THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THE YOUNGS AT THE VALE

Copyright Valerie Martin 2005

Thomas Edward Young rented The Vale Stables from a gentleman named Walter Simpson c.1907 and from then on trained his racehorses in Findon.

Yes, unbelievable as it may now seem, there was once a race course at Gatwick.  

Here is a little explanation on the origins of Gatwick Airport.  Back in 1890 the Manor of Gatwick was purchased by the Gatwick Race Course Company and they opened a race course there in 1891, complete with a railway station.   

Not many people now realise that during the First World War, the Aintree Grand National was abandoned.  A substitute race was, in fact,  run not far from Findon — over the same Aintree distance but conducted at Gatwick in 1916, 1917 and 1918. 

 In 1930 the land running alongside the racecourse was purchased for use as an aerodrome, which was licensed in August 1930 and became known as the Gatwick Aerodrome.

Sunday 17th May 1936 witnessed the very first scheduled service from Gatwick to Paris. The single fare for the historic flight was £4. 5s. (the equivalent of £160 today) which included First Class train travel from Victoria to Gatwick. .

The number of flights and destinations offered from Gatwick grew quickly and during 1936, passenger flights to Paris, Malmo via Amsterdam, Hamburg, Copenhagen and even to the Isle of Wight were added.

At this time the airfield was nothing at all for anyone to bother to write home about — as it still comprised Gatwick racecourse.

Passenger amenities and facilities at the airport were minimal (but growing) and the building known as The Beehive (the world's first circular airport terminal,) was opened in 1936.  This Art Deco building had several rather novel features which until that time were unheard of.  These included a 130 yard long subway from the train station.  This meant that passengers could remain undercover from the time they left Victoria  until they actually boarded their flight. 

During the hostilities of the Second World War, Gatwick was requisitioned by the Air Ministry and utilised by the RAF. It remained under the control of the Air Ministry for a few more years after the end of the war.  From 1946 onwards a small number of charter airlines operated from Gatwick for civilian flights.

I remember many years ago on my way to a race course, travelling on a train that stopped at a small station called Gatwick (now long gone). 

By  1952 the Government gave its approval for the development of Gatwick as The New London Airport. The decision to expand Gatwick meant that it closed in March 1956 as construction commenced.  The new Gatwick airport was completed in just 33 months at a cost of £7.8 million and was officially opened on 9th June 1958 by Her Majesty The Queen.  End of Gatwick explanation.

Leaving Gatwick and returning to the story of Waterbed, it was considered that Thomas Young of The Vale in Findon had one of the best looking chestnuts in Waterbed — and high hopes were held for the Grand National.   An untimely death dashed any hopes for this.  

  please click on picture to enlarge

The above view depicts Cissbury Ring in the distance.   The shot is take from the hillside above Rogers Farm.... possibly dated c. 1930.   It is my belief that perhaps the riders and horses are those from the Vale Stables in those days.

When Thomas died he was buried at St. John the Baptist churchyard.

Cecil trained at The Vale after his father.     Cecil married c.1922. Kathleen Finn who was the daughter of George Finn who owned The Gun Inn c. 1924.  She was the barmaid and this is how she met Cecil and eventually they courted. 

Cecil was a key member of the Findon Cricket Club and in 1928 the Findon Cricket Club decided to have colours of their own.   A horse at The Vale Stables had won several races in the vibrant colours of its owner, black and amber.   It was agreed that these should be the future Findon Cricket Club colours.

Cecil died in 1964.    His son David, now residing in Florida, U.S.A., tells me that he remembers hundreds of large glossy press racing photographs covering his father's career (as well as many albums of photographs depicting Findon and the surrounding area) and these went back to the turn of the century.  

Unfortunately, when Cecil died, Kathleen was so distraught that she burned the collection as she could not stand to be reminded of the past.  Therefore, I only have a few photographs available to share with you of racing days at The Vale.

Continue if you would like to read Alan Oughton of The Vale.

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