[List-Cumbria] Carlisle Patriot, 05 Oct 1816 - Carlisle Races (4)

[Petra Mitchinson]

Saturday 05 Oct 1816   (p. 2, col. 5 – p. 3, col. 2)

 

CARLISLE RACES, 1816. 

 

[continued] 

 

The sports commenced on Tuesday morning with a Foot Race for Two Guineas, which was better contested, than any ever before
remembered in this vicinity, notwithstanding the very inclement state of the weather. The distance was twice round the course,
rather better than two miles. The following young fellows started, all good runners:— 

 

          John IRWIN, of Carlton, husbandman. 

          Daniel CAMPBELL, of Hayton, shoemaker. 

          William FOSTER, of Carlisle, pipe-maker. 

          Charles MASON, of Croglin, shepherd. 

          John W. MICKLEY, of Carlisle, butcher. 

          William WILKINSON, of Carlisle, butcher. 

          David LATTIMER, of Brampton. 

 

IRWIN completed the run in eleven minutes and a quarter, and CAMPBELL was only six or seven feet behind him. Previous to starting,
MASON (who won a race last year), and MICKLEY were the favourites; they were very swift of foot, but the bottom of IRWIN carried the
day. To appearance he was the most unlikely man of any to win the prize. 

 

After the race on Thursday evening another foot race took place, for two pounds, once round the course, which was won in good style
by young WILKINSON, the butcher: notwithstanding the bad state of the ground he ran the mile in four minutes and three quarters; six
started. 

 

The light-fingered fraternity were uncommonly numerous, and as active as numerous, on the race-ground, at the inns, theatre, and at
the fight; but although they made many daring dives, they caught very little fish; in other words, most people took good care of the
money which they had about them; and others adopted a still safer method in not carrying any thing of value in their pockets.
However, some few persons lost sums of money, but the thieves, generally speaking, found memorandum books the reward of their
industry! It would be in vain to attempt a description of all the manœuvres which have been reported to us, for they were as various
as the circumstances of time and place. They followed the equestrians and attacked their pockets as they sat looking about them on
their horses. Sometimes they hustled foot passengers, sometimes they came behind them, and at other times they affected an
acquaintance with people they never saw before, and seizing them by the arm in a familiar manner, tried their pockets while
overwhelming them with the very essence of kindness and politeness! On the whole, the Cumbrians were too far north for them, and the
gentlemen will return with as bad a campaign as pick-pockets ever made—their expenses will eat up all their profits! 

 

We have not heard that a single personal accident occurred during the races or fight. 

 

 

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