REMINISCENCES OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST JOCKEY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 47, 20 March 1909, Page 3

REMINISCENCES OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST JOCKEY.

Oil the morning of Ist .January, when the post ollicin throughout the country were invaded by thousands of old-age pcusiojcrs (says a Home paper), Kettering's eldest, inhabitant walked into the. local post ollicc and was amongst the first lo receive! the live shillings, it was Eiuuiiius Jackman, who, in spile of his nhicty-four years, is .-still as active on his feet as a nonagenarian can cx'jicel to hi'.

"And my health and spirits are good, too." Jackman remarked, when a repoller commented on the'walking capabilities of Kettering's oldest pensioner,

"My nerve, are not i;uite what they used tu be. and my cyisight has gone") but there, a youngster liite myself can't expect everything," and the old 11111:1 chuckled at his little joke. IT IE HOY-JOCKEY,

-Men, however, less than, half his age have fur worse memories than Jackman. I lie can clearly remember events which occurred over eighty years ago, and during the iiilerviclW related some interesting stories of the days when he followed the vocation of a jockey and rode in pony races on Rockingham Common nt ten years of age. There were only about -.101)0 peoplf iii Kettering at that lime-to-day there are close upon eight times that number—"and." said Jackman, referring lo his first pony race as though it were it happening of yesterday, "I could not manage the animal at all. "lint it was diU'erenl four years later, when I became a professional jockey. -No, I did not earn thousands a'yeaT," he continued, when I mentioned (lie phenomenal success 01 a certain boyjockey of tin- past season. "I got from :C1 to .C 5 a mount, sometimes less. As a matter of fact, there were 510 regular fees for riding. I cariiied a very good reputation for riding, and at Redbouru. near St. Albans, i got three mounts in one day, and succeeded in riding the 'winner in two of the races. At Wellington im Essex I rode several winners and captured a silver cup as well, "There were many blacklegs about h ■those days, too, and I was often offered plenty of money not to 'go straight.' : ' ■But these people would never show the color of tlirir gold before the race, and 1 ■Emiiiaus couldn't be hoaxed by them.

THiIEATENED 11 IS UFE. "On one occasion, holwever, my life was in danger. During the Wellington 'meeting already referred to 1 was to 'ride a pony called The JKcd Hover. I had become popular as a jockey at this time, and was feared by in consequence. "While lying on some grass ■by a hedge on the course 1 heard other ■jockeys talking, and one said they didn't cave a hanj! if Jackiiian was not riding, but if they could lind out that he was to ride lied hover they would 'do' lor him before the morning. ■ ''l went hack to the inn at which I was then staying, and told the landlord of what i had overheard. The landlord's son thereupon volunteered to sleep with me and Red Rover in the stables to prevent any mischief. We did this, and as we lay awake listening we heard (outsteps going by the stables and whispered conversations as to where I was; but nobody came to the stables, and Red Rover was lirst past the post next day." ■ Ultimately Jaekmau gave up the horse-racing profession and became an ostler and bead groom to several wellknown families "in the neighborhood, lie had to drive a party to Westminster Abbey the day Queen Victoria was crowned, an<t later on in life he drove an escort the dav the late (.liieen visited Kettering. As a matter of fact, .lackinan claims to leave drive.iv more lords-, dukes, and barons than anybody now alive. ]iODY-,SXATCIIERS.

• One of the incidents of his early days which he reculls possesses a curious interest.

■ "I well remember the time," lie says, "when, after nil vow's, funeral, the relatives had to watch the graves of their departed friends for days, alter the funeral, because men of bad repute were not particular about getting the bodies out again and taking them away. When a little boy 1 wondered greatly what il all men rot. but one day a servant showed me a whole row of skeletons in a doctor's surgery, and. then." he contimied, knowingly, "I knew what the. bodies were wanted for."