| Description | Petition addressed to the Duke of Manchester from the residents of Huntingdon and neighbourhood against the re-establishment of racing on Portholme "believing as we do, that it is impossible for such an entertainment to take place without many persons of an idle and worthless character being attracted to the Town, we strongly deprecate any attempt to revive that which in years past was found to be productive of much drunkenness and misery among the poor, while it caused considerable annoyance and discomfort to many others. We feel assured that ample opportunities are already afforded for enjoyment and recreation without resorting to the establishment of Races, which, instead of offering any harmless or healthful pleasure could not but conduce vice and immorality, and that probably to a greater extent than was formerly the case, inasmuch as the facilities given by the railways might bring a larger number of persons to visit them than before."
Signed by James Hatfield, John Tho. Baumgartner, William Duce, Henry Harper, Joseph Welby, G. Rust, Dan Veasey, Saml. Edwd. Cooch, J. Fell, Henry Margetts, Henry Hempsted, William Sarll, Charles Margetts, James H. Millard, David Worsford, Charles Veasey, F. Gerald Veasey, Geo. Hanley[?], Jas. Jand...[?], Thomas B. Ridgley, William Peacock senr., William Bryant, James Dear junr., Stephen B. Binfield, John Cooper, Robert Cater, Abs. Smith, John Wimpress, Robert Honey, Robert Underwood, James Dear, James Balfour, M. Foster, T.M.[?] Hunter, Henry Randall, Thomas Westerdale, Henry Westerdale, Charles Moore, M. Forteo[?] junr., Richard C. Robinson, Thos. N. Leach, John Boxall, John Boxall junr., Ebenezer Dear, Thomas Felce, Richard Lee, John Pinkney, Josh. Billiat, John Chapman, W. Goggs, James Barnard, Thos. S. Woodward, John Papworth, Robt A. Reaney, John Bird, Henry Ashley, Willm. Ropesmith[?], William Brigstock, Chris.[?] Deighton, Preston J. Williams, Charles Upex, John Upex, Henry Thody, George Maile, Alfred Russell, Philip S. Randall, William Talbot, Chas. F. Slade, [?] Hitchcock, Wm. Duce, Jno. Maile, Ed. Brudenell, George M. Bradshaw[?], Saml. Gatward, John Barnes, Jesse Scott, Thos. White, John Richardson, Thos. Reed, William Church, Benjm. Westerdale |