November 14th 2019
* New Speaker *
Sarah Fraser will present the film: A changing face of Northampton Racecourse, by Tim Coley,a local film maker.
During WW1, the Racecourse became a training ground for soldiers. Archive film material brings this period to life and the impact on the residents of Northampton.
Review of the evening
It is a documentary film by Northampton based film maker Tim Coley. It was made with a Heritage Lottery Grant and local researchers and was released about a year ago. The Racecourse has had a long and varied role in the town and this film tells the story of its time as a training ground for soldiers during the early part of WW1. It was originally used as a pleasure ground/park for the people of Northampton, with the racecourse being a small part of it. However, as there was public access at all times, it became a dangerous place and in 1904, it was no longer used as a racecourse as there had been many accidents and some fatalities.
In 1914, 16,000 Welsh troops marched from Castle Station to begin their stay at the racecourse and surrounding areas where they were billeted. The soldiers used the training ground during 1914/5, exercising themselves and their 7000 horses. You can imagine the mess they left behind! As they left in 1915 to join the front line in Gallipoli, most never to return, the people of Northampton lined the streets to say a fond farewell to the men they had grown to care about.
In 1917 the land was turned over to allotments for the local people to grow their own food. By 1920, the land was required to be used for public recreation once more so the allotment users were given alternative spaces.
