T 



THE AUSTRALIAN JOCKEY CLUB 



AND 



RANDWICK 



By KEN AUSTIN 



HERE is a faded document hanging in the Secretary's room at the 

 Australian Jockey Club offices. It may be regarded as the coping- 

 stone of what is now the most important Racing Club in Australia. 

 This document reads as follows : — 



"S. C. Burt, Esquire, — 



"In consideration of your commencing the foundation of a Race- 

 course at Randwick, I hereby undertake to become liable to the extent 

 of £50 for the purpose of paying the expense thereof. 



"The revenues to be derived from the annual subscriptions and 

 the sale of gates, booths, stands, etc., when completed, to be a security 

 to me for whatever 1 may be called upon to pay under this guarantee. 



"Sydney, Thirtieth June, One thousand eight hundred and fifty- 

 nine. 



••(Sgd.) GEO. ROWLEY." 



"Pay to the order of W. McQuade, Esq., Treasurer, A.J.C. 



••(Sgd.) S. C. BURT." 



R. JONES, J. H. ATKINSON, 



S. C. BROWN, W. M. ARNOLD, 



CHAS. MARTYN, J. F. PERRY, 



ROWLAND HASSALL, A. LODER, 



W. G. HENFREY, GEO. ROWLEY, 



JNO. ROBERTSON, ALEX. MACKELLAR, 



DAVID BELL, ALFRED CHEEKE. 

 HENRY PRINCE, 



There is not much data concerning the early days of Randwick, but the 

 wonderful strides the Club has made since I 880 may be gauged by comparing 

 the Club's racing expenditure, which was £734/10/- for that year and 

 £152,559 for the year ending August, 1922. 



The late T. S. Clibbon, who took over the duties of Secretary in 1873, 

 made the most of his then somewhat slender opportunities. He was 

 succeeded by the present Secretary, Mr. C. W. Cropper, in 1910, who made 

 his name in Western Australia. Under his regime Randwick has never looked 

 back, but has flourished like the proverbial bay tree of old. C. W. Cropper 

 is the ideal Racing Secretary, a man who is held in the highest esteem by all 

 who come in contact with him, and whose heart and personality are embodied 

 in the course. Of the men who have controlled the destinies of the Club as 

 Committeemen from time to time, no one has done more for Randwick and 

 racing generally than the present Chief Justice of Australia, The Right Hon. 

 Sir Adrian Knox, who was elected to the Committee in 1 896 and was Chairman 

 from 1907 to 1919. On his resignation the Club made a presentation to him 

 of his portrait. A duplicate of the picture hangs in the Committee's Council 

 Room. The Adrian Knox Stakes, a race for three-year-old fillies, held early 

 in the year, was also inaugurated in 1921 in his honour. During the time he 

 acted as Chairman, Randwick was practically rebuilt, the prize-money was 

 tremendously increased, Associations to control country racing were formed, 

 and racing legislation generally widened and improved. 



So long as racing flourishes in Australia the name of Sir Adrian Knox will 

 be held in affectionate esteem by everyone who realises what a wonderful 

 influence for good he brought to bear on turf matters generally. 



