The rooms and the racing crowd

The horse racing which took place on Claverton Down attracted sizable crowds and enormously wealthy owners and gamblers.

Many businesses in Bath sought to profit from this, and the Assembly Rooms were no different. So, when, in 1772, there was a three-day meeting in September, the Upper Rooms put on a pre-season ball, as described in this advertisement in the Bath Chronicle.

There were also Balls at Gyde's Lower Rooms on Tuesday and Thursday Nights at the same price.

The racing took place from September 21st through to Thursday, the 24th, on Claverton Down.

Those owners of horse raced included:

The enormously wealthy gambler, horse breeder and pimp Denis O'Kelly.

Sir Richard Bamfylde MP for Exeter.

Lady Bampfylde
by Sir Joshua Reynolds,
c.1776

Mr Wildman was a very wealthy meat wholesaler.

Edmund Boyle, 8th Earl of Cork

John Parker of Saltram House in Devon. A close friend of the Prince of Wales