Royal Ascot 



<«- 



officiated as Clerk of the 

 Course in 1852, retaining 

 the post until i860. In 

 1856 he also acted as 

 Starter during the illness 

 of his brother Henry. 

 He died in January, 1867. 

 It will be remembered 

 that about this time, 

 various changes took place 

 throughout the whole /<?r- 

 so7ine/ of the Ascot Course, 

 and the office of Clerk of 

 the Course was entrusted 

 to James Manning, who 

 combined with it that of 

 Clerk of the Scales, and 

 it speaks volumes for the 

 exact manner in which he 

 did his work that he was 

 able to hold both appointments to the entire satisfaction of 

 the Trustees, until his death in 1875. His successor, Robert 

 Oades, signalled his tenure of office by many improvements 

 in the Course, and was widely esteemed for the ability with 

 which he discharged his duties. On his retirement he 

 received a pension of ^100 a year from the Trustees, a 

 well-merited award. As to the present Clerk of the Course, 

 who succeeded Mr. Oades, it is sufficient here to say that 

 the office is held by Major Clement, an account of whose 

 life will be found earlier in the chapter. 



The punctuality of a race greatly depends upon the 



278 



ROBERT OADES 



