Richard Tattersall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Tattersall
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Richard Tattersall, painted c. 1790 by Thomas Beach
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| Born | 1724 Hurstwood, Lancashire
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| Died | 21 February 1795 (aged 70–71) |
| Occupation | Horse auctioneer |
| Known for | Founder of Tattersalls racehorse auctioneer |
Richard Tattersall (born June 1724 – died February 21, 1795) was a famous English horse auctioneer. He started a very well-known company called Tattersalls, which still sells racehorses today.
Early Life
Richard Tattersall was born in a place called Hurstwood in Lancashire, England. He went to school at Burnley Grammar School. In 1745, he left home. It seems his father stopped him from joining the Jacobite rebels, a group who wanted to put a different king on the throne.
Richard loved horses from a young age. He started working for Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull. Soon, he became the Duke's main horse caretaker, known as a stud-groom.
Starting a Horse Auction Business
Richard saved a lot of money. In 1766, he bought a long-term lease for a property near Hyde Park Corner in London. This area was outside the main city back then. There, he opened his own business as a horse auctioneer. An auctioneer is someone who sells things by taking bids from people. The item goes to the person who offers the highest price.
People admired Richard for being honest and very good at business. Soon, important people like members of the Jockey Club and nobles became his customers. He even found horses for the King of France and his son, the Dauphin.
In 1774, Tattersall sold the horses belonging to his old boss, the Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull. He had some trouble with the Duchess, Elizabeth Chudleigh, Duchess of Kingston, who tried to claim the money from the sale.
In 1779, Richard bought a very famous racehorse named Highflyer. He paid £2,500 for it, which was a huge amount of money at the time!
Other Business Ideas
Richard then started a stud farm in Dawley, Middlesex. A stud farm is a place where horses are bred. This farm, along with his honest reputation, helped him become very wealthy.
Around the same time, he set up two special rooms at Hyde Park Corner. These rooms were for members of the Jockey Club. These "subscription rooms" quickly became a popular meeting place for people interested in horse racing. They were also where most bets on horse races were organized.
Tattersall also bought a place called New Barns near Ely. He renamed it Highflyer Hall. Here, he would entertain important guests like the Prince of Wales (who later became King George IV). He also hosted famous politicians like Charles James Fox and William Windham. He was known for serving "some of the best port in England."
The Prince of Wales trusted Richard a lot. He even asked Richard to help give money to older racing fans who needed it. To honor the Prince, Richard built a small dome, called a cupola, with a statue of the young Prince and a fox. This became a famous symbol of Tattersall's business.
In July 1786, Richard was in charge of selling the Prince's horses. Around 1788, Tattersall also became the owner of a newspaper called the Morning Post. Even though it had clever poems and news about sports, it didn't make money. He sold it in 1792 to Daniel Stuart.
Richard Tattersall was often called "Old Tatt" later in his life. He died on February 21, 1795. He was buried in St George's, Hanover Square. He was so well-liked that people said highway robbers wouldn't bother him. One story even says a pickpocket returned his handkerchief with compliments!
Family
Richard Tattersall married Catharine, who was the granddaughter of James, the twelfth Baron Somerville. They had one son named Edmund (1758–1810). Edmund took over his father's business and expanded it to France.
Edmund's son, Richard (1785–1859), was known as "Old Dick." His son, also named Richard (1812–1870), was called "Young Mr Richard." Both of them later led the family business.
Another great-grandson of "Old Tatt" was George Tattersall. He was an architect and artist. He was sometimes called "Wildrake" and created many illustrations of racehorses.
