Stable Lads Strike 1919

Stable Lads usually carry out all the day to day tasks of mucking out, exercising, grooming, feeding, watering, and bedding down horses but the job generally does not include racing them.

In 1919, stable lads were poorly paid.  One Lambourn (Berkshire) trainer paid his stable lads 5s (25p) per week plus 30s (£1.50) for their keep plus £12 per year for clothing – all equating to roughly 40s (£2) per week. This was probably the going rate in the area so despite the post war high unemployment some 300 stable lads got together and took strike action to demand a 25% increase in wages to 50s (£2.50) per week. The trainers used volunteers (mainly women) in an attempt to break the strike but despite this the strike action spread to Epsom when the dispute found its way into the national press and cinema newsreels.

The Times 22 Sept 1919
A THREATENED STRIKE

The racing stable lads at Epsom, who are claiming a 50s. weekly minimum wage, were to have given a week’s notice to the trainers last Saturday, and to have gone out on strike next Saturday. They have, however, postponed for a week the giving of notice in consequence of a letter having been received from the secretary of the Trainers’ Federation stating that he is calling a meeting of the Federation at an early date and will inform the National Union of General Workers, to which the lads belong, of the view of the Federation as quickly as possible. Unless the Federation is willing to meet the representatives of the stable lads a strike seems certain.

The Times 24 Sept 1919
UNREST IN RACING STABLES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir, May I venture, in the interests of peace, to make an appeal to owners on behalf of trainers and stable lads? The lads are demanding a higher wage; the trainers, some of them at least, say that with the enormous increase in the price of fodder, &c., they cannot afford it. A strike is threatened. Is it not up to the owners to intervene in a matter which may not be directly under their cognizance, and to increase their fees to the trainers (where it needs increment for this purpose) to ensure a minimum wage which will compare with the wage they now pay to their own grooms. for the stable lads. Many of these are married, and most of them have served their country. At the risk of being accounted “a fool” for “rushing in.” I ask the hospitality of your columns for an appeal to men. who, when we started a stable lads club here, were keenly interested and liberal subscribers. I write without the knowledge of either trainers or lads.

W. D. BAINBRIDGE-BELL,
Vicar of Epsom.

The Times 13 Oct 1919
EPSOM STABLE BOYS TO STRIKE.

All the stable lads at Epsom who are members of the National Union of General Workers have given notice to strike unless their demands, including a weekly minimum wage of 50s., are granted by next Saturday. The strike will be authorized by the National Union of General Workers, who are in communication with the Vehicle Workers’ Union, to which the stable boys at Newmarket are affiliated. The Trainers’ Federation meet at Newmarket on Thursday to consider the matter.

The Times 04 Nov 1919
EPSOM STABLE LAD FINED.

At Epsom Police Court yesterday Eric FOSTER, a stable lad, was charged with assaulting George Pellerin, a French jockey in the employment of Mr Stanley Wootton, of Epsom. Foster, in evidence, said that he asked Pellerin if he would come out on strike, and Pellerin unbuttoned his coat and the witness saw a revolver case. He struck Pellerin because he thought he was going to do him violence.   Foster was fined £5.

The Times 11 Nov 1919
EPSOM STABLE LADS BOUND OVER.
ASSAULT ON TRAINER’S SON

At Epsom Police Court yesterday four of the Epsom stable lads who are out on strike, ERIC FOSTER, ALFRED BLUNDELL, TIMOTHY O’SULLIVAN, and HARRY. J. STONE, were summoned for assaulting Walter Nightingall on Epsom Downs last Thursday.

Mr. Nightingall said he was riding one of his father’s horses on Six-Mile Hill, and was travelling about 20 miles an hour, when he saw 18 stable lads ride across the gallop about three yards apart brandishing sticks and whips. Attempts were made to hit him and his horse; the result being that he was nearly thrown.

Cross-examined, he denied that his father, William Nightingall, lifted his stick to strike Stone.

Evidence having been given by the defendants that no attempts were made to hit Walter Nightingall or his horse, the Bench decided that a technical offence had been committed. Foster, who had previously been fined £5 for assaulting a French jockey. was now fined £2. The other defendants were bound over to be of good behaviour for 12 months.

Four Decades Later

The Times 12 Feb 1960
AGREEMENT IN EPSOM DISPUTE.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

EPSOM, FEB. 11,The strike of stable lads at Epsom threatened for Saturday was called off to-night. A joint statement issued after a meeting between trainers and stable lads said that the basic wage would be increased to £9 a week for properly qualified stablemen; there would be an annual holiday of 14 days with pay; and that the stable lads would have every other Sunday off.

The statement was issued jointly by Mr. W. Nightingall, deputy chairman of the Surrey Trainers’ Association, and Mr. G. K. Ing, who works in Mr. D. Whelan’s stable.

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