Earliest meeting: Friday 15th April 1836
Final meeting: Tuesday 20th March 1849
The Birmingham suburb of Northfield is in the south of the city of Birmingham between Kings Norton and Rubery. It staged racing for the first time on Friday 15th April 1836 when the Steeplechase was won by Mr G Smith's Alice Gray, while a second meeting was staged on Tuesday 20th March 1849 on a 2 mile course of grass land, owned by Mr Richards, which had to be traversed twice to complete 4 miles. The feature race on the card was the 4 mile Birmingham Hunt Steeplechase which was won by Mr T Hancox’s Varmint ridden by Eccles. After a good day at the races dinner was served at two separate venues, the Woolpack Inn and Black Boy. Despite the obvious success of the meetings there is no further record of racing in the future.
On Friday 15th April 1836 the Northfield Steeplechase was held over a 3-mile course of very thickly enclosed and severe countryside, including 6 lanes and 40 fences, many of which were real raspers.
Northfield Steeplechase over 3 miles
1. ALICE GRAY bay mare owned by Mr G Smith
2. NIMROD bay gelding owned by Mr W Richards
3. COLUMBINE bay mare owned by Mr G M Barker
4. SNOWDROP grey gelding owned by Mr T A Wortling
5. THE NUN bay mare owned by Mr J O Mason
I am grateful to Geoff Dixon for drawing attention to amateur jockey Harry Gem, who lived near Northfield, playing the first game of Lawn Tennis.
In 1865 Major Thomas Harry Gem, born on 21st May 1819, a solicitor and sportsman, played the first game of Lawn Tennis against Juan Bautista Augurio Perera on Perera's croquet lawn at 8 Ampton Road, Edgbaston, just 4 miles from Northfield. Harry Gem lived at Bericote House in Hamilton Terrace. Together they organized the first Lawn Tennis Club in the world at Leamington in 1874.
On Tuesday 20th March 1849 a steeplechase over 4 miles for a gold cup was staged at Northfield, watched by a fine and numerous company. Amongst the riders was Harry Gem, a soldier, solicitor, sportsman who was said to have played the first game of Lawn Tennis.
Birmingham Northfield Gold Cup Chase over 4 miles
1. VARMINT 11st 12lbs owned by Mr Hancox and ridden by T Eccles
2. THE BARBER 12st owned and ridden by Harry Gem
3. BLACK SATIN 12st 7lbs owned by Mr C Millward and ridden by Harrison
4. VALENTINE 11st 12lbs owned by Mr Boddington and ridden by Carey
5. CLARENDON 11st 4lbs owned and ridden by Mr Cooper
Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-
London Illustrated News
Racing Illustrated 1895-1899
The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
The Sporting Magazine
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727
