THE BETTING RING. 55 



ex-butler), Bichards (the Leicester stockinger), Mat 

 Milton, Tommy Swan of Bedale (who never took or 

 laid but one bet on a Sunday), Highton, Holliday, 

 Gully, Justice, Crockford *, Briscoe, Crutch Robin- 

 son, Ridsdale, Frank Richardson, and Bob Steward, 

 &c., the art of book-making arose, and henceforward 

 what had been more of a pastime among owners, 

 who would back their horses for a rattler when the 

 humour took them, and not shrink from having 

 5,000 to 6,000 on a single match, degenerated 

 into a science. All the above with the exception of 

 two have passed away, like the mastodons, never to 

 return. Nature must have broken the mould in which 

 she formed the crafty Robinson, as he leant on his 

 crutch, with his back against the outer wall of the 

 Newmarket Betting-Rooms, and, with his knowing- 

 quiet leer and one hand in his pocket, argued about 

 Staley Bridge Radicals with the then Lord Stanley, 

 or offered to " lay agin Plenipo." 



The two Blands, Joe and "Facetious Jenirny," 

 were equally odd hands. Epsom had fired up the 



* Mr. Timbs, in his admirable Curiosities of London, gives the fol- 

 lowing sketch of this Turf Baring of his day. " Crockford," he says, 

 " started in life as a fishmonger, in the old bulk shop next door to 

 Temple Bar Without, which he quitted for play in St. James's. He 

 began by taking Walier's old club house, where he set up a hazard 

 hank, and won a great deal of money ; he then separated from his 

 partner, who had a bad year and failed. Crockford now removed to 

 St. James's Street, had a good year, and built, in 1827, the magnifi- 

 cent club house which bore his name ; the decorations alone are said 

 to have cost him J 94,000. The election of the club members was 

 vested in a committee, the house appointments were superb, and Ude 

 was engaged as mditre d'Jiotel. " Crockford's" now became the 

 high fashion. Card tables were regularly placed, and whist was 

 played occasionally, but the aim, end, and final cause of the whole 

 was the hazard bank, at which the proprietor took his nightly stand 

 prepared for all comers : this speculation was eminently successful. 

 During several years every thing that any body had to lose or cared 

 to risk, was swallowed up ; and Crockford became a millionaire. 

 He retired in 1840, " much as an Indian chief retires from a hunting- 

 country, when there is not game enough left for his tribe ;" and the 

 club then tottered to its fall. After Crockford's death in 1844, the 

 lease of the club-house (thirtv-two years, rent 1400) was sold for 

 ,2900." 



