Quote:
Originally Posted by eastsussexred
in addition to the above,
The Wrexham Advertiser reported that, during a rainstorm at a miners strike meeting at The Racecourse on 29th August 1859 ‘some of the miners took shelter in The Turf Tavern and some in the adjoining buildings’. The article then goes on to say ‘After some further delay William Williams, of the Westminster Works, mounted the steps of the stand on the course, and was joined by the members of the committee’
This seems to confirm that the stand was a permanent stand, as prior to 1858 stands were dismantled after the races and then reconstructed in time for following year’s races in the first week October.
The article also adds that the men had a collection at the gate as the men left the field.
MEETING OF THE COLLIERS ON THE RACECOURSE.|1859-09-03|Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register - Welsh Newspapers Online
Reading between the lines of many online articles, I would say that the first permanent stand was erected at The Racecourse in 1857 or 1858, in close proximity to The Turf Tavern, probably in the area where the MRS is now situated.
This structure was probably in the form of a grandstand which overlooked the winner’s enclosure and would possibly have been upgraded over the years leading up to the 20th Century.
The construction would have taken place during a time when the race meetings were increasingly under attack by an anti-racing campaign, led mainly by the church, who were lobbying the council to abandon the annual meeting, and were defended by a pro-racing group, consisting mostly of tradesmen and licensed victuallers.
I MEETING FOR THE RESUSCITATION OF WREXHAM RACR|1858-06-05|Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register - Welsh Newspapers Online
[No title]|1858-08-14|Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register - Welsh Newspapers Online
WREXHAM.|1860-03-24|The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality - Welsh Newspapers Online
The public races were however abandoned in Wrexham after 1858, although Cavalry horseracing continued at The Racecourse throughout this period.
DENBIGHSHIRE YEOMANRY CAVALRY RACES, I|1863-06-13|Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register - Welsh Newspapers Online
The construction of a permanent stand may well have been funded as part of a campaign by the grounds tenants and pro-racing supporters, who had lobbied for the October race meetings to remain as an annual event. This campaign was further endorsed when The Turf Tavern was demolished and replaced with the new Turf Hotel, sometime around 1860, for the purpose of re-introducing horseracing to the venue.
Turf Hotel, Mold Road, Wrexham
Subsequently, public pony and donkey race meetings were introduced to The Racecourse around 1865 as part of the newly formed autumn sports events which where staged annually for the next 50 years.
WREXHAM AUTUMN SPORTS. )|1867-10-26|Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register - Welsh Newspapers Online |
Further to the above,
Newspaper reports of the time show that the new stand, as well as offices for reporters and officials, were built in 1854 and not 1857/58 as stated above.
I believe that these offices were an extension built on the side of The Turf Hotel, which later became the changing rooms, with the stand built directly next to this extension.
When looking at the Turf Hotel, the extension was built with a slightly different architecture, having a lower roofline and window heights, which is not specifically consistent with the structure of the main block of the turf hotel, and so suggests that it was built as a later addition.
Wrexham Advertiser October 1853
Mr. Johnson, of Wrexham, evinced a most praiseworthy desire to promote the success of the meeting, and to ensure the accommodation of the visitors. Next year several requisite improvements will be made on the Course, the most important and long desiderated being the erection of a handsome and commodious Stand.
I WREXHAM RACES. I|1853-10-15|The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality - Welsh Newspapers Online
Wrexham Advertiser September 1854
WREXHAM. RACES, 1854.
THE TWO DAYS FOLLOWING THE CHESTER AUTUMN MEETING.
A NEW STAND is in course of Erection.
Advertising|1854-09-30|Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register - Welsh Newspapers Online
Wrexham Advertiser October 1855
Wrexham Races
‘Since last year an office for the reporters and the officials has been erected, adding much to their convenience and comfort’.
SPORTING. I|1855-10-06|Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register - Welsh Newspapers Online
There are however, a number of articles which suggest that the racecourse circuit itself may have had a different orientation than shown on the aerial photo from 1948, and which may have extended into the area of the current football stadium.
As from the BBC article below; was the winning post the actual finishing line for the races? And was the balcony on the Turf Hotel specifically built for this purpose, as it seems too far away to watch the races, based on the aerial photograph from 1948?m What-is more, why would the main grandstand be built so far away from the course, if the course did not extend into the area of the current football stadium?
Wrexham advertiser 23 September 1854
Our racing festival being close at hand permit me, through the medium of your valuable paper, to draw the attention of our worthy and respected clerk of the course to the impolicy of allowing horses and, vehicles (particularly heavily-laden carts with tent- materials, etc.)
to enter the ground through the gates immediately adjoining the stand. This should not be allowed and some other ways and means" ought to be devised so as to keep the "run in" in good running order, and as free from obstruction as possible. Generally speaking the ground at this point is more like a ploughed field than a race-course; caused by the above nuisance. Not only is it very uncomfortable for pedestrians, but extremely dangerous to the competing horses and their riders. 'Tis but two or three years ago that an accident, which might have proved fatal, occurred here and taking into consideration
that one of the hurdles, in the hurdle-race, is here placed, it makes it still more dangerous, and the practice still more reprehensible. I should think that the gate in the Crispin-lane would do very much better for the carts to go through with the tents, &c., and if another temporary gate was put up clear of the stand, with strict injunction given to the person in charge of it, not upon any consideration, whatever, to allow either horses or vehicles to enter or depart from the ground after the bell had rung for saddling for each race, the nuisance would be effectually remedied.
CORRESPONDENCE. -,|1854-09-23|Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register - Welsh Newspapers Online
Wrexham Advertiser 1855
Roving Betsy and Go-away fell nearly
opposite the Grand Stand and threw their riders violently to the ground without however doing them much injury, Walters receiving only a slight sprain of his instep.
SPORTING. I|1855-10-06|Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register - Welsh Newspapers Online
"The club was formed in the Turf Hotel which is where the winning post for the horse racing used to be."
BBC NEWS | Wales | North East Wales | Tales of Turf, triumph and trouble
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