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| The huge crowd at Epsom Downs on 6th June 1934 |
Derby Day has been a huge occasion for Britons
right since the last two decades of the 18th century. Not only is it
their greatest race – arguably the greatest horse race in the world – it is a
wonderful occasion, a day of fun and frolic. There was no way of knowing how
many people, from the King and Queen to the common citizens, converged on Epsom
Downs that first Wednesday of June, 1934. Various newspapers drew up estimates between
a quarter and a half million people. So how did they manage this mass of
humanity moving from dawn to dusk?
Lincolnshire
Echo reported, “Elaborate arrangements had been made by the police to deal
with the thousands of people who arrived by car. All along the roads to the
course policemen were on duty controlling the traffic and directing the cars to
the many parking places. Overhead an auto gyro, with a traffic officer in it,
directed by wireless messages the control of the long moving line of vehicles.
The pearly ‘kings’ and ‘queens’ moved through the crowd carrying collecting
boxes on behalf of charity. The famous hill resembled a gigantic fair ground
with roundabouts and cocoanut shies. The great trek to Epsom began very early,
as with the break of dawn people were already arriving on the Downs. Picnic
breakfasts on the Downs were indulged in and itinerant vendors of comestibles
found early and eager buyers. The flow of motor coaches carrying loads of
passengers and motor-cars set in at an early hour and there was keen competition
for good parking positions on the rails from which to obtain a good view of the
race. The gipsy encampment on the hill had awakened very early and race cards
were being sold to buyers an hour or so after dawn. People arriving by cars
provided their own amusement. In one of the car parks a party of fashionably
dressed women breakfasted to the strains of a gramophone; while nearby another
party sat in a car and played bridge. While the roads to Epsom were filled with
cars the Southern Railways carried their quota of racegoers from the London
terminal, more than 130,000 passengers having been conveyed by train at ten
minutes’ intervals before 11 o’clock. Lord Derby, who always entertains on a
lavish scale on Derby Day engaged a special train from Victoria for his
guests.”
The Maharaja of Rajpipla, on his part, gave a
holiday to thirty of his employees and chartered special motor-coaches for them
and their friends so that they might see his horse win, leaving just five behind
to look after his estate. Commercial
Daily Mail reflected the mood at Windsor on Derby Day, June 6, 1934, “The
Maharajah of Rajpipla, owner of Windsor Lad, has arranged for all the employees
of his Old Windsor riverside residence to witness the Derby, and has arranged
motor-coaches for their conveyance to Epsom. The majority of inhabitants of Old
Windsor are ‘having a flutter’ on Windsor Lad, for the Maharajah has made no
secret of his confidence in his horse.”
There was no dearth of celebrities either. Greenoce Tele noted, “From where I stood
in the crowd below the Royal Box, all the leaders of what is called the
“sporting world” could be seen going up the stairs to their places in the
stands. Mr. Tom Walls, the actor (“Good old Tommy”, they shouted), and Lord
Lonsdale seemed to evoke the most enthusiasm, and the Aga Khan the most
interest.”
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| Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla leading Windsor Lad after the exhilarating victory, with trainer Marcus Marsh beside and Charlie Smirke astride |
In
his book Pageant of Life (Wilfred
Funk, Inc., New York, 1941), Lowell Thomas wrote, “They had a big time in
England. The three things that solid Britain
took most seriously were the King, the Empire and horse racing, and the jockeys
rode the galloping ponies in the Saint Leger Stakes, one of England Derby
his victory in the Saint Leger Stakes made him England England India who owned Windsor Lad, was the toast that
night of England Bombay England ,
he lived next door to the King's own Windsor
Castle
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| The Aga Khan, who had three runners in the race Umidwar, Alishah and Badruddin, was among the first to congratulated his good friend the Maharaja of Rajpipla on his splendid victory |
In the aftermath of the race, Manchester Dispatch observed: “Within the special enclosure one ran
across all the known men in the horsey world. Lord Derby, whose ancestor was
responsible for establishing the most famous of all races, beaming amicably as
usual; Lord Rosebery, who told me it was the grandest race he had ever seen;
Lord Glanely, not at all down-hearted, who said that as he had won the Derby
once he must not be greedy; Lord Crewe, Lord Lonsdale, Sir Walter Gilbey,
wearing his funny curl-brimmed hat, and others with their pretty ladies - as
fine a gathering of English gentle folk as you can find.” The Times of India reported that, “Among the notables who watched
the race were General Bahadur Sham Shere Jung Bahadur Rana and other members of
the Nepalese Mission.”
One of the few accidents of the day befell the
77-year-old Earl Lonsdale, the uncrowned king of British sportsmen, whose car
skidded into a ditch in Ewell, Surrey, outside of Epsom. Lord Lonsdale was not
hurt and continued his journey in a friend’s car which overtook him immediately
after the accident. He was soon in the royal box being congratulated by the
King and Queen and their entourage on his escape. Two buses collided while on their way to Epsom and five people who
were in them were injured.
(Author Indra Vikram Singh - grandson of
Maharaja Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla - can be contacted on email
teddy.rajpipla@gmail.com and singh_iv@hotmail.com. His other blog is
singhiv.wordpress.com).
A Maharaja’s Turf
Published by Sporting Links
ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6
Distributed in India by :
Variety Book Depot,
AVG Bhawan, M-3, Middle Circle, Connaught Circus,
New Delhi - 110 001. Tel. +91 11 23417175,
23412567.
