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The Epsom Derby

 

Derby Day at Epsom racecourse, Epsom Downs, Surrey, England


-Greetings, 

    I had so much fun today! It was Derby Day! I wore a pretty long dress with a matching hat that I had packed specifically for this event. I was lucky to be able to attend as a guest of a highly respected woman at the Grand Stand. The Derby is a race for 3-year-old horses and is held at the Epsom Downs racetrack in Surrey. Derby Day is so highly regarded that it is an unofficial holiday and even Parliament doesn't conduct business. The Epsom Downs course is a large and green plain with three public stands, several small stands, tents, hundreds of shops, a multitude of carriages, and plenty of temporary stables set up. 

    The British people anticipate The Derby every year and have been preparing all week for the event and been betting on it for months. There had to of been at least 200,000 people out at The Derby today, if not more. Most of those in attendance were dressed in their best summer outfits, both men and women. Women were dressed similar to myself, and the men were in their best with top hats. It was a beautiful day. I am so glad the weather was nice. The horses were stunning. 

    The Derby was a host of many kinds of people. It was interesting to see gypsies, singers, and dancers at the event as well. They went around trying to sell souvenirs and trying to black people's boots. Their clothes were a lot older and more ragged compared to the clothes of those in middle- and upper- class. The Derby is highly regarded among the British people. It is this upscale event for higher society and a carnival for the working-class. 


Bibliography

Correspondence of the New-York Daily Times. "ENGLAND.: DERBY WEEK--PARLIAMENT AND FOREIGN POLITICS--THE QUEEN/S BIRTH-DAY--GIANT STEAMSHIPS--THE DOCKYARD--MRS. STOWE, &C." New York Daily Times (1851-1857), Jun 09, 1853, pp. 1. ProQuest, https://eznvcc.vccs.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/england/docview/95833914/se-2.

Evans, Mary. “Derby Day at Epsom Racecourse, Epsom Downs, Surrey.” agefotostock, December 10, 2019. https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/details-photo/derby-day-at-epsom-racecourse-epsom-downs-surrey-england-the-view-at-tattenham-corner-a-sharp-uphill-turn-before-the-final-straight/MEV-12020967.

Salisbury, Joyce and Andrew Kersten. "Sports & Games in Victorian England." In Daily Life through History, ABC-CLIO, 2023. Accessed August 6, 2023. https://dailylife2-abc-clio-com.eznvcc.vccs.edu/Topics/Display/1426828?sid=1426916&cid=102&subId=1426828&useConcept=False.

Taine, Hippolyte. "Derby Day, 28 May 1861: A French Visitor's View." In Gale World History Online Collection. Detroit, MI: Gale, 2014. Gale In Context: World History (accessed August 6, 2023). https://link-gale-com.eznvcc.vccs.edu/apps/doc/VBCXCD124312862/WHIC?u=viva2_nvcc&sid=bookmark-WHIC&xid=8c623d32.

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