South Yorkshire Times March 12, 1966

Conisbrough Rival to Town Moor!

Horse racing at Conisbrough? It was news to us, yet a former “South Yorkshire account” reader has come up with a extract from a report of Conisbrough, sports, and then it was in black and white: a one-mile pony race.

According to the report, there could not have been more sensation on the St Leger itself.

The extract, sent to was by Mr James Crossland, who retired to Christchurch, Hampshire, eight years ago, tells us that the little stand near the winning post was packed with onlookers.

It then goes on to describe the race. “The race was run in two Mr C Taylor’s ‘Tommy’ Kilnhurst, winning the first, hunted down by Mr J. Ward’s ‘ Swinton, his pony acting up to its name and going off in capital fashion.

“The second heat saw Mr H. E. Elliott’s’ flotsam’ (Conisbrough) placed first, with Mr J Crossland’s’ Jess’ a good second; the latter steered by a diminutive jockey in racing colours, had to give a long start to the other runners and it was truly surprising to notice the eagerness with which the struggle was anticipated.

“At length they were all up and a hoarse roar floated round the enclosure as the pistol sent them on their way.”

As the final got underway the writer was moved to poetry. To cut a long story short, “amid the wildest cheering the gallant “Jess” and her clever young jockey came up the home straight beating “Flotsam” by a length and ‘Tommy’ a poor third.”

Mr Crossland says that a silver cup was the price for the race and the mare also won another cup at Clowne in the same month. Both cups are now being shot for annually by a Sheffield rifle club.

Crossland sent us the extract after meeting a Mexborough man in his “local.” He thinks the extract is from a copy of the then “Mexborough and Swinton Times” of July 4, 1903 or 1904.

Mr Crossland was born at a wooden butcher’s shop next door to the Reresby Arms, Denaby, when the landlord there was Tommy Weston. Mr Crossland’s father kept the Fox Inn Conisbrough until 1905 and then the family moved to Sheffield, where they entered the pork trade.