Quote:
Originally Posted by jonesfach
So from this information the grandstand was built in 1854. Well before football was even thought of, so you would think the winning post must have been in front of it. It would not make sense to have it built away from the winning post area would it??
The turf tavern was rebuilt in 1860 - so after the extension bit. Where the trust shop sits etc?? So we are determining the extension bit, was there a few before the tavern bit was rebuilt? Surely it would of made sense to build it either at the same time as the tavern or ultimately after the main building went up.
On the other hand the builder did such a good job, that they then decided, to rebuild the pub after.
The question I can't fathom is about changing rooms. We have footage of the players coming down the steps from the turf, yet it implies there were changing rooms in the new stand. Perhaps they were for the jockeys etc and not suited for football teams etc?Not big enough.
As regards the orientation I still have the hunch that the football pitch started life on what was the horse parade ring or winners enclosure and thus why it started life the opposite way round. Then when it was purchased in 1897 they proceeded to move it in front of the grandstand as soon as was practical. So 5 years later that 1902 date would probably be about right. Time to fence it all off and prepare the pitch as it seems it wasn't in great shape by the sounds of it.
Great work ESR
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Morning Jonesach,
I spent a good few hours looking back through the archives to see if I could find any more information.
I found that from 1854, there were plenty of references of there being a permanent grandstand near, or next to the turf, and so I am sure that the first permanent stand was built, next to the Turf Tavern in 1854.
I believe that it is likely, although don't have concrete evidence, that the smaller section of The Turf Hotel (where the old club shop is) was actually part of the old Turf Tavern, and was probably revamped to become offices at this time. This section would later become the changing rooms for football.
I then searched for evidence of the orientation of pitch, but couldn't find any references until 1877. Both references say that the pitch was as it is now.
Wrexham Advertiser March 1877
Wales v Scotland
When the rain ceased, a strong north- easterly wind sprang up, which made it once apparent that the side working towards the railway station would have a considerable advantage,
THE INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL MATCH.|1877-03-10|Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register - Welsh Newspapers Online
Wrexham Guardian December 1879
WELSH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION. CUP TIE BETWEEN WREXHAM AND THE DRUIDS. On Saturday, the by far most interesting match of the season was played "11 the racecourse, in the presence of a very large number of exceedingly biased on-lookers. It was the match by which the cup tie between the Druids and Wrexham was played off. The Druids occupied for the first half-time the goal nearest the Crispin Lane,
I also searched for evidence of when the Turf Hotel was built.
I couldn't find any direct evidence, but found that throughout the 1850's the Turf was always referred to as The Turf Tavern, and the name Turf Hotel only appears from The 1860's onwards. And so I believe that date of the construction of The Turf Hotel was sometime in the 1860's. The earliest newspaper reference I found of 'The Turf Hotel' was 1866.
I also found that while the main, October public horse race meetings were stopped in 1859; horseracing in some forms did continue up until 1914, when there may have been significant building work at the Racecourse.
Wrexham Advertiser 2nd January 1914
FUTURE OF WREXHAM RACES I I A MOMENTOUS DECISION. I In consequence of the possibility of a part of the Wrexham Racecourse being devoted to building purposes and of recent encroachment at the turn out of the straight near the Turf Hotel, it has been decided not to apply for any more race fixtures. The present guarantors are now only six in number out of 24, who originally signed the guarantee bond in 1880.
FUTURE OF WREXHAM RACES I|1914-01-02|The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality - Welsh Newspapers Online
Trust this helps