HENRY PADWICK'S NEW STABLES —

and the story of how the Downs Stables came to be built.... and housed a one-time Derby winner, Hermit.

Text copyright Valerie Martin 2008

(First section originally published in the Findon Valley and Village Directory in June 2008)

Did you know that the downland around Findon is supposed to have found its way into a famous painting entitled "Balaclava" showing remnants of the Light Brigade (Hussars, Lancers and Light Dragoons) returning from the disastrous charge on 25th October 1854? 

This was the work in 1876 of the Victorian military painter, Lady Elizabeth Butler (1846-1933) and (strange as it may seem) according to the writer, E. V. Lucas, she painted the background to the scene actually at Findon, "the neighbourhood of which curiously resembles in configuration the Russian battlefield".    It is considered a famous painting and has been made into prints.  A black and white photogravure published in 1911 sells for £900 in 2008.

It is said by some that the artist was the leading painter of this genre in the late nineteenth century.   She often made sketches from life and soldiers even re-enacted the battles in their original uniforms worn throughout certain campaigns for her.   

E.V. Lucas does not elaborate or quote any authority for the Findon location, which has been picked up and repeated and would now be difficult for me to ever verify.

I think the main clue is given in a story that Lady Elizabeth Butler resided at nearby Littlehampton (next to the Littlehampton Museum in River Road) and painted our Findon landscape while living there.   Sounds perfectly plausible doesn't it?

Lady Elizabeth Butler, whose work was even admired by Queen Victoria may have had guidance from her military husband with her painting.   He was a General and just may have served in the Crimea War.   Nevertheless, whoever game her any pointers, Findon would be a splendid setting for her war horses do you not think?

Henry Padwick arrived in Findon a year after the Charge of the Light Brigade in 1855.  He was born at the beginning of the nineteenth century and he was the son of William Padwick and appears to have originated from Chichester and I have tracked him down to Findon.

He was of short, stocky build and as a young man studied to become a solicitor, but soon deserted this calling in favour of the more prosperous business of unscrupulous exploitation and money lending. He married the daughter of a Horsham butcher named Philip Chasemore, who had made his own pile during the Napoleonic War supplying the town's Military Barracks. The making of money continued to run in their family.

Henry Padwick the bounder, operated from the heart of respectable Mayfair. This was the well-appointed address of Berkeley Square. His many young upper crust visitors found he employed an excellent cook — his cuisine was beyond compare, and he kept one of the best wine cellars in London. He had no need to tout for clientele, as he was able to combine his lucrative business with pleasure. The young aristocracy, who found themselves financially embarrassed, took a walk down Hill Street to accepted his seemingly generous invitations to dine.

Padwick did not only deal in currency. If a member of the gentry found himself unable to settle, then the money-dealer would suggest an alternative method of payment. The privileged unfortunate would perhaps considering donating to him a few of his racehorses, an agreed acreage of desirable land, or a country mansion. The payment in kind would be in lieu of the debt owed to the crafty moneylender.

Padwick installed John Day as his trainer. The horses were flat racers and were brought on over the springy ancient turf. Day was a typical habitually dour Victorian. He was shrewd and calculating and his traditional training methods were those of over-working the racehorses and breaking their spirits. He was a countryman and certainly no gentleman. Horses had to learn the hard way with Old John Day who thought that harsh treatment was good for them.

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THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.