Sport
The horses first went up to the starting line at the Wrexham Racecourse on September 29th 1807. The Wrexham Gold Cup and the Silver Cavalry Cup attracted top race horses, the local gentry and all the beaus and belles of Regency Wrexham. The races also attracted much disapproval from Church and Chapel.
The horse racing ended in 1857. The Autumn Sports' donkey and bicycle races and, from 1890, the pony races kept the Racecourse the sporting focus of the town. The local cricket club was based there and in 1872 they founded Wrexham Football Club in a meeting at the Turf Hotel.
"it was within the Racecourse paddock that the Bookies were confined. As they shouted the odds through the railings they looked, to the uninitiated, like an imprisoned mob. They were resplendent in the most gorgeous attire imaginable. Some wore braided blue and looked like admirals, others were dressed in crimson plush, others again sported silver grey tall hats and suits of generous check pattern. Almost all carried satchels in front,in which they jiggle the money received in one hand whilst with the other they held out curious little slips." |
Sport had a strong following in the town. Royal Welch Fusilier Johnny Basham became a local hero when he boxed his way to being UK and European Welterweight champion in 1916. Equally well remembered are the Tuttle Street Baths, which opened in 1901. Rugby, tennis and hockey are just three sports with strong clubs in the town; though the days of playing tennis on the courts in King Street are long gone.
Related Links
View on-line photographic tour of Wrexham
Wrexham's Heritage | Archives | Famous People | Local Studies
RSS Feeds
Contact Details
Wrexham County Borough CouncilThe Guildhall
Wrexham
LL11 1AY
email:
Contact-Us@wrexham.gov.uk
Website Feedback
telephone: 01978 292000
Location
