A Group of Tickets and Passes Related to Horse Racing

YORKSHIRE, Doncaster, oval ivory (2), Ladies Stand, Erected 1858, backs named (No. 28, Major St Leger; No. 28, Mrs St Leger), both 50 x 37mm, 7.47g and 7.00g (W –; D & W –) [2]. About very fine and very rare, latter with surface crack, an interesting pair by association; pierced for suspension, with contemporary green (Major) and blue (Mrs) ribbons
£300-£400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Group of Tickets and Passes Related to Horse Racing.

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Major John St Leger, JP (1823-1905), Park Hill, Rotherham, eldest son of Lt-Gen. John Chester (1779-1857), of Ashtead, Surrey, married Philippa Roper (1826-1909), daughter of John Bonfoy Roper, MP (1778-1855), Abbotts Ripton Hall, Huntingdonshire, on 8 April 1858. As John Chester he served in the 53rd Foot in the Sutlej campaign and was present at the battles of Aliwal and Sobraon, wounded on both occasions, then transferred to the 85th Foot. He was a magistrate for Norfolk and the West Riding of Yorkshire. His grandfather, brother to the 1st Lord Bagot, assumed the name Chester, and afterwards that of St Leger, under the will of his cousin, but it was not until 1863 that the surnames of John and Philippa were changed to St Leger. It is assumed that Mrs St Leger’s pass should have been numbered 29.

The famous St Leger horse race, one of the classic fixtures on the racing calendar, was first run as a sweepstake in 1776 over a 2-mile course on Cantley Common, Doncaster.

Please note that ivory is covered by CITES legislation and may be subject to export and other trade restrictions