Giddy-up for the races!
QUESTION When was the first documented horse race meeting held in Britain? The history of the horse in Britain begins with equine remains found in Pakefield, Suffolk, dating from around 700,000 years ago. There’s evidence for the domestication of horses in Britain by 2500BC, and it’s reasonable to assume the urge to race horses began soon after people began riding them.
In Ireland and Scotland, the Lammas, or Lughnasadh fairs, were harvest festivals that featured sporting events. Aonach Tailteann (the Tailteann Fair) was probably the most famous of the assemblies of Irish people.
Originally held as funeral games in honour of Queen Tailtiu, they are said to have begun in 1500BC and continued with regularity until AD1129.
The fairs drew crowds from all sections of society, and equestrian contests such as chariot-racing, horse-racing and horse-swimming were important parts of the games. Scots were thought to be present at these events and probably took the sport of horse-racing home with them.
By the time of the Roman conquest, British tribes could assemble armies which included thousands of chariots — and the Roman occupiers certainly raced chariots.
The first english description of an actual horse race comes from the Venerable Bede, writing in the 8th century, describing how the novice herebald had been warned not to race his horse, but he ‘could not resist and when his horse took a great leap, he fell and hit a stone with his head. his thumb was broken and his skull fractured.’
The improvement of horses through breeding began in the Middle Ages.
Alexander I of Scotland (circa 1078-1124) brought two horses of eastern origin into Britain, in the first documented import of oriental horses. John of england (11991216) imported 100 Flemish stallions to continue the improvement of the ‘ great horse’ for tournament and breeding.
The first description of an organised race meeting can be found in William Fitzstephen’s famous account of life in 12thcentury London, Descriptio Nobilissimi Civitatis Londoniae (circa 1174).
It suggests that race meetings had been held there for some time: ‘When a race is about to begin among such chargers that are so powerful to carry and swift to run, a shout is raised, and the order is given that the inferior animals should be led apart.
‘Three jockeys who mount these flying steeds (or at times two, as may be agreed) prepare themselves for the contest; skilled i n managing them, they curb their untamed mouths with bitted bridles.
‘The riders, covetous of applause and ardent for victory, plunge their spurs into those loose-reined horses and urge them forward with their shouts and their whips.’
For the next three centuries, kings of england kept running horses. edward III bought steeds at £13 6s 8d each, and was given two by the king of Navarre. The royal stud continued to grow throughout the reign of henry VII.
horse-racing first came under royal patronage in the reign of James I when the monarch had a royal palace built near Newmarket, then an obscure village.
The oldest horse race still extant is Kiplingcotes Derby, which reputedly began in 1519 and takes place over a four-mile course on the third Thursday in March. This year, the running of the 497th race was on March 17.
Regular races were first organised at Chester in 1540 and have been held almost continuously ever since, making it the oldest functioning racecourse.
Keith Mullen, Belfast.
QUESTION In the age of steam engines, ‘doubleheaded’ locomotives were often used. How did the two crews work in harmony?
COMMUNICATION between crews of double-headed steam trains was largely a matter of teamwork, but regulations required that the driver of the leading engine should have control of the brakes.
however, frank exchanges of views over seniority and experience were not unknown, and should the driver of the second engine believe the speed to be excessive, he might well apply the brakes.
In bad weather and in poor visibility, both crews would keep a lookout for signals and hazards, and would know the layout of signals, junctions and speed restrictions.
Poor steaming through bad coal, a dirty fire, boiler defects or an inexperienced fire man could be overcome by cooperation, helped by gestures or pre-arranged whistle signals.
The engine which was in better shape could be worked harder while the crew of the other worked their engine lightly and would raise steam pressure to provide assistance when it was most needed.
Picking up water from track troughs also called for cooperation, mainly to ensure both engines picked up as much water as they needed.
But it was also customary for the fireman of the second engine to dip the water scoop first, because when his colleague on the leading engine dipped first, it reduced the water pressure on the second engine’s scoop.
The important thing for the crews was to avoid ‘swilling- out’ — or over-filling — which could leave the footplate deep in wet coal slurry and give passengers in the leading coach a surprise soaking through any open windows.
D. V. Page, West Bridgford, Notts.
QUESTION Which came first, orange the fruit or the colour?
The orange is thought to have originated in South-east Asia. Varieties of the fruit were grown in both South-east and Northeast regions of India, dating back to around 7,000 years ago.
The Chinese were probably the first to cultivate it from about 2500BC — the German word Apfelsine and the Dutch sinaasappel (Chinese apple) reflect this. The first citrus fruit introduced to the Western world was the citron ( Citrus medica), a bitter variety used both as ornamental and medicinal.
The Persian name for this was narang. Arabs later traded the fruit and spread the word all the way to Moorish Spain; the Spanish word for orange is naranja.
In Old French, the fruit became orenge and this was adopted into Middle english in the 13th century, eventually becoming our orange, the fruit as well as the colour.
Orange as a colour adjective dates from the early 16th century. Before that, the colour was referred to as geoluread, or ‘yellow-red’.
Mrs J. B. Marsh, Lincoln.
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