Wigan Album
Ephemera
4 Comments
Photo: DTease
Item #: 30634
I found this Postcard in my dad's pocket shortly after he passed on to that great Racecourse in the sky. Judging by the condition it's in he must have carried it about in his pocket for many years.
My old dad was very fond of his weekend bet and he was very good at picking winners. Indeed, the tips he gave me helped to finance many a frivolous outing in my younger years.
Personally I know nothing about horses, in fact if you put a horse in front of me I would not know which end to put the hay in and, perhaps more importantly which end it would reappear from in a different form! But I could judge pretty well my dad's level of confidence in his weekend 'Nap' and I would place my small wager accordingly.
His favorite paper for the racing was The Daily Mail which was a bit strange because he was a lifelong Labour supporter. He would rant and rave his way through the rest of the paper but when he got to the Racing Page out would come his pencil and we all knew it was time to leave him alone until he had studied the days runners.
I hope they do have Racecourses in the next life because my old dad would never be able to go for all eternity without his beloved horses.
So much character in their faces - the crafty one trying to put one over - and his friend so resigned - as if to say ' That's it Bill lad - you show um'! Your dad must have kept that for luck Dtease. It was the highlight of the week having a bet and a way of life for many. I remember the Daily Mail as well spread out on the floor when my mam was studying form! An old lady used to come to our house with a croaky voice asking 'is Billy in?" She must have thought my dad was a fount of knowledge regarding horses! He would often dodge out of the way when he heard her though!
Thanks DTease.
Your dad had certainly showed this Postcard to many people, and why not; it was a great 'little thing' to have done. My late uncle enjoyed comradeship, as well - they all did -, and sometimes in a way similar to that which your dad had done. My uncle would take selected parts of his garden produce into the Labour Club on Bingo nights, only for the ashtrays to have become completely filled with pea pods; sometimes at the point of the players being informed "Right, Your first number", - perhaps the peas had been Kelvedon Wonder.
I like the two blokes on the front of your Postcard, and while Bill doesn't appear to have had any recourse to The Daily Mail, nor does he display the mien of a clear headed strategist contemplating battle. It's hard to imagine Joe Kennedy dealing personally with the myriad of crazy betting patterns shown here, but what is certain is the fact that the slip would have had a pigeon hole all to itself, and been constantly referred to by another member of staff.
I hope that Carolaen latches on to your photo - he's got soul.
Great story DTease. I've done the odds and those nags should just about have crossed the line. That 2 Bob should be worth the Wigan councils budget by now. Nice investment.
Great pic DTease.
My next door neighbour years ago, Tom, who was a betting man, had a little booklet which calculated every betting odds...winner, each way and accumulators! Old Tom made sure he wasn't conned!