This incorporates a couple of themes from recent posts about racing. I can’t claim to have witnessing a jockey leaving his horse at a fence like this, but I do know that at Haydock Park, where I worked in my college holidays on the ground staff, that there was always an ambulance ready for such an eventuality. To say it is a dangerous sport is something of an understatement. Very small men clinging on to a beast with much more muscle than Tyson Fury, who have been kicking them and come armed with a whip, can just be a little … Continue reading Jump jockey

Not many more of these drawings now. One thing that did strike me all those years ago when I had a holiday job, was just how small a jockey can be. I’m not a giant but I towered over these guys, and it was only guys in those days. We did not see a lot of them as race days were not that often, if I saw two or three race days whilst I was there over the summer that was about it. I personally steered well clear of any horses. The pedigrees that arrived just before race day were … Continue reading Tiny Men

More memories of Haydock Park with this pair. This is a bit more like they dress today than in the 70s when I had a holiday job on the course. What’s not changed is the way they seem to wear their tickets on their coats as far as the male of the species goes. The heels for the filly are also a must have, and there’s a certain amount of risk to the poor wearer, not just from inevitable bunions, but just the simple matter of walking. I call it Totteridge. From the rear the lady in question would look … Continue reading Racing: “Totterdige & Tottenham”

Another Haydock Park inspired drawing. I worked there over two summer holidays from college as I recall. It was in some ways more of an education than college where I mixed with people who were all about my age, and with limited life experiences. At the racecourse I was with ground staff who’d worked there for years. One man was the speciality jumps builder ( I was the speciality litter picker trying to peel torn up tiny betting slips super glued to the tarmac without mistaking the pieces for bird lime ) We collected wood for the jumps from Lord … Continue reading Stable Pair

When I worked at Haydock Park, there were no mobile phones. This I’m sure has changed though it’s many years since I have been at a racecourse, even though Cheltenham is just down the road. The bookmakers on course used tic tac men or were adept at the secret sign language themselves.There is one glaring inaccuracy in this rough drawing and that is the tic tac man looks cheerful and my more current memory is that bookmakers rarely looked cheerful, it made them look as if they were winning. Bad for business. The Race Days at the course were generally … Continue reading On course betting

A few drawings unearthed in recent days, when I thought of doing a series on horse racing. I have some limited experience in the field having worked at Haydock Park when I was 16, where my duties included cutting birch trees on Lord Derby’s estate a few miles away which were then transported down the East Lancs Road on a trailer pulled by a tractor, with me on the top of the load with a red flag! Picking litter after a race day and cursing the losers who tore up their betting slips and littered the grandstands, and ‘treading in’ … Continue reading Racing certainty

I’ve probably posted this before, but who cares. I bet I’m not the only one who tells a favourite story more than once, my best friends let me do it, then I get to the end and I look at them and they give me that look that tells me I’ve told it before. A sort of kindly smiling look, that is giving the impression that I’m losing my marbles, but they understand. My good friend Andy and I finished a children’s book and put it out there for sale about two weeks ago. We did not print a lot: … Continue reading Sammy the Salesman

Most people of my generation who work in graphics or illustration will be familiar with the Swann Morton scalpel. I’ve used this one since around 1980 and it is just about to retire. The blade holder can’t take it any more. So I’ve gone for an upgrade, the Swann Morton 2021. It’s exactly the same as this one, but someone has seen fit to add some engraved numbers on the handle, so you can use it to measure something relatively short! These things are made in Sheffield, not something I’d taken on board for many years until my son moved … Continue reading Scalpel retires…

Rootling around and finding some old ideas and in the spirit of recycling, here’s an old cartoon from an old cartoonist. There was a time when I thought it would be a good idea to ‘do jokes’ but the blank sheet of paper got the better of me. I prefer to be inspired by a subject and the possibility of being paid! This was for a client but I’m baffled about what it was for or if it ever got finished. It is a first round gh but like the last posting, does the job. Finish it up? No point … Continue reading No blogs for ages then three come all at once.

Found this when trawling around…Never got finished but actually quite happy with the drawing. Continue reading Job interview

I always think that September is a great time to take photographs. The light is our very good friend in this month. I’m posting a few from here, each with a small commentary. Hope you enjoy them. “What’s a phone box Granny?” my grandson asked the other day. How to explain. If you had no phone at home or in the unlikely event of needing to phone someone you could go to a red box and then if you put money into the black box inside the red box, you could be put through to talk to someone on the … Continue reading Rich pickings in September