought that it could be developed as a possible royal private stable, but in October 1910 the house, grounds and 26 boxes were put on the market and withdrawn at auction for £4,600. In August 1911 Cassel bought the place back and gave it to the people of Newmarket as The Severals public space, the intention was to finance the upkeep of the two acres of ground by letting Grafton House, but much of the building was demolished to be replaced by the King Edward Memorial Hall.
1919-1929 Major Edward Francis Clayton
Major Edward Francis Clayton, born on 21st August 1864, son of Nathaniel and Isabel Clayton, purchased Severals House in 1919 from Lady Fiztgerald. He married Jeanee Marie Renee de Fougeres on 24th February 1900 and their son was John Maurice Clayton.
1929-1948 Jack Clayton, Mrs Jeanee Marie de Clayton
In 1929 John Maurice Clayton, more often known as Jack Clayton, resided at Severals House and purchased the nearby Bedford House Stables from Captain Percy Bewicke, installing James Herbert Sharp Cannon as trainer. It was the ideal site for him, adjacent to his mother's stables at Severalls House. From Spring 1933 to 1935 Noel Cannon replaced his brother. On 26th January 1941 Jeanee Clayton died.
1955 Urban District Council Offices
In 1955 stabling at Stratford House was demolished and the Urban District Council bought Severals House for £6250, turning it into Council Offices.
2008-2014 Amy Weaver
Amy Weaver was born in Cheltenham, the home of National Hunt racing, and developed a love for the sport at an early age. After completing her compulsory education, she spent time in France as pupil-assistant to Jonathan Pease at a time when he trained Bago to win the 2004 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for the Niarchos family. She then became assistant to Michael Bell at Fitzroy House Stables, benefitting from a scholarship to work with Christophe Clement in the USA. She successfully applied for a trainer's licence in 2008, aged just 27, and took charge of 12 boxes at Woodlands Stables in the Severals Rear Yard. She trained for over 6 years at the stables before deciding to change her career path and work on cruise ships.
TARANTELLA (1833 1000 Guineas)
RHEDYCINA (1850 Epsom Oaks)
MINCEMEAT (1854 Epsom Oaks)
