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.    I think he is the same Henry Padwick who had a horse roller stolen on 15th January 1841 by a gentleman named James Booker.   James made a typical mistake of presenting it at a local pawnbroker, Mr. Tulhurst of West Street in Horsham.   Tulhurst naturally refused the item and reported it to Horsham's police officer, John Coppard Gower.     There was quick justice in those far off days (perhaps we should revert to those standards now) and James was brought before the magistrates the following day at the King's Head Hotel in Horsham and was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment and one "private whipping".

Henry Padwick was of short, stocky stature 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.

In March 2011 I heard from Andrian Tucker with his opinion on John Day........ but it does not have any bearing on his training methods in which this website is dealing with....."Dear Valerie ....I must spring to the defence of my ancestor, John Day.   He may have been no gentleman, but there is a portrait of him in the Tate Gallery on Danebury Downs in top hat and tails. His oldest son Alfred was a respected veterinary surgeon, and his younger son William was author of "The racehorse in training."

I can't speak of his training methods, but he won the Derby several times so he must have been doing something right!
He died soon after leaving The Downs, so his departure may well have been due to ill health rather than dissatisfaction with his methods.
Sincerely...Adrian Tucker".

Meanwhile, back at the Downs Stables, Henry Padwick kept up his contacts with London society, and wined and dined at his Mayfair address and kept his eye on the money lending business. 

In May 2010, I received a very interesting email from Roger Colebrook in nearby Storrington...and he put a face to the money lender in Findon's past....

I immediately approached the Museum and received the answer I wanted..."Dear Valerie Martin, Thank you for your e-mail about the photograph of Henry Padwick. I should think it will be ok to use the image for private purposes, but if it is the intention to use the image commercially then we would need to see (and that includes inclusion on websites). In all cases the image is copyright Horsham Museum.

Thank you for the link to your site about the Findon stables, which I read with interest.           Regards....Jason"

Here I display the unscrupulous Henry Padwick who resided in Stable Lane in the 19th century.

click to enlarge photographs

 Images of Henry Padwick are, of course, Copyright Horsham Museum.

Continue if you would like to read William Goater Takes Over at the Downs Stables....and how this eventually led to the training of a horse named Hermit.

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