54 RACING. 



An agreement, dated Whitehall, May 8, 1771, was entered 

 into between Mr. R. Vernon on the one side, and the stewards 

 and such members of the Jockey Club as might choose to sub- 

 scribe on the other, to the effect that the said R. Vernon 

 should build suitable rooms for the purposes of the said sub- 

 scribers, and that these should pay a rent equal to eight per 

 cent, on the outlay, for a term of fourteen years certain. 

 This rent was fixed at 248/. per annum, which was paid to 

 R. Vernon and his heirs until 1831. At first the funds of the 

 New Rooms were kept separate from the Heath accounts, and 

 any money borrowed from the one, for the purposes of the 

 other, was repaid. In 18 15, 500/. was charged to the Rooms 

 towards defraying the expenses of the prosecution of D. 

 Dawson, the horse-poisoner. In 1826, 600/. was transferred 

 from the Rooms' account to the fund for redeeming money 

 borrowed to buy Heath ground. 



In 182 1, at a meeting of the stewards and members of the 

 Rooms, it was resolved that all members of the Jockey Club 

 should ballot for candidates for the New Rooms. The 

 accounts continued for some time longer to be kept separate, 

 but the funds were used for general purposes as required. 

 When Mr. Vernon's lease expired in 1831, the Jockey Club 

 bought from the Erratt family, for the sum of 4,5cx)/., the free- 

 hold of lots comprising the Coffee-Room, New Rooms, and 

 appurtenances, and a house, then occupied by Mr. Bottom, 

 w^hich stood in the now vacant space forming the yard on the west 

 side of the Cofi'ee-Room passage. This estate was conveyed to 

 Lord Lowther, the Duke of Richmond, and Lord Verulam, in 

 trust, to deal with the same as stewards of the Jockey Club for 

 the time being, or as the major part of them, should direct \ or 

 in case there should be no stewards, then, as the majority of the 

 members present at a meeting — convened after a manner pre- 

 scribed in the conveyance— should direct ; and in case the 

 trusts upon which the estate was conveyed should have deter- 

 mined, or be no longer capable of taking effect, then in trust 

 for all and singular the several and respective members for the 



