Earliest meeting: Friday 3rd April 1868
Final meeting: Saturday 29th March 1879
The South East London town of Woolwich lies in the borough of Greenwich. Historically it was part of Kent until the late 1800s, and has always had close ties with the military. It can trace its history back to the Iron Age, and there is also evidence of Roman settlements in the town. In the middle of the 19th century it staged a series of Garrison meetings between 1822 and 1871, as well as meetings in conjunction with nearby Blackheath in 1865 and 1866. However, the town also organised its own meetings from Friday 3rd April 1868. The meetings were held on a cross-country course in the vicinity of Eltham, with the feature race the Woolwich Gold Cup. In 1868 it was won by Captain Addington’s Clinker, defeating Vesta, and two years later Vesta contested the race again but had to settle for third place behind Conjuror and Barrister. Meetings continued for a further 9 years, each year the Gold Cup was the sought after prize, and the final meeting took place on Saturday 29th March 1879. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Major General Gambler, Major General Sir David Wood |
| Principal Races |
Woolwich Gold Cup |
Friday 3rd April 1868
Woolwich Gold Cup over 3 miles
1. Clinker, bay gelding owned by Captain Addington
2. Vesta, bay mare owned by Mr Prior
3. Pixie, brown gelding owned by Mr Magenis
Betting: 6/4 Kingfisher, 3/1 Vesta, 3/1 Clinker |
The final meeting took place on Saturday 29th March 1879. |
| Course today |
A cross-country course over fair hunting ground in the vicinity of Eltham. |
| 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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