Earliest meeting: Tuesday 6th June 1797
Final meeting: Tuesday 6th June 1797
The Suffolk village of Westerfield lies just 2 miles north of Ipswich and benefits from its own railway station on the Ipswich to Lowestoft East Suffolk line. The ‘County History of Suffolk’ recorded that a race meeting took place at Westerfield on Whitsun Tuesday in 1797. Therefore the meeting would have taken place on Tuesday 6th June 1797. A window bill from the time still remains and reads, ‘ On Whitsun Tuesday, will be run for on the Green, a new saddle and bridle, by Hobbies, not measuring more than 13 hands high, two rounds to a heat, the best of 3 heats, the second best to have the bridle. The drum to beat at five and start at six. Every owner to enter his hobby, and pay 2 shillings and 6 pence, between the hours of 12 and 3 on the day of running.’ The drum was the signal to clear the course before racing commenced. The old Suffolk poet, Robert Blomefield alludes to the custom:-
And now, as at some nobler places,
‘Twas by the leaders thus decreed,
Time to begin the Dickey races,
More famed for laughter than for speed. |
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 |
