Chichester in 1911: 'Tremendous excitement' as racehorse crashes into North Street shop

RUNAWAY RACEHORSE CRASHES THROUGH CHICHESTER SHOP FRONT.

An alarming incident occurred in North Street, Chichester, on Saturday evening when a well-known racehorse, Waltonian, who had won a selling handicap at Lingfield that day, took fright at a passing motorcycle, and went away at a stretch gallop along North Street, crashing into the window of an empty shop belonging to Mr. J. Olden at Northgate.

The horse had been brought from Worthing by train and was being ridden through Chichester on the way to Messrs. Thirlwell’s training establishment at Stoughton. There was a large crown about at the time, the usual Saturday night shopping crowd being augmented by many citizens who had turned out to welcome the City Band on their return after again successfully competing for the Southern Counties’ Shield at Sandown.

A Worthing man, Alfred Ayling, aged forty-five, was in charge of the horse, and he was met at Chichester station by a man named Silvester, who was to accompany him to Stoughton. The horse had just passed the Market Cross where was a very large crown, when, according to Ayling, it appears to have been frightened by a motor bicycle. It suddenly broke away and galloped towards Northgate at a great pace. Happily there was little traffic in the road, and what pedestrians there were rushed to the pavements.

At Northgate there was a large crowd just turning out of the Olympia Theatre, and perceiving the danger, the rider, as they neared the Coronation arch, endeavoured to turn the horse in North Walls in order to avoid the crown. In swerving the horse went clean at the large shop window of Mr. J. Olden, and crashing into it threw the rider right through into the shop premises. Mr. Olden, who was in the shop at the time, had a narrow escape.

The horse was slightly cut about but the rider was rendered unconscious, his injuries being severe cuts about the heat and body and concussion. Attention was at once given to the man, who was removed to the infirmary, where he laid in an unconscious condition for twelve hours. Every attention was given to the patient by Dr. Green, the House Surgeon, and latest information from from the infirmary is to the effect that he is making very satisfactory progress and will soon be about again.

Meanwhile, the horse turned towards the North Walls, but was secured by Ayling’s companion and taken away.

The incident caused tremendous excitement and in view of the crowded nature of the streets at the time it is providential that pedestrians escaped danger.