No.97-99 High Street

Building History

Notes

No.97 High Street - 20th October 2016 Page Fine Jewellery

No.99 High Street - 20th October 2016 National Horse Racing Museum - NHRM

• Most people will know No.99 High Street as the National Horse Racing Museum and until 1981 as the Jockey Club Subscription Rooms - the history of these is well documented on the NHRM web site, so what we'll look at on this page is more of the back-story behind this particular location on the High Street.
  http://www.nhrm.co.uk/About_the_Museum/A_Short_History.aspx
  
  Although there'd been earlier attempts to regulate horseracing the Jockey Club per-se was formed in 1750 by like-minded gentlemen, when the word jockey merely meant people with an interest in the sport. Originally the club met at places like the Star & Garter in Pall-Mall in London.
  
  In 1752, The Jockey Club leased from William Erratt, a Newmarket horse-dealer, what was then known as the Coffee Room, to be used as a meeting place for its members. Subsequently in 1771 one the club's founder members, Richard Vernon, bought the ground lease from William, and the Jockey Club became his tenants. This building can be seen on Chapman's 1787 map below, shown as the 'New Rooms'. This location is now No.101 High Street - the Jockey Club.
  
  The date of Chapman's map is quite poignant as William Erratt died in this year and was buried at All Saints church on 23rd January 1787.
  
  
  
  Next door here at No.97-99 High Street we have a closely associated piece of horseracing history.
  
  

• Weatherbys

• In 1768 Sir Charles Bunbury was appointed Jockey Club Steward and in 1770 was instrumental in appointing Newcastle attorney James Weatherby as 'Keeper of the Match Book' and secretary to the Jockey Club. In 1773 James took over responsibility for publishing the Racing Calendar, the official publication of the Jockey Club. This publishing tradition in Weatherbys continues to the present day.
  http://www.britishhorseracing.com/owning_breeding/bbm/weatherbys.asp
  
  The following is a sample of Weatherby's associated with the Racing Calendar at various dates:-

  • Racing Calendar: Containing An Account Of The Plates, Matches, And Sweepstakes by Edward And James. Weatherby (1796)
  • The Racing Calendar for the Year 1839. Volume the Sixty-Seventh by Edward, Charles & James Weatherby (1840)
  • The Racing Calendar for the Year 1849. Races Past WEATHERBY Charles and James
  • The Racing Calendar for the Year 1854. Races to Come. Volume the Eighty-Second. Charles Weatherby
  • The Racing Calendar for the year 1873. by C.J., E., and J.P. Weatherby
  • The Racing Calendar for the year 1886. by J.E. and J.P. Weatherby
  • The Racing Calendar for the year 1906. by C.T. Weatherby
  • The Racing Calendar for the year 1911. Jockey Club/Weatherby
    
    

  The family's association with horseracing was further extended, as in 1791 James' nephew, another James Weatherby, published the first 'General Stud Book', a collection of thoroughbred race-horse pedigrees and another family tradition was started - as the registry has been published every four years since 1793 by Weatherbys.
  
  Both these James can be seen on the family tree below as can the elder James' son Edward. He followed his father in the legal profession and attained his Clerkship status on 29th January 1780.
  
  

  The Weatherby Family [click on the picture for a larger view]

  
  James Weatherby lived in Newmarket and following his death was buried in All Saints churchyard on 25th July 1794, followed by his wife Margery twelve years later on 24th March 1806.
  
  

Freemason's Magazine, or General and Complete Library, Volume 3 August 1794 DEATHS Mr. James Weatherby, an attorney, and keeper of the match-book at Newmarket. "Mr. Weatherby (the celebrated James of that name, keeper of the matchbook at Newmarket, publisher of the Racing Calendar and the General Stud Book and one of the busiest factors of his day) had been for several years the London agent of Colonel Hoomes,..."




• Edward continued in Newmarket, marrying Henrietta / Harriet Hill in All Saints church on 5th January 1793, but sadly she died just over a year later, in November of the same year that he lost his father. He re-married to Maria on 20th December 1797 and Edward, Maria and their daughters Henrietta and Maria can be seen living at this location on the 1841 census.
  
  On the 1821 map below Edward can be seen as owning the house here plus all the land behind stretching back along Dog Kennel Lane (Park Lane) up to what had been the royal 'Dogghouse' - the 4 acres of land detailed on the page for James I & Charles I's Palace.
  
  

  Edward Weatherby's House, Subscription Rooms & Jockey Club 1825 (Edward's house can be seen behind the gates on the far left)

  
  Edward died a few years after the census and was buried at All Saints church on 30th April 1845. His wife and their two daughters moved into a farm in Woodditton parish, at what seems to be somewhere near where Ditton Lodge school is now.
  
  
  
  Edward's daughter-in-law, Harriet (née Chifney) stayed in the town, living in Mill Hill on the 1841 census, which is shown in the 1871 census to be No.10 Bath Terrace at the top of Mill Hill (this had been her brother-in-law William's house that he left in his will in 1830). In 1861 though she was at a rather more salubrious location - as Harriet has the honour of being the last occupant of Queen Anne's Pavilion - the last standing part of Charles II's Palace on Newmarket High Street, before it was pulled down in 1863 to make way for the Congregational Church.
  
  At that time the family business was known as Messrs Weatherby, in London & Newmarket. The London branch was headed by the nephew James Weatherby. Over the years the business' association with horseracing has increased and Weatherbys is now the central administrator and bank to the industry.
  
  No.6 Old Burlington Street, Mayfair was the home of the London Weatherbys from 1842 until 1913 and this was also the official office of the Racing Calendar. The younger Edward Weatherby shown on the family tree, that was in this part of the family, was also Handicapper, 'Keeper of the Match Book' & Secretary to the Jockey Club. He had succeeded Admiral Henry John Rous in the post (details about him can be found on the page for Rous Road).
  
  Edward's brother, Charles, is shown living here in the history list above in 1850 & 1851, along with their sister Ellen on the 1851 census.
  
  Following Edward's retirement from the post of handicapper in around 1886, an advertisement for was put in the Racing Calendar by the Stewards of the Jockey Club, and amongst others, Major E.H. Egerton applied for the post and was accepted.
  
  Due to ill health Edward retired from his other roles in the Jockey Club in October 1901, but sadly he didn't have long to enjoy his retirement and died just over a year later on 31st December 1902.
  
  

The New York Times 20 October 1901 By the retirement of Edward Weatherby as secretary of the Jockey Club and Keeper of the Match Book, which occurred this week, the racing world loses a picturesque and altogether unique character. Poor health compels his resignation of an office which has always been filled by a Weatherby since it was created, in 1760. It is probable that the present vacancy will be filled by another member of the same family, whose existence is concurrent with the history of the English turf. Edward Weatherby, who is about sixty-two years of age, has for many years been a notable figure on the turf, not only as Secretary of the Jockey Club, and head of the well-known firm which publishes The Racing Calendar, but as a strikingly recalling by his clothes and old-fashioned courtesy the early days of the nineteenth century. A thoroughly efficient official and immensely popular with all classes, he never conformed his outward appearance to the changing times. Descended from a good old stock and inheriting an ample fortune, he ostentatiously devoted his life to the fulfillment of his turf duties, which his father and grandfather had done in their day. The Racing Calendar, which John Weatherby started in 1773 as the official organ of the Jockey Club, now an immensely valuable property, will continue to be run by the same family.




Los Angeles Herald, Volume XXX, Number 89, 1 January 1903 DEATHS OF THE DAY Noted Sporting Man Dead. LONDON, Dec 31. Edward Weatherby, former secretary of the Jockey Club, and publisher of the racing calendar, the official organ of the club. Is dead.



• Weatherbys association with Newmarket has continued though and in July 2014 Roger Weatherby, a direct descendant of the London family, will become Senior Steward (non-executive Chairman) of the Jockey Club.
  http://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/news/roger-weatherby-appointed-senior-steward-chairman-in-july-2014
  
  

1787 Chapman's map of Newmarket 1787
1821 Edward Weatherby's Estate 1821 (note that this map shows the old All Saint's church which was oriented east-west, before it was replaced by the present building in 1876-77.)	1884 former Earl of Stamford & Warrington's Estate 1884 (this map now shows the newly re-built and re-oriented All Saint's church.)

• William Parr Isaacson & the Earl of Stamford & Warrington

• William Parr Isaacson lived on the other side of the Jockey Club at Willoughby House - No.103 High Street (now the Post Office). Over many years he'd acquired most of the former Thomas Panton's and subsequently William Crockford's estate, which by 1884 included this plot of land.
  
  In 1884 William put the whole of his estate up for sale and this included Lot 3, the Jockey Club Subscription Rooms, Lot 4, the former house and garden of Edward Weatherby, and all the plots of land, Lots 5 through 9, along the side of Park Lane as shown in the map above - the whole 4 acres that had at one time been Charles I's land.
  
  Referring to the 1825 picture above, when it was sold in 1884 the Subscription Rooms had moved to occupy the bow fronted building on the left of the Jockey Club, looking very similar to that side of the building as it does today (photos taken around 1900 show a completely different building in this location at that time).
  
  

  Sales Details for the Subscription Rooms 1884

  Sales Details for the former house of the late Earl of Stamford & Warrington

  As can be seen above, referring to Lots 5 to 20, this means that prior to William Parr Isaacson's sale, George Harry Grey, the 7th Earl of Stamford & Warrington had at one time owned all of Weatherby's land, plus also the area stretching across westwards through to Park Paddocks (presently the site of Tattersalls) - the land that had also been at various times owned by Thomas Panton and William Crockford. The Earl is remembered by Stamford Street and Warrington Street that are now on part of this site.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Grey,_7th_Earl_of_Stamford
  
  George's second wife, Catherine, had been a bareback rider in a circus, because of this she was treated very badly by the local gentry and the family abandoned their home at Dunham. So in 1863 George focused his attention on horseracing at Newmarket, unfortunately without any great success and due to his gambling debts he began mortgaging his properties, which is presumably why in 1884 the house here was owned by William Parr Isaacson and Catherine was just a tenant. George died on 2nd January 1883.
  
  Also included in Isaacson's land sale in 1884, Catherine Grey, Lady Stamford, purchased Panton House - No.105-113 High Street, thereby moving just a few doors along the High Street from her former home here.
  
  

• Park House

• It's curious that on both the 1881 and 1891 censuses that this location is listed as Park House. Referring to the 1886 map of Newmarket, Park House is actually the house along the side of Park Lane that's now Park Lodge - it's Lot 5 on the 1884 sales map. Lot 4 and 5 are adjacent to each other, so this leads you to believe that there may have been direct access from the High Street through to Park House(?).
  
  

• Subscription Rooms

• By the 1901 census the only listing at this location is for the Subscription Rooms. Referring to the 1900 photo below the plain looking part of the building on the High Street at the far left is the same building as No.97 High Street is now. The shop front and some first floor windows have been added over the years, but the overall outline of the building is much the same. York buildings - No.89-95 high Street can be seen towering above the house, behind it.
  
  On the right of No.97 High Street are the gates into what should be the courtyard of the main part of the mansion house, but from this direction the house itself can't be seen, although it's clearly present in both the 1901 and 1926 maps below and by the later date the Subscription Rooms 'Club' had extended into all parts of the buildings on this site.
  
  What is very obvious in this photo and also the 1905 postcard below is that the front of all these buildings along here is very different to that shown in the 1825 picture above.
  
  

Subscription Rooms & Jockey Club c.1900 (This photo is taken from approximately the same position as that from 2014 below - click on the photo for a comparison) (Many thanks to 'Old Newmarket' for the above photo)
1901 Subscription Rooms & Jockey Club Map 1901	1926 Subscription Rooms & Jockey Club Map 1926
Subscription Rooms & Jockey Club c.1905 (Many thanks to Roger Newman for the above postcard)
Jockey Club 1950s Aerial View (Many thanks to Mike Mingay for this photo)

• Before moving to this location in 1844 the Subscription Rooms had been considerably re-built in 1832 and at that time occupied the left-hand section at the front of the Jockey Club that can be seen in the 1825 picture above.
  
  As can be seen on the 1926 map above, by then the Subscription Rooms 'Club' in its new location here had extended into all parts of the building on this site, including Weatherby's former house.
  
  




The Straits Times, 31 December 1929, Page 15 MORE ACCOMMODATION. Jockey Club's Proposed New Building. The Jockey Club, having purchased the Subscription Rooms adjoining the Jockey Club building at Newmarket, are prepared to grant a yearly tenancy to the Subscription Rooms Club, such tenancy to be renewed annually until the lapsing of all leases of the surrounding property. When all these leases have been terminated the Jockey Club propose to erect a new building which will considerably augment the accomodation and convenience of its members, and which will greatly improve the appearance of the Newmarket High Street.




• Between October 1933 and November 1934 the front part of the Subscription Rooms and Jockey Club were rebuilt, to a design by the architect Albert Richardson (later Sir). However as the works were being completed a fire broke out at the rear of the premises. When this area was repaired and partially rebuilt, what had been the billiard room had became an external courtyard.
  
  Over the years, as the purpose of the rooms evolved, the Subscriptions Rooms have been extended, moved and then extended again, before finally closing in 1981.
  
  

Jockey Club 2014 (This photo is taken from approximately the same position as that from c.1900 above - click on the photo for a comparison)

National Horseracing Museum Rear Garden 2014

National Horseracing Museum - Roof Lantern Window - view from below - 2014

National Horseracing Museum - Skeleton of Hyperion - 2014

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_(horse)
  
  
• Horseracing Museum - English Heritage Listed Building Details:-
  http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1351292
  
  

HORSE RACING MUSEUM, HIGH STREET Grade: II Date first listed: 26-Jun-1984 English Heritage Building ID: 1351292




• H.W. Hill - fancy leather goods

• Online references to H.W. Hill variously describe the shop as being leather goods specialists, racing requisites etc. ... a trawl of e-bay shows items that were originally sold in the shop were such as fancy picnic sets, antique racing binoculars, handbags, leather cases, leather jewellery & trinket boxes.
  
  
  Reproduced courtesy of Francis Frith.
  
  

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• Building Changes

• Suffolk Record Office, Bury St Edmunds Branch
  Newmarket Urban District Council Records
  Reference EF 506
• Alterations to Subscription Rooms, High St (Heaton & Gibb) EF 506/6/1/6/26 Dec 1900
• Alterations, next to Subscription Club, High St, for H.W. Hill (L.E. Cole) EF 506/6/1/16/550 Mar 1920
  
  

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• Photo Carousel c.1985 by kind permission of the Newmarket Journal and the Newmarket Memories Facebook page.
  
  
• Many thanks to 'Old Newmarket' for the photo High Street c.1900
  
  

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