Famous jockey died in accident at Scotch Corner 100 years ago

The 30-year-old Ledson had ridden 31 winners in the nearing flat racing season and was one of the few jockeys to ever win the Northumberland Plate – the “Pitman’s Derby” – three times: 1912, 1914 and 1923.

James Ledson, pictured in the Daily News as it reported his deathMost of his successes came on horses trained by Major Renwick of Richmond and Mr Dobson of Middleham, and trainer Sir Henry Tate of Lancashire had just secured him a fee of £3,000 to ride for him next season would – that’s worth more than £150,000 in today’s season and was considered a record for a northern jockey at the time.

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His death was therefore reported throughout the country.

“He used the whip only when absolutely necessary, for with his hands he could elicit an extraordinary degree of sympathy and responsiveness from a Thoroughbred,” the Daily News said, although other newspapers reported that he was banned for six months in 1923 was in Edinburgh for excessive use of the whip.

The Echo’s sister paper, D&S, said: “In addition to his skills as a jockey, he was known as an expert motorist. He owned a powerful Vauxhall car and a fast motorcycle.”

Shortly before 11pm he was returning from a visit to the films in Darlington to his home in Newbiggin, Richmond, on this fast motorbike – a ‘long stroke 3½hp Sunbeam’ – when he drove between Middleton Tyas and Scotch Corner against a Car hit stationary car that was lost on route to Northallerton.

Liverpudlian Ledson, who was described as a fast but clever driver, was estimated to have been driving in excess of 60mph.

“The unfortunate jockey was thrown headfirst under the truck and his machine was destroyed,” said the D&S Times.

The Scotch Corner AA box in the 1960s when it was probably a very different box to the one used in the 1924 emergencyA passing motorcyclist was a member of the AA and used his key to access the AA box in Scotch Corner.

“Information about the incident was immediately relayed to Richmond from the Automobile Association switchboard at Scotch Corner and an ambulance was dispatched,” numerous newspaper reports state.

Ledson was already dead.

At an inquest a few days later there was much debate about whether the lorry’s red tail light, which was the size of a shilling coin, was sufficient and the Leeds driver promised the coroner he would get a better one.

“At the conclusion of the inquest, Major Renwick personally oversaw the dispatch of the coffin containing Ledson’s remains from the Richmond Hospital mortuary to Liverpool and a large crowd gathered to pay a final respect to the deceased,” the D&S said. “The touring car used to transport the coffin was followed by the deceased’s racing Vauxhall car.”

His funeral in Kirkdale, Merseyside, was attended by thousands of mourners and the hearse was followed by his Vauxhall coupe, which was filled with flowers.

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