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22nd July 2020, 13.55:11 | #784-0 (permalink) |
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Re: The sad case of a founding members and player of Wrexham Football Club (Massive history thread!)
In relation to the early history of horse racing in Wrexham;
As previously posted, we know that the Myydleton family of Chirk Castle were paying subscriptions for The Wrexham Races since at least the 1600’s, and as I had previously posted, there was an entry in The Chirk Castle Accounts from February 3rd 1658, which referred to ‘oyle of spike for the runninge horses’ (as attached). As I pointed out in that post, the term ‘race horse’ is a relatively modern construct which did not exist in the 17th Century, when horses that took part in races, were known solely as ‘running horses’. But I have since dug a bit deeper and found that all of the items purchased in Wrexham on that day were ingredients that were used as an early remedy, specifically to treat a spavin, which is the growth of bone or fluid retention which swell up when a horse strains its hock joint, which is also often associated with racing and particularly over hurdles. Oil of spike is a liquid which was distilled from lavender flowers and was used specifically to treat strains in horses as described in this sportsmans directory from 1735 'For a strain of the shoulder or elsewhere: take ten ounces of prew grease, melt it on the fire and put to it four ounces of oil of spike'. https://books.google.nl/books?id=3y4...horses&f=false Bay berries are explained as a herbal remedy for bruising in this book from 1633. ‘the oil pressed out of these or drawn forth by decoction, doth in a short time take away scabs and such like filth of the skin. It cureth them that are beaten black and blue and be bruised by squats and falls, it removeth black and blue spots and congealed blood, and digesteth and wasteth away the humours gathered about the grieved part. https://books.google.nl/books?id=VtW...erries&f=false Polipodium of the oak is a fern-like plant that grows on old rotten tree trunks and was used in the 17th and 18th centuries for a number of different illnesses, including problems with joints, as explained in this medical journal from 1718 ‘The fresh roots, beaten small, or the powder of dried roots mix’d with honey and applied to the member that is out of joint, doth much help it.’ https://books.google.nl/books?id=0wV...%20oak&f=false Half a pound of sugar Candy. Sugar Candy was used to make treacle and all of the remedies above include a remedy that can be applied as a poultice, when mixed with honey or treacle. It is also relevant that the items were bought in February, thereby indicating that the early races were taking place in winter, as The Wrexham Races in 1739 were also advertised to take place on ‘the new course’ on 27th March 1739, as opposed to the 19th Century, when the big racing events took place in September, and particularly October, although smaller racing events sometimes also took place on Y Cae Ras at different points throughout the year Obviously, these are all minor details that seem to have little relevance on their own, but they do accumulate and add provenance to the history of horse racing in Wrexham Last edited by eastsussexred; 22nd July 2020 at 14.04:10.. |
25th July 2020, 12.37:54 | #785-0 (permalink) |
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Re: The sad case of a founding members and player of Wrexham Football Club (Massive history thread!)
Attached is a blown up section of a tithe map, which shows the original two sections of The Turf Tavern (701 on map), as well as the associated garden (700), before the two sections were combined as one public house. The L-shaped building was the original Turf Tavern (built sometime between 1793 and 1819) and the square building (which is now the taller section of The Turf Hotel, where the bar is) was known as The Grandstand, due to the balcony which overlooked the finishing post on the racecourse.
The tithe map was produced between 1838 and 1850, although the registered tenant of The Turf Tavern (both sections) The Racecourse and the associated gardens on this map was listed as John Tench, who died in 1849, and so obviously the map must have been drawn 1849 or earlier. The Grandstand was built sometime before 1833, specifically to entertain the more-well-healed clientele, who could wine and dine in style without having to mingle with the chavs in the tavern and out on the course, although the two buildings were later joined together. Initially, the buildings were joined only at first floor level, with lintels spanning the two properties and providing an undercroft at ground floor level, with a connecting room above. This work must have taken place prior to 1874 as a map from this date (attached) shows the two buildings joined as one, although The Grandstand still retained its name and status as a kind of special-function-rooms, at least up until the 1880’s. But a snapshot from the Wales v Ireland game of 1906 (attached) shows that the buildings were still only attached on first floor level at that time, and so the undercroft was later bricked up to join the buildings at ground floor level and form the lounge area, most likely during the extensive ground improvement works in 1912/13. At the same time, the external skin of the taller section was also replaced with a new façade, as later photos show the Turf Hotel’s external structure, pretty much as it is today. |
27th July 2020, 17.08:38 | #786-0 (permalink) | |
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Re: The sad case of a founding members and player of Wrexham Football Club (Massive history thread!)
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As attached |
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29th July 2020, 21.37:13 | #788-0 (permalink) |
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Re: The sad case of a founding members and player of Wrexham Football Club (Massive history thread!)
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds Last edited by Rhosymedre Red; 29th July 2020 at 21.40:07.. |
31st July 2020, 12.37:36 | #791-0 (permalink) | |
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Re: The sad case of a founding members and player of Wrexham Football Club (Massive history thread!)
Quote:
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...06-1906-online I think that the film was initially posted in its original version, which is longer than the film on the link above, but I have taken a snapshot of the film 1minute and 4seconds into the film, and if you look at the last of the three photo's that you posted, you will see that it is the same as attached below. Last edited by eastsussexred; 31st July 2020 at 12.39:25.. |
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31st July 2020, 12.50:34 | #792-0 (permalink) | |
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Re: The sad case of a founding members and player of Wrexham Football Club (Massive history thread!)
Quote:
There are later newspaper articles which refer to people dining in ‘the large room at The Turf Tavern’ and I believe that these articles reflect an earlier name used for this side of the tavern; i.e. before this section was renamed as The Grandstand. The earliest reference that I can find to this section being called The Grandstand, comes from a newspaper report of cricketers having dinner in ‘The Grandstand’ in 1841, and so I believe that as the popularity of the races increased, a decision was made to add a balcony to the taller section, at the end of 1830’s, which resulted in the addition of a canted bay and a balcony (as attachment 1) and the taller section subsequently was renamed as The Grandstand I also believe that The Turf Tavern garden (also shown on another attachment a few posts back) was originally a field, which belonged to the estate of the house known as The Crispin. There is a map from 1793-1795 (previously posted) which shows a diagonal boundary line/hedgerow from The Crispin to another very small plot of land which had been sectioned off from the rest of The Racecourse. This smaller plot was the location where The Turf Tavern was built. I have added the boundary line on a later map (attached) It is difficult to envisage now, because the Mold Road end of Crispin Lane was diverted slightly to the west (towards The Racecourse) in the 1890’s, but back in the 18th Century, Crispin Lane was just a four foot wide track way, which had evolved on the silted up ditch of Wat’s Dyke. This lane had served as a traditional thoroughfare, which connected the original Rhosddu Lane with Hope Street (now Mold Road) and The Racecourse extended right up to the hedge line of Wat’s Dyke’s ditch/Crispin Lane. The lane became known, locally, as a lovers lane and was made more accessible with a gravel surface in the 1850’s, but the diversion works in the 1890’s swallowed up the old Turf Tavern garden, which at that time, still backed onto the original lane. After the diversion works an L shaped area of land, which was comprised of two different plots, remained on The Racecourse side of Crispin Lane. The first plot, which faced onto Crispin Lane, had previously been the location of the armoury and headquarters of the volunteer force of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which was demolished during the diversion works and was sold as a builders yard. The second plot faced onto Mold Road (where the charity shop is today) and was sold to the same buyer at the same auction. (as Attachment 2). The land on which the railway was built, was at one time known as ‘Crispin Field’ and there was another field, beyond the Yale Stand, which was know as Crispin Croft. There was also a field known as ‘Crispin Meadow’ on Stansty Park and another Crispin Field between Stansty Lodge and Plas Coch, although I imagine that the field between The Crispin and The Turf Tavern (including the Turf Tavern Garden) as shown on the attachment, would also have been known as Crispin Field at some point in the distant past. Last edited by eastsussexred; 31st July 2020 at 12.57:06.. |
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