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The Fast Set: The World of Edwardian Racing
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September 20, 2023
I bought this second hand to read while invigilating the Horncastle Horse Fair exhibition in 2023, as it seemed appropriate (and it's a fascinating period of English history).
Subtitled 'The world of Edwardian Racing' This book covers the years between 1875, when the then Edward, Prince of Wales, registered his racing colours (the familiar purple with red sleeves, black cap and gold frogging still used by our present King and Queen), to 1913, when Emily Davidson ran out in front of Anmer, carrying the same colours for King George V, so slightly longer than the usual definition of 'Edwardian, but probably one of the most important eras of British racing and it's social history.
The style is lively, and everything is here, the people who shaped racing (Admiral Rous, Lord Falmouth, the first Duke of Westminster), the horses (St Simon, Ormonde, Isinglass), the jockeys (Fred Archer, Tod Sloan), the ladies (Lily Langtry, Jessica Sykes, Caroline, Duchess of Montrose) and, of course, the scandals (including one of the most detailed examinations of the baccarat party at Tranby Croft I have read).
The title says it all, for anyone interested in pre-WWI society this book is a delight.
Subtitled 'The world of Edwardian Racing' This book covers the years between 1875, when the then Edward, Prince of Wales, registered his racing colours (the familiar purple with red sleeves, black cap and gold frogging still used by our present King and Queen), to 1913, when Emily Davidson ran out in front of Anmer, carrying the same colours for King George V, so slightly longer than the usual definition of 'Edwardian, but probably one of the most important eras of British racing and it's social history.
The style is lively, and everything is here, the people who shaped racing (Admiral Rous, Lord Falmouth, the first Duke of Westminster), the horses (St Simon, Ormonde, Isinglass), the jockeys (Fred Archer, Tod Sloan), the ladies (Lily Langtry, Jessica Sykes, Caroline, Duchess of Montrose) and, of course, the scandals (including one of the most detailed examinations of the baccarat party at Tranby Croft I have read).
The title says it all, for anyone interested in pre-WWI society this book is a delight.
Displaying 1 of 1 review