Fen skating
[11] In February 1810 a newspaper reported "On Monday, se'nnight, a silver cup was skaited for upon the rivet at Wisbech, which drew, together a great concourse of people from all parts of the neighbourhood, it was supposed there were at least 3000 persons upon the ice.
"[12] On Christmas Eve 1819 the Stamford Mercury published the challenge to skate a two- or four-mile course for any sum between twenty and one hundred pounds by Mr John Staplee of Croyland Bank.
[20] By the 1890s the women had at least acquired names; the Hunts County Guardian reported in February 1892 that Mrs. Winters of Welney had beaten 13-year-old Miss Dewsbury of Little Thetford in the final of a half-mile match at Littleport.
(https://www.wisbechmuseum.org.uk) In February 1814 a local newspaper reported 'On Wednesday se’nnight a purse of eight guineas was skaited for on Wisbech river, by eight of the principal runners in the neighbourhood, which was won by a young man from Thorney, named Hickling.
Skating.—The manly and graceful exercise skating has seldom been exhibited in greater perfection than Wisbech, on the 10th instant, when eight of the most celebrated runners in England, viz- Messrs. Purrant of Elm, Taylor of Leverington Parson Drove, Wooll and May of Upwell, Drake and Bassett of Chatteris, and Young and Gittam of Nordelph, met to contest the prize of superiority.
Great apparent facility, and smoothness of movement, are indispensable to that pre-eminent celerity which alone can ensure success, and the "victorious racer" on this occasion, manifested a grace and elegance fully commensurate with his extraordinary strength and agility.
The elevated mounds, which confine the river either side, gave all the advantages of an ancient theatre to the immense concourse of spectators from every part of the country; and, as the several competitors were men of the highest renown, a degree of interest and generous emulation was excited by this harmless sport, never exceeded by that of the ruinous race-course, or the sanguinary bull-fight.
1822 eight of the principal runners (matched as follows) Young and Magnis, May and Cave, Bradford and Hicklin, and Berry and Drake, skated for a prize of ten guineas.
On 31st another prize, of ten sovereigns, was skated for at Chatteris, which was won by Young, who beat Cave, Gittam, May and Bradford with apparent ease.
Much credit is due to the gentlemen who had the management of the sports — a band of music was provided, which played many excellent tunes in the intervals between the heats, to the great satisfaction of an immense concourse of spectators, who lined the banks of the river on each side; and as a number of men with ropes were engaged to prevent individuals skating on the course during the time of the races, every person had a distinct view of the competitors for same.
[36] After a series of mild winters in the 1840s, skating was dominated for a few years by men from the Norfolk village of Southery, with Larman Register acknowledged as champion.
The clergy and 'squires', gentry and tradesmen – hale ploughboys and rosy milkmaids – ladies parties in carriages, gigs and carts, made their way to the bank near the bridge, and took their respective positions, where the view was excellent, and all that could be wished, for the 'St Ledger day on the ice'.
A brass band of music from Chatteris was placed on the bridge, and played the most lively tunes: at the starting of a race, 'Cheer boys, cheer', and at the winning, 'See the conquering hero comes'.
[39]After beating three Southery men, Butcher, Porter and Larman Register, Turkey Smart met David Green of March in the final.
[39] Turkey Smart remained the champion for the rest of the decade, his nearest rivals being his brother-in-law "Gutta Percha" See, the Registers, Butchers and Porters of Southery, David Green of March, and fellow Welney men Wiles and Watkinson.
Turkey Smart won the Kimbolton Stakes on the flooded Huntingdon Racecourse in front of a grandstand of local aristocracy, and followed it with a win at Denver, beating Robert Watkinson in the final, but these victories were followed by a first round loss at Welney.
The following year Stephen Smith, a farmer's son from Conington, Tom Cross of Ely and the Shelton brothers from Ramsey came to the fore.
[45] The National Skating Association had also established an amateur championship, which was held for the first time at Welsh Harp, London, in January 1880, and won by Frederick Norman, a farmer's son from Willingham.
He suffered one defeat in Lancashire when he skated on Carr Mill Dam against Our Nel's Jack (John Hill) of Billinge, but he had his revenge in a return match at Welney.
They had taken Fish Smart to Holland for an international race in January 1885, but he was beaten in the first round by Benedict Kingma; two amateurs, Charles Goodman Tebbutt and S. Burlingham fared little better.
About 2,000 persons yesterday attended the championship skating match at Grantchester, near Cambridge, when eighteen competed in a three-mile race, with six turns.
[49] PETERBOROUGH SKATING ASSOCIATION.—This association offered some valuable prizes for a professional mile race, on a course adjoining the River Nene, on Saturday, 26 December 1891.
Fen skating during the late 1920s and early 1930s was dominated by amateur Cyril Horn of Upwell; the professional title was won by Don Pearson of Mepal.
In 1940, L. B. Carter (Over) retained the Morley Cup for amateurs at Lingay Fen, near Cambridge in a mile race with a time of 3 min.14.2 sec, R. G. Saint (Somersham)second, A. H. V. Bloom (Oakington) third.
[20] The Norfolk village of Southery, on the River Great Ouse a few miles upstream from Denver Sluice, was home to a number of skating families.
A story is told of how a group of Southery skaters challenged some railwaymen to a race from Littleport to Queen Adelaide where the river runs alongside the railway.
Chafer Legge, skater and bare-fist fighter, was employed by Newnham College, Cambridge, to tutor their students in skating during the long freeze of 1895.
Welney, a small village on the banks of the Old Bedford River, in the heart of the Fens on the Cambridgeshire-Norfolk border and three miles from the nearest railway station, produced so many top skaters that it became known as the "metropolis of speed skating".
Albert Dewsberry, the second fastest skater of his generation and the only fenman to beat Fish Smart in his prime, grew up in Coveney on the Isle of Ely.
Nearby Soham Fen produced J Collins and Frederic Fletcher, who nearly drowned in a second round race against Turkey Smart on Welney Washes in January 1870.
