Genealogy Chat

Do any of you Horse Racing Fans remember Jack Ormston? My gran used to say he was her cousin, but I haven't managed to find out much about him.

Hi Jim Are you sure we're talking horse racing here? 'Googling' Jack Ormston came up with the following for speedway racing in 1930 - I have saved the pic if you want it, let me have your email addy. 'The first ever London Riders Championship was won by Jack Ormston (pictued Left), but Vic Huxley won just about all of the many other trophies that were up for grabs in those early years including the Star Championship, gaining revenge over Frank Arthur who had beaten Vic in winning the title the previous year.' Regards Looby

Hi Jim seems to be the same guy - found this extract as well - seems horse training might have been him rather than riding - ...........racehorse called Le Garcon d'Or - which, appropriately translated, means The Golden Boy. He was owned by Embleton farmer Robert Manners, trained at Hutton Magna near Richmond by Jack Ormston - former air race pilot, dirt track rider and farmer - and usually ridden by stable jockey Alec Russell. Looby

Thanks Looby, I had Googled that. He may well have done speedway racing and also flying. I know he trained a well known horse called Le Garcon D'Or. I just can't find any personal info on him. date of birth, parents etc.

Sorry Grampa Can't seem to find any of that either at the moment - have you found his death - might that point you in the direction of his birth? Just thought the title of the thread might be a bit ambiguous. Good hunting. Looby

Hi Grampa Might this be him - only one on Ancestry I can find at the mo. View Record Name Year of Registration Quarter of Registration Mother's Maiden Name District County View Image View Record Jack Williams Ormston 1902 Jan-Feb-Mar Bolton Lancashire Do you know if he had any brothers or sisters at all? Looby

Hi Grampa Making an assumption (and I know how dangerous that can be) that the record above is him, he is the oldest and the parents married in the same area, these are the 'possibles' on FreeBMD for 1900-1902 Surname First name(s) District Vol Page Marriages Jun 1900 Ormston Peter Harris Bolton 8c 813 Marriages Jun 1901 ORMSTON Joseph George Bolton 8c 616 Marriages Jun 1902 Ormston John Bolton 8c 715 Marriages Sep 1902 Ormston Thomas Bolton 8c 576 Hope they help. Looby

Thanks for looking, but I am not sure that's him. My Gran's family were from the Durham Collieries. I have emailed a member with a possible match, but will have to wait and see. As I said, he was only named by my gran as her cousin. I know nothing else about him at all. (Mind you, She also claimed descendancy from Hereward the Wake, but only because her parents named her Maud Wake Heron.) I have just recently (thanks to Chuckle Bunny) managed to find that my Gran's Uncle Matt married an Ormston girl. That is the first step in forging a link. Jim

I looked in The Times newspaper archive The speedway rider has several mentions between 1930 and 1932. Then there's a big gap, before Jack the rider/trainer starts getting mentioned in 1967. His entries continue through to 1975. Merry

Thanks Merry, I think there's evidence that Jack was a speedway rider, racing pilot, and in later life a Trainer. There just seem to be very few references to his personal details.

He handed in his training licence in 1975. I have read all The Times articles........no clues except he trained out of Richmond, Yorkshire. Merry

Gran said he used to run his horses on the beach at Redcar. The salt water was good for their legs. There are a lot of Ormstons on free BMD. I am thinking that Jack was probably more a nickname than his registered name.

JACK ORMSTON Born Oct.30th 1909, Jack Ormston, the son of Fred Ormston a local butcher, was a flamboyant character, He went to Barnard Castle School where he was “flogged, gated and made to report every hour” - after being caught riding a motor bike in town. Later he was to captain the “Wembley Lions” Speedway team at twenty one, often in front of 100,000 fans. His speedway career spanned the late 20s and the 1930s. While riding for Wembley 1930-32 he won the first ever London Riders' Championship at the Crystal Palace (1930), and took part in the first-ever England v Australia Test Match, at Wimbledon (also 1930). He then joined Birmingham (Hall Green), and then from 1935-39 rode for Harringay Racers in London. He was runner-up in the Star Riders' Championship (forerunner of the World Championship) in 1935, and then took part in two World Championship Finals at Wembley, in 1936 and 1938. He rode for England in a total of 13 Test matches against Australia, of which 3 were in Australia in 1937-38. He had earlier ridden in Australia in 1932-33, taking the world speedway title. At that time the Wembley team brought their bikes to be serviced by George Hudson a garage mechanic at Coxhoe. In 1929 Jack Ormston was flying his own plane, a Westland Widgeon monoplane, which had folding wings and was painted red, This was housed in a shed at Thrislington Hall and the landing field known as the “Football Field” was across the road from the hall. Both hall and the landing field have been removed by excavations by the Quarry. Great excitement was caused among the boys of neighbouring villages as the plane roared overhead skimming the chimney tops, and looping the loop. He also took part before the 1939-45 War in that great air race the “Kings Cup Air Race.' Later he was an amateur steeplechase jockey and racehorse trainer residing at Hutton Magna. He went on to train Le Garcon D'Or, the horse which won more flat races than any other. Truly, a very interesting character! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Births Dec 1909 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ORMSTON Elsie Castle W 10b 354 ORMSTON George Glendale 10b 516 ORMSTON George Tynemouth 10b 200 ORMSTON John Newcastle T 10b 30 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<??? ORMSTON John Glaholme Sedgefield 10a 118 <<<<<<<<<<<<<??? ORMSTON Louisa Jane Morpeth 10b 412 Merry

1901: Edward Ormston abt 1871 West Cornforth, Durham, England Son Cornforth Durham Elizabeth Ormston abt 1841 Sunderland, Durham, England Wife Cornforth Durham Fred Ormston abt 1878 West Cornforth, Durham, England Son Cornforth Durham John Ormston abt 1841 East Bowden, Durham, England Head Cornforth Durham Minnie Ormston abt 1879 West Cornforth, Durham, England Daughter Cornforth Durham Jack's dad, Fred, and grandfather, John, were both butchers in 1901. Merry

Merry I do believe you've got it. West Cornforth and Coxhoe were the area my Gran's family came from.

Oooh good! Merry

What do you know about uncle Matt's Ormston girl?? Merry

Thank you all for your help. I have discovered that Fred father of Jack was indeed the brother of my Mary Elizabeth my gran's aunt.