More on the Cadogan Riding School
I wrote this piece some years ago when I was writing my book, Heroines on Horseback, and struggling to complete the chapter on Ruby Ferguson and the Jill books. I am a grade A prevaricator, and like to prevaricate by researching anything other than what I'm supposed to be working on. I'd just bought a collection of Riding Magazines from the 1930s, and they provided rich, rich fodder for prevarication.
I wrote an earlier post on the Cadogan Riding School and what happened to it in the Second World War, and you can find that post here.
I have now finished my accounts, Holiday Club is behind me and I have therefore nothing to prevaricate about at all and no reason whatsoever for not getting on with wrestling some sense into my great thoughts about Ruby Ferguson, but like a horse turned out to pasture for the first time in the spring the freedom from duty has gone to my head, and my head has turned to the Cadogan Riding School, about which it wishes to know more.
I wrote an earlier post on the Cadogan Riding School and what happened to it in the Second World War, and you can find that post here.
***
I have now finished my accounts, Holiday Club is behind me and I have therefore nothing to prevaricate about at all and no reason whatsoever for not getting on with wrestling some sense into my great thoughts about Ruby Ferguson, but like a horse turned out to pasture for the first time in the spring the freedom from duty has gone to my head, and my head has turned to the Cadogan Riding School, about which it wishes to know more.
The Cadogan Riding School was one of the major riding schools of the inter-war period. The Cadogan School taught beginners through to advanced riders: jumping, driving and evening classes. The school's premises were at the back of what is now the Carlton Tower, in Cadogan Lane. Besides this central London branch, it had offshoots at Richmond, and a hunting stables at Holyport, Maidenhead, which was managed in the 1920s by Dick Francis's father. Horace Smith, the owner, and his daughter, Sybil, taught the Queen and Princess Margaret to ride.
I still haven't managed to find a picture of the Cadogan school's indoor riding school (I do not know why I am so obsessed by this, but I am).* I have, however, tracked down an article Horace Smith, owner of the School, wrote for the first issue of Riding Magazine, which appeared in June 1936. In this he recommends that beginners spend at least six weeks learning in the indoor school before they are allowed out into the open. The picture below shows Mr Smith returning from a ride out in the Park, at, presumably, the Cadogan Riding School.
The present Queen and Princess Margaret were lucky to be taught by him: I wish some of my early riding teachers had followed Mr Smith's dictum:
The art of teaching lies in a good judgment of psychology; in knowing just how far to go, in giving confidence to the pupil by combining kindness with discipline, and by always being careful to see that when the pupils have finished their lesson they leave the school with a happy memory.
The picture below of one of Mr Smith's lessons exudes regimented calm:
The picture must have been taken in the indoor school, but none of the interior details are shown. The Cadogan Riding School was the last Central London school to have an indoor riding arena, and this and most of the school's buildings fell victim to the Blitz during the Second World War. The school returned to London, albeit in a reduced form, after the Second World War, and was finally closed when the pressure of traffic between the school's buildings in Cadogan Lane, and the entrance of Hyde Park which it used at Albert Gate became too much. The School then operated out of Holyport until it closed in the 1970s.
As a nod to my current obsession with the indoor riding school, here is an advertisement for another riding school. This one was in Kingsbury, in what were then the rural outskirts of North London. The advertisement appeared in the same issue of Riding as Mr Smith's article.
More on the Cadogan Riding School
* I did manage to track something down that might give us an idea of the interior of the riding school: this early advertisement for the riding school certainly shows an indoor school.
The Cadogan Riding School during the Second World War
Sources:
* I did manage to track something down that might give us an idea of the interior of the riding school: this early advertisement for the riding school certainly shows an indoor school.
The Cadogan Riding School during the Second World War
Sources:
Riding Magazine, June 1936
Joyce Bellamy, Hyde Park for Horsemanship, J A Allen, 1975
Horace Smith, A Horseman Through Six Reigns, Odhams, 1965
Horace Smith, A Horseman Through Six Reigns, Odhams, 1965
Comments
I learned to ride at the Cadogan Ridng School in Holyport Nr Maindenhead in the early 1960's. I was 4. It was run by Sybil Smith. I remember being taught to canter on a welsh pony called Merrylegs, and was on the lead line wth Mr Mead. We sang "here we go gathering nuts in May " as we rode along!
was pretty straight with houses on the left, you then come to a slight bend with a lane on the left and a track on the right which led to Miss Smith's bungalow and a back path entrance to the school. If you carried on down the main road the main entrance was about 200-300 yds on the right hand side, on the left of the drive was a huge indoor riding school, in my time used as storage. I visited some years ago and it's all been built on. Sad, but I have the memories!!
It was after the fire that I was there and the stables were becoming quite run down, I remember the smell of the tack room to this day and all of the lovely old tack that lived thee side saddles etc....happy memories
Merrylegs, Juniper, myrtle, Tommy and claremont are in my memory. Unfortunately the stables were demolished and Cadogan Close was built on the site many years ago.
Evans - general store
Ashley? the corner shop that sold ice creams, may have done hair cuts? hairdresser? can't remember as I was too young with no pocket money to spend!
If any info on Hilary Shaw and Nancy come to light......
When visiting back in the summer, memories came flooding back. We stayed in our caravan at Stroud Farm - the people who run the site only just remember the stables and helping out with hay and straw supplies after the fire.
Does anyone remember Suzinna(?) Trapini (?)- I think that her parents may have run Skindles hotel in Maidenhead.
I have memories - and photos - of some sort of pageant where my grandad was wearing a drivers cloak and top hat. I remember oiling the horses hooves and, prior to the event, riding in a coach which Grandad drove around Holyport, Bray, Taplow area.
Also I have a picture of me on the back of Gray Owl (I think at the Taplow show) which was owned by Colemans of Norwich
I also found out that my uncle played the part of Dick Turpin when the Magpies pub was closed due to Heathrow airport being built and have found a photo of this event.
Gosh, seeing these photos ( also of several horses being put for sale with the Holyport yard background) brought back so many memories. Heigh Ho - do people want to know the history of the place where they live?
Please if this stirs any memories....
Hilary Heneghan
I know that the Smiths stables in London did run Rolls Royce hire and services after the first world war. They produced a leaflet advertising the riding school/lessons etc on one side and Rolls Royce hire on the other. The tariff was 20 miles or 2 hours for £1.00.00 going up to a maximum of 80 miles for 10 hours for £3.10.00 that is £1.00 to £3.50 in todays money. They also advertised that any make of car could be supplied and that they did overhauls and repairs to clients cars. Motor omnibuses for Station work and theatres etc were available.
I do have a picture from a magazine of the indoor school at Holyport which boasted to be the biggest in England at the time.
The Royal Warrant had been held since Queen Victoria's time until just before the stables were sold.
I will try to get some photos uploaded but as the scrap books are so old we will have to photograph and then upload.
As we will both be retired by June we will come down for the event and bring the scrap books - hopefully the caravan site at Stroud Farm is still going.
Of course her first love was horses - I don't remember a love of classic cars. I do know that in her younger years she had access to a chauffeur!!
I do however remember an orange mini clubman estate. She was an appalling driver. My Auntie and I used to tease her that driving as her passenger was like riding the wall of death!!
Fond memories of a lady whos like just doesn't exist anymore.
We spent alot of time in Holyport as youngsters as our Grandad (William Meads) was Sybil's manager.
I will look up some photos from the 1960's.
I'm not surprised that the Smiths did cars too. To have survived for such a long time in very difficult years they must have possessed extraordinary business acumen.
Sally - that's a great anecdote! If you can look up some photos it would be great to see them.
We lived next door to Sybil in her later years when she became infirm and moved from her bungalow to a house on the main road. He often called in on Sybil and her carer Evelyn to ensure they were safe and warm or needed any odd jobs taken care of, things mended etc.
When Sybil passed away most of her possessions were sold at auction due to her having no children, but my dad received a few pieces of memorabilia from her shed from Evelyn, sadly quite water damaged. Among them is the original Royal Warrant granted to Horace in Queen Victoria's reign, voided in 1901 upon her death and succession of the King. As you can imagine it is in terrible condition having lain in her shed for decades. There is also a watercolour painting of Horace driving a carriage in Hyde Park, painted by Evelyn Watherston. My dad seems to recall him having something wrong with his left arm, can anybody shed any light on this?
Anyway thank you so much for this blog and information on Horace and Sybil, very interesting for an old resident of Holyport.
(edited for spelling)
I'm afraid I don't know what was wrong with Horace's left arm. I don't think he mentions it in his biography, as far as I can remember (but I am quite happy to be told I'm wrong).
How wonderful that you have the original Royal Warrant. Damaged, yes, but I wonder how few similar things still exist?
Fiona - the more I read about Miss Smith, the more fascinating she sounds. I think I need to do a post on her.
I have happy memories of my time with them and Jean's sister, Ruth, and remember Ken talking about Sybil Smith so it's great to read some of the background.
Sue Jones - RealCarCo
The last time I saw Evlyn and Miss Smith was in the 1970's after they moved to Holyport following a traffic accident involving one of the horses. Neither seemed to have changed one jot only the piles of magazines had spread to the kitchen chairs!
Northleigh Oxfordshire.
Gentle, obedient, mare one wished to keep for life. Owned by Jennifer. Photograph shows two riders on foot at her head.
A moment of my Equestrian Life. Christopher S
Remembered on VE day 8th of May 2020
My great grandfather, Alfred Forrester, was a riding master there between the wars. The family lived above the stables and he was the member of staff injured in the bombing. Following that my grandmother took him and my father (a baby) to Wales for the duration of the war. Alfred died in 1946. From what I know he was a steeplechase jockey in Newmarket around the turn of the century. He then had his own stables/riding school somewhere in the Upton upon Severn area, but that closed when his horses were requisitioned for the First World War. He spent that war training horses and mules for the army.
There is a box at my parents house full of signed photographs from some of the celebrities that my great grandfather taught at the Cadogan Riding School (I was always told that he rode with JFK and the Kennedy brothers when they were in London). There may be other memorabilia, but I'm afraid I don’t remember ever seeing a photo of the indoor school. My grandmother worked as a secretary for Sibyl Smith after the war and my father grew up living in Cadogan Lane, helping out with the remaining horses as a boy. I’ve worked for many years as a curator at the V&A and have often walked through the area and wondered what it was like when the stables were there.
The ‘Mr Forresters’ riding school referred to in one of the previous comments was owned my grandmother’s brother, Leonard Forrester. It was at Low Meadow Farm near Fulmer. I remember visiting as a small child in the early 1980s. Juniper was still there, but very old!
Catherine
My great grandfather, Alfred Forrester, was a riding master there between the wars. The family lived above the stables and he was the member of staff injured in the bombing. Following that my grandmother took him and my father (a baby) to Wales for the duration of the war. Alfred died in 1946. From what I know he was a steeplechase jockey in Newmarket around the turn of the century. He then had his own stables/riding school somewhere in the Upton upon Severn area, but that closed when his horses were requisitioned for the First World War. He spent that war training horses and mules for the army.
There is a box at my parents house full of signed photographs from some of the celebrities that my great grandfather taught to ride at the Cadogan Riding School (I was always told that he rode with JFK and the Kennedy brothers when they were in London). There may be other memorabilia, but I'm afraid I don’t remember ever seeing a photo of the indoor school. My grandmother worked as a secretary for Sibyl Smith after the war and my father grew up living in Cadogan Lane, helping out with the remaining horses as a boy. I’ve worked for many years as a curator at the V&A and have often walked through the area and wondered what it was like when the stables were there.
The ‘Mr Forresters’ riding school referred to in one of the previous comments was owned my grandmother’s brother, Leonard Forrester. It was at Low Meadow Farm near Fulmer. I remember visiting as a small child in the early 1980s. Juniper was still there, but very old!
A special mare with great manners and disposition. A horse in a million who could sail a five barred gate and finish with a bare touch on the rein in a perfect collected canter, and would come to a halt and attention with four legs together with the lightest pressure of the seat.
It would be hard to find such a made horse within the UK in 2020.
There was a sale at Messers Tattersall, Knightsbridge on 14 November 1938 of the entire stud of Hunters from the Holyport branch, hunters of all descriptions including prize winners and Mayfly was part of this sale.
Could this be the same Mayfly?
No not the same Cadogan Mayfly. A grey mare about 16plus. 1950s Oxfordshire. Obviously a name carried on by Smith at Cadogan. Too fine to be a regular Hunter, more like Dressage.
A capable clean jumper as well. Flew a five barred gate, hanging above ground, without any effort. Gave me a First in Horsemanship & Efficiency in a double. A mare remembered for life.