PETER & WILLIAM BATEMAN, LONDON (1800-c.1820)

20687.1

Gold

London 1806

  15.90 cm high

  6.26 inches high

464.00 Grams

14.92 Troy Ounces

Purchased from Crossleys of Manchester, paid for by the horse owners' 10 guinea subscriptions.
Won by Julius Caesar raced by Sir William Gerard 11th Bt. (1773-1826) of Garswood Park, Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire at the Newton Races 1808, then by descent to
Frederick, 3rd Baron Gerard (1883-1953).
The Personal Representatives of the late the Rt. Hon. Frederick John, 3rd Baron Gerard and the late the Rt. Hon Mary Frances Emma, Baroness Gerard, Christie's, London, 27 March 1956, lot 126.

Tapering cylindrical on spreading reeded foot, with two angular scroll handles, the rim with a band of scrolls and flowers on a matted ground, engraved on one side with an inscription and on the other with a coat-of-arms with another in pretence, marked underneath, the base further engraved 'G. Crossley Manchester Fecit'

The inscription reads 'Newton Races 1807'.

The arms are those of Legh of Lyme, Lords of Manor of Newton-le-Willows. At the time the arms were engraved, the Legh estates were held in trust for Thomas Legh (1792-1867), the natural son of Colonel Legh (1753-1797).

The first Newton Races were a two day meeting held from 1751 at Golborne Heath. This race soon disappeared from the racing calendar but retuned in 1793 when Captain Legh (1753-1797), later Colonel, provided a cup valued at 60 guineas. In 1807, the racing moved to Newton-le-Willows and the Newton Gold Cup, run over 4 miles, was instigated. In the late 19th century the racing moved to Haydock Park nearby and the Old Newton Cup is raced for to this day.

The Topographical Dictionary of England, published in 1848, pp. 409-413 describes the race and the race course's location.

'Races annually take place, in July, on a large common within a short distance of the town; a fine course has been formed at the cost of Thomas Legh, Esq., lord of the manor, and owner of five-sixths of the parish, and that gentleman has also built a grand stand of elegant design, besides which, is a range of substantial stands of brick, commanding a view of the whole course. A branch from the Birmingham railway, directly to the course, affords facility for visitors to it from the neighbouring towns and almost any part of the kingdom.'

It is intriguing that the cup is engraved with the date 1807. If the assumption that the cup was won by Sir William Gerard 11th Bt., whose descendant sold it in 1956, it must be for the following year when Sir William's horse Julius Caesar was victorious. The 1807 race was won by Young Chariot which belonged to Mr C. Cholmondeley. The 1807 cup could have be returned to be raced for the following year or perhaps passed by inheritance or purchase to the Gerard family.

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