Artist Impression of Pains Lane Racecourse, St Georges by Kathy Peel

Pains Lane Racecourse

Research Contributor: Jim Cooper

The celebration of the Oakengates Wakes at the end of September or the beginning of October always filled the town with revellers from all round the district but the entertainment was not restricted to the funfairs and refreshment booths that lined the streets. The favourite sports of the times were big attractions. Bull baiting had been traditional until its abolition in 1835 and without it, the excitement of the wakes must have seemed very tame. “Bull baiting and cock fighting were sports enjoyed by those classes [colliers] until the laws of the country prevented them, and it was our duty as inhabitants to find other amusements for the people,” recalled Joseph T. Phillips in 1854. The Pains Lane Races were the alternative referred to and were held, with few exceptions, every year from 1840 to 1859. They continued from 1860 to 1874 as the St.Georges Races.

Joseph T. Phillips farmed 334 acres at New Lodge Farm Donnington Wood but also owned the Manor House and 33 acres in Hadley. He was an original committeeman, acted as steward on several occasions, judge at least once, and under his presidency the committee and “other gentlemen, numbering upwards of fifty” would sit down to an “ordinary” [lunch] at the George Hotel. In 1853 his own horse ‘Le Juif’ won the Pains Lane Stakes and trophy, a “splendid china cup”. A few years later, in 1865, and again in 1866, his horse Diana won similar trophies in the St.Georges Stakes. His friends and admirers commissioned his portrait to honour him and presented it to him in 1854. At 4ft.8in. by 3ft.8in., and enclosed in a handsomely carved gilt frame, the portrait was no slight recognition of their esteem. In 1870, at the age of 77, Phillips was steward for the last time and within 5 years the races were abandoned.

John Millington was a close neighbour to Phillips’ Hadley property; he farmed in a small way (20 acres), was a builder and contractor, and founded Millington’s Timber Yard in Oakengates. It was Millington who became the Clerk of the Course, a roll he retained until August 1849, when the Shropshire Union Railway awarded him a contract to build warehouses, offices and stables at Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury and at Newport. This new business opportunity would have demanded all of his time and within a month the Pains Lane Races scheduled for 2 October had been cancelled.

Other prominent men took their turns as stewards: Joseph Bull, a partner in the Snedshill Wrought Iron Co. in 1842, George McNight, a surgeon from Mossy Green in 1844, John Williams, Ironmaster from Ketley Hall in 1845, and the Rev. Edmund S. Davenport, of Worfield in 1847.

From 1850, with a new Clerk of the Course, William Taylor, of the Lawton Iron & Steel Works, and Steward, William Mytton, the races were held on a new course between what are now School Street and Freeston Avenue, St.Georges. This course was about two thirds of a mile round with a grandstand, described in 1853 as “neither elegant nor safe” but “on this occasion … at least, it fell not.” [Shrewsbury Chronicle] Happily by 1869 the grandstand was “a handsome and substantial building erected on an eminence opposite to the winning post, and commanding a view of the whole course. Underneath the stand is the refreshment bar and the weighing room, and the surrounding field is set apart as a paddock for the horses.” [Wellington Journal] This paddock was the grounds of the Grove, the area bounded by Stafford Street and Grove Street. The races would have been run in a clockwise direction with the finishing straight going through what is now the St.Georges Church of England School with the finish post situated about halfway between London Road and Goulbourne Road. Gillian James in “Here be Dragons” refers to a grandstand to the north of School Street. This would have been around 45 yards from the northern limit (School Turn) of the racecourse and was actually a later stand for the cycling and athletics track, which occupied the field between London Road and School Street from 1883 to 1899. Like the town of Oakengates, the race ground was filled with booths and tents of all descriptions. Even in 1861, during time of depressed trade, there were nine publicans’ booths, and there would be refreshment tents, boxing booths, menageries and “Aunt Sally” stalls.

The meetings were usually held on the Monday and Tuesday of Wakes week with three races each day and two or three heats to each race. The premier event was the Pains Lane Stakes and later the St.Georges Stakes, an open race, contested by wealthy farmers, horse trainers and breeders. The winner of this race received and kept a Coalport China Cup, valued £10 in 1845, together with a purse of 10 sovereigns. In total at least 22, but more probably 26 cups were offered for competition the last being in 1869. The winner in 1841 was trained and probably owned by Henry Wadlow who had training stables at Lizard Hill, Stanton, close to Crackley Bank on the A5. In 1851 the household included 3 house servants, 8 outside helpers, 3 apprentices and a jockey. He also won it in 1844 and entered horses on other occasions. Wadlow’s neighbour Thomas Cliff, a groom, won the cup in 1857 and 1860, his son Edward won in 1868 and his nephew, Thomas Wadlow in 1869. Both Henry and Thomas were successful on bigger stages. Bourton won for Henry in the 1854 Grand National after the favourite was mysteriously injured, whilst Thomas trained Sir Hugo, Lord Bradford’s 1892 Derby winner at 40/1. Another Pains Lane Stakes winner deserving mention is the races’ founder Joseph Phillips in 1853, 1865 and 1866.

The celebration of the Oakengates Wakes at the end of September or the beginning of October always filled the town with revellers from all round the district but the entertainment was not restricted to the funfairs and refreshment booths that lined the streets. The favourite sports of the times were big attractions. Bull baiting had been traditional until its abolition in 1835 and without it, the excitement of the wakes must have seemed very tame. “Bull baiting and cock fighting were sports enjoyed by those classes [colliers] until the laws of the country prevented them, and it was our duty as inhabitants to find other amusements for the people,” recalled Joseph T. Phillips in 1854. The Pains Lane Races were the alternative referred to and were held, with few exceptions, every year from 1840 to 1859. They continued from 1860 to 1874 as the St.Georges Races.

Joseph T. Phillips farmed 334 acres at New Lodge Farm Donnington Wood but also owned the Manor House and 33 acres in Hadley. He was an original committeeman, acted as steward on several occasions, judge at least once, and under his presidency the committee and “other gentlemen, numbering upwards of fifty” would sit down to an “ordinary” [lunch] at the George Hotel. In 1853 his own horse ‘Le Juif’ won the Pains Lane Stakes and trophy, a “splendid china cup”. A few years later, in 1865, and again in 1866, his horse Diana won similar trophies in the St.Georges Stakes. His friends and admirers commissioned his portrait to honour him and presented it to him in 1854. At 4ft.8in. by 3ft.8in., and enclosed in a handsomely carved gilt frame, the portrait was no slight recognition of their esteem. In 1870, at the age of 77, Phillips was steward for the last time and within 5 years the races were abandoned.

John Millington was a close neighbour to Phillips’ Hadley property; he farmed in a small way (20 acres), was a builder and contractor, and founded Millington’s Timber Yard in Oakengates. It was Millington who became the Clerk of the Course, a roll he retained until August 1849, when the Shropshire Union Railway awarded him a contract to build warehouses, offices and stables at Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury and at Newport. This new business opportunity would have demanded all of his time and within a month the Pains Lane Races scheduled for 2 October had been cancelled.

Other prominent men took their turns as stewards: Joseph Bull, a partner in the Snedshill Wrought Iron Co. in 1842, George McNight, a surgeon from Mossy Green in 1844, John Williams, Ironmaster from Ketley Hall in 1845, and the Rev. Edmund S. Davenport, of Worfield in 1847.

From 1850, with a new Clerk of the Course, William Taylor, of the Lawton Iron & Steel Works, and Steward, William Mytton, the races were held on a new course between what are now School Street and Freeston Avenue, St.Georges. This course was about two thirds of a mile round with a grandstand, described in 1853 as “neither elegant nor safe” but “on this occasion … at least, it fell not.” [Shrewsbury Chronicle] Happily by 1869 the grandstand was “a handsome and substantial building erected on an eminence opposite to the winning post, and commanding a view of the whole course. Underneath the stand is the refreshment bar and the weighing room, and the surrounding field is set apart as a paddock for the horses.” [Wellington Journal] This paddock was the grounds of the Grove, the area bounded by Stafford Street and Grove Street. The races would have been run in a clockwise direction with the finishing straight going through what is now the St.Georges Church of England School with the finish post situated about halfway between London Road and Goulbourne Road. Gillian James in “Here be Dragons” refers to a grandstand to the north of School Street. This would have been around 45 yards from the northern limit (School Turn) of the racecourse and was actually a later stand for the cycling and athletics track, which occupied the field between London Road and School Street from 1883 to 1899. Like the town of Oakengates, the race ground was filled with booths and tents of all descriptions. Even in 1861, during time of depressed trade, there were nine publicans’ booths, and there would be refreshment tents, boxing booths, menageries and “Aunt Sally” stalls.

The meetings were usually held on the Monday and Tuesday of Wakes week with three races each day and two or three heats to each race. The premier event was the Pains Lane Stakes and later the St.Georges Stakes, an open race, contested by wealthy farmers, horse trainers and breeders. The winner of this race received and kept a Coalport China Cup, valued £10 in 1845, together with a purse of 10 sovereigns. In total at least 22, but more probably 26 cups were offered for competition the last being in 1869. The winner in 1841 was trained and probably owned by Henry Wadlow who had training stables at Lizard Hill, Stanton, close to Crackley Bank on the A5. In 1851 the household included 3 house servants, 8 outside helpers, 3 apprentices and a jockey. He also won it in 1844 and entered horses on other occasions. Wadlow’s neighbour Thomas Cliff, a groom, won the cup in 1857 and 1860, his son Edward won in 1868 and his nephew, Thomas Wadlow in 1869. Both Henry and Thomas were successful on bigger stages. Bourton won for Henry in the 1854 Grand National after the favourite was mysteriously injured, whilst Thomas trained Sir Hugo, Lord Bradford’s 1892 Derby winner at 40/1. Another Pains Lane Stakes winner deserving mention is the races’ founder Joseph Phillips in 1853, 1865 and 1866.

Not all of the local inhabitants were in favour of the Wakes and Races. “On these occasions the very flood-gates of wickedness seem to be thrown open, the whole district is set afloat and streaming to one common point of dissipation, prostitution, and licentiousness, strife and tumult,” said one letter to the Wellington Journal in 1860. Betting was certainly rife at any race meeting though little is documented for the Pains Lane Races. “Speculation was languid in the extreme,” said the Shrewsbury Chronicle in 1854 and in 1870 “backers” were angered at the apparent throwing of a race by a jockey. Large sums of money could be won and lost. Indeed John Parsons Cook, a steward at the 1854 Pains Lane Races, won £3000 the following year at Shrewsbury Races. Unfortunately it cost him his life when his friend William Palmer, who had lost heavily, poisoned him and misappropriated his winnings. It was one of the most sensational and well documented murders of the time. Palmer was in a desperate financial situation because of his addiction to racing and betting, and was suspected of up to fourteen other murders.

By 1868 the newspapers were reporting strenuous efforts to stop the races whilst teetotallers seemed to have met with some success for in 1870 it was stated: “Neither was drunkenness so prevalent as upon former occasions, when the notorious Pain’s Lane meeting was in the zenith of its popularity”. The correspondent went on nostalgically, “the races under its new name of St.Georges are not what they were, for while a great falling off is noticeable in the racing; a vast improvement is observable in the conduct of those attending them.” (Wellington Journal 1870) The racing fraternity, at this time, were also finding that it was not worth the trouble and expense of bringing and running horses for the small prizes on offer. In 1872 there were rumours that there would be no more races and sure enough there were none in 1873. A revival in 1874 was short lived; they were abandoned in 1875 and by 1876 the race ground was confiscated. Oakengates staged a two-day race meeting in 1877, but there were only three horse races, some donkey races and some foot races.

The Pains Lane/St.Georges Races had spanned thirty-five years filling the gap left by the ban on bull baiting. In a few years the void left by these races was to be filled by the St.Georges Athletic Sports on a ground situated on the “School Turn” of the old racecourse.

A Day At St. Georges Races

Newspaper correspondents 1859 -1872

Edited by Jim Cooper

 

“The Annual holiday in the mining district – so eagerly looked forward to by the masses who have been almost continuously toiling during the preceding twelve months – commenced on Saturday last, with no lack of its attendant attractions. The chief attraction – the piece de resistance – of the “Wakes” was the races; a large concourse of people were, as usual, attracted, in spite of the counter efforts of teetotallers and others. Tracts bearing suggestive and appropriate titles, were gratuitously distributed by well-meaning zealous people, who warned the public of the vanity and sins of horse-racing, and the numerous vices which it is supposed to engender. The pickpocket and loafing gentry were in pretty good muster, but owing to the admirable police arrangements carried out under the superintendence of Deputy Chief-constable Richardson, and Sergeants Turner and Christie, their trade was not brisk.”

 

“To begin, then. Aided by locomotive powers we reached Oakengates and as we passed over the bridge spanning the principal street, shooting galleries, hobby horses, nut stalls, photographic tents, mixed indiscriminately together, flashed across our vision. Stopping at the dingy station, the train disgorged its freight, and we forthwith ‘made tracks’ for St.Georges, a more unpicturesque spot for a course to be marked out could not be well conceived. That something more than usual was going on was pretty evident. The air was clear from smoke, the steam had ceased to hiss, and the din of the workshops was heard no longer. Dirty faces had become clean, and the apron had been discarded for the coat of black and the tie of many colours. Although the throng was almost entirely composed of working men, their wives and daughters, there was no lack of gay colours, and the tints of the rainbow are equally beautiful whether woven in silk or cotton. The scene was one of great animation, and viewed, as we saw it then, certainly admitted of no doubt as to the people enjoying themselves. ‘What matter so long as you’re happy’ we heard a blown pedestrian say as he reached the portals of host Pascall’s house (The Albion Inn) and refreshed himself with a glass of tenpenny.”

 

“Nearing the race-course, the confused sounds of music, songs, and shouting, struck ominously upon the ear, and prepared us for what was to come. One moment a stentorian voice would cry, ‘Fish and pickle for a penny, fish and…’– ‘Joe Smash, of Birmingham, who fought and defeated…..’ – ‘The smallest man in the world only weighs….’ – ‘Six shies a penny; come on little boys, six shies a ….’ – ‘Slap bang, here we are again….’ – ‘Have your portrait taken for sixpence, by….’ and so on. Our friend Gotthiemer, in spite of the ‘vet veather,’ did not do amiss at his photographic studio. There were some fifteen publicans booths on the course, two of them were, owing to the extraordinary demand for ‘nut brown’, cleared out before the day was half over, The refreshment tent most patronised was that belonging to Mr.Bowen, of Shrewsbury, where a dusky belle, in the person of a tall negress, dispensed creature comforts to the company. The ‘lubly gal’ being surrounded the whole day long by a host of admirers, whose ardent gaze must have been rather embarrassing to Afric’s sunny daughter. Nature however, in her all-wise provision, by the rich dark tint of the glossy skin concealed the modest blushes of the ebony enchantress – if she did blush. The booth belonging to Mrs.Marrion of the Caledonian Hotel, possessed an attraction in the really excellent music discoursed by Mr.White’s of Wednesfield Road, Wolverhampton, string band. and at the end of the row of booths was a wild beast exhibition. Day’s excellent menagerie distanced all competitors. This establishment during the day was much sought after, and a living stream of spectators crushed in and out of the arena wherein the denizens of the forest, in infinite variety, roared or shrieked their incessant welcome or displeasure. On the extreme left of the range of booths were a couple of Boxing booths, who, like their neighbours of the spigot [publicans’ booths], seemed to be doing a capital business. If you had any ambition to learn the ‘noble art’ (which a flat-nosed bilious-looking gentleman in his shirt-sleeves, with a very large corporation and a hoarse voice, impressed upon his hearers was ‘far better nor the use of a knife’) you had only to step inside and witness the gambols of two other gentlemen with smaller corporations, knocked-kneed, flat nosed, eyes of oblique vision, and minus half their teeth, who first shook hands in a very friendly manner, then bobbed, dodged, winked, smirked, and finally knocked each other about with all due consideration for their tender feelings, while those who looked on expressed their approval in terms more forcible than polite. There was somebody’s ‘Big un, as had never lost a fight’ (probably because he never fought one); and ‘Joe somebody else’s chicken,’ who looked very unlike that animal indeed.”

 

“About two o’clock the sport commenced; the races were run in heats. In the first race, for pit ponies, the property of chartermasters under the Lilleshall Company, Mr.Dainty’s pony fell, and injured himself so seriously that he had to be shot. A subscription was at once set afoot, and we believe that Mr.Dainty will not be a loser by the accident. For the Albrighton Hunt Steeplechase, for bona-fide hunters ridden by gentlemen or farmers, an objection was lodged on the ground that Mr.Summers had not produced a hunting certificate. The St.Georges Stakes were carried off by Mr.Phillips’s Diana. Three started, a dead heat between Diana and Havannah for the first heat, Diana winning the two next heats. Last year, if we remember rightly, there was but one bookmaker on the ground, but upon this occasion there were several, the one doing most the business being Mr.Adamson, of Wolverhampton, known amongst his admirers as ‘Old Jack’. Barnett, of Birmingham, Spencer and Fred Barnes were also present, doing good business. The last race was not run till it was almost dark, and the unfortunate result was that two persons were knocked down by the horses, and one very seriously injured. Amid the sounds of revelry and songs, and the gibes and jeers of the crowd, one poor fellow, stretched upon a door, motionless, and with his face upturned to the sky, gashed and bleeding, was borne on the shoulders of four men away from the busy throng, who were too intent upon their own pleasures to care for the sorrows of others.”

 

“The thousands who witnessed the races appeared highly delighted with the sight, but we venture to say that there were hundreds who did not see one, – they were far too intent upon administering to the wants of the inner man. The stand enclosure and paddock was well filled by a numerous company, prominent amongst whom was to be seen the towering form of Captain Cecil Cotes, our future Liberal member; while amongst those taking a lively interest in the sport were the popular squire of Priorslee Hall (T.E.Horton, Esq.), S.L.Horton, Esq., and Guy Phillips Esq. At the close of each day’s racing the elite of the neighbourhood, the committee and their friends dined together at the George Hotel, J.T.Phillips Esq., presiding. The Chairman then had the splendid china cup which was won by his mare Diana, the day previous, filled with champagne and passed round for the company to drink of.”

 

“As night drew on, the various booths and stalls were lighted up, making the scene one of great animation. The night had advanced far ere the scene closed, but with the small hours came silence, and truly it was needed. So ended the Wakes. The wages of a fortnight’s toil, with, in many cases the little hoardings of months previous (for people will lay by for a spree, if not for a rainy day) have been spent, and the profits of railway companies and publicans have been proportionately increased.”