I 



LAST YEARS AT KINGSCLERE 445 



This interview took place in the Jockey Club 

 Rooms at Newmarket. When I got outside I 

 happened to meet King Edward. 



" Hullo ! Porter,** he exclaimed, " what have 

 you been after ? ** 



" Fve been trying, your Majesty, to persuade 

 the Stewards of the Jockey Club to grant me a 

 licence for a racecourse at Newbury." 



'* And what do they say ? '' 



" They think there are already as many 

 meetings as are required, and they have not yet 

 given a definite answer.** 



" Are those the plans you have under your 

 arm ? ** 



" Yes, sir.** 



" Then come and see me in the morning, and 

 bring them with you.*' 



The interest which the King thus manifested 

 in the venture cheered me very much. I duly 

 kept my appointment with his Majesty, explained 

 to him the plans, and expounded the details of 

 the scheme so far as they had been worked out. 

 When I left I felt I had secured a powerful ally. 



My next interview with the Jockey Club 

 Stewards was conducted in a very friendly 

 atmosphere, and I got the licence without further 

 trouble. Possibly the way was made all the 

 easier for me because just at that time the 

 Northampton Meeting was on its last legs ; its 

 abandonment had, in fact, been announced. 



