James Mitchell (1799 – 1860)
Butcher, Driver of ‘The Accommodation’ Coach from Worthing, and Farmer

Mitchell & Howes ‘Accommodation’ Coach, as depicted in the 1943 “The Worthing Road and its coaches” by Henfrey Smail
Image courtesy of West Sussex Record Office

The baptism of James, son of Jane and William Mitchell was recorded in Horsham, Sussex, on 25 August 1799. Consequently a report that he had been born in the Leg of Mutton and Cauliflower Inn at Ashtead appears unfounded. However, a William Mitchell, presumed to be his father, did become the publican there after 1810 and notice of his intention to vacate the tenancy was given by 15 February 1824.

Mitchell, senior, had also been a coachman for some years earlier operating The Accommodation out of Worthing. In 1828, he was said to have “abandoned the box, where he was considered a very good performer, and now devotes himself entirely to the business of his farm, and the various coaches in which he is concerned… His son James has succeeded to his father’s whip and reins on The Accommodation” – reportedly a yellow coach horsed with 4 greys.

For the Derby on 22 May 1844, one Lichtwald, a German horse-dealer, sent over a horse called Leander, who broke his leg in running, while racing against Mr. A. Goodman’s Running Rein, who came in first. Leander was subsequently proved to have been more than three years old and Messrs. Lichtwald, his owners, were ‘declared for ever disqualified from entering or running any horse in their own name, or the name of any other person, at any race where the rules and regulations of the Jockey Club are recognised’. According to The Bye-Lanes, Downs of England, and Turf Scenes and Characters, published in 1850: –

“Old Forth’s ‘Pot’ a terrific cauldron! boiled over, and scalded the whole stable! The German nag, that ran in the names of Mynheer, Lychwaldt, and of any age you pleased, over four, broke his leg in the race, and was buried at Ashtead on the sly. But, a jolly gang of revellers, who were celebrating the ‘Oaks’ victory, at John Scott’s, at Leatherhead, headed by poor little Charley Robinson, resolved upon looking into the dead horse’s mouth, and disinterred him for the purpose. But, when they came to the stiffened corpse of the veteran, lo! and behold, his lower-jaw was gone! Old Forth being rather too wide awake to leave even this remote chance of the damning evidence of his age to be brought against him.”

Leander had been brought by van from the Rubbing House to Cuthbert’s Training Stables on Crampshaw Lane, Ashtead, where he had been lodged out of Michel Grove in Sussex before the race. On account of his injuries the horse was put down by Col. Howard’s gamekeeper from Ashtead Park. Before the animal had been buried Mr James Mitchell, known to the Forths as a butcher, purveying meat to their house Down Hall, Epsom, and driver of the Worthing to London coach (he obviously was aware of suspicions surrounding the horse’s age) removed the horse’s lower jaw. This action was claimed to have been taken on his own initiative but with permission, and presumed connivance, of the trainer John Forth.

The jaw had been taken by John Cuthbert for it to be boiled removing the flesh. The remainder of the carcase was then interred by Mr Cuthbert and his ‘man’ in a field probably where a house called Crampshaw End came to be built.

Burial place of Leander beside Cuthbert’s Training Stables, Plots 270 & 268 in 1879 Sale Plan.
Image courtesy of Leatherhead and District Local History Society.
Click to enlarge

As mentioned above, following The Oaks, a party from Vale Lodge Farm, Leatherhead, where John Scott had taken up his quarters for Epsom, decided to disinter the unfortunate beast only to discover its lower jaw was missing. The rest of the head was then removed and boiled clean.

The matter was considered at length by a Select Committee of the Laws of Gaming in the House of Lords on 7 June 1844 for it to be determined that Leander had been at least 4 years old.

James Mitchell ran the Accommodation coach to London until October 1845 and, in November of that year, the first train ran into Worthing. At that “time a service of plate, valued at one hundred guineas , was presented to him by subscriptions limited to half-a-guinea each , from the nobility and gentry usually travelling with him“. During 1849, however, he was still listed as a Coach Proprietor at 23 The Steyne, Worthing.

For the 1851 Census, James was enumerated as an unmarried Farmer, aged 57, born Horsham in Sussex, employing 8 labourers at Broadwater. His widowed sister, Elizabeth Betser, was also a Lodging House Keeper in Broadwater.

On 14 June 1860, James Mitchell died in Worthing “very suddenly” and was brought for burial in the Parish of Broadwater four days later. Letters of Administration were granted to Elizabeth Betser as next of kin.

Bibliography

• Letters from the Steward of Ashtead Manor – Leatherhead and District Local History Society
  Proceedings Vol. 5. No. 4, 1991.
• A Trifle from Worthing, The Sporting Magazine, November 1828.
• Report from Select Committees of the House of Lords, 1844.

Supplementary Notes

John Cuthbert formerly of Epsom, but late of Ashtead, Gentleman, died 6/61863, buried aged 80 at St Giles 11/6/1863.

Will of Maria Cuthbert, late of Rose Cottage, Ashtead, died 12/10/1885 was proved by Mary Slater, wife of Walter Slater of Rose Cottage, niece, the sole Exix. Buried St Giles 19/10/1885 aged 92.

Mary Slater, buried St Giles, 5/12/1889, had died 30/11/1889 late of Rose Villa, wife of Walter Slater, Clerk in the Education Department of the Privy Council.

Brian Bouchard 2024