Foy, Cornelius

Cornelius Foy, one time jockey to King Edward Vll, was born at Whitehaven, Cumberland in 1881.

He became apprenticed to Edward Percy and, in his best season, 1912, rode 60 winners.

He was known as Charlie Foy.

In October, 1919, he was made bankrupt. He had made around £50,000 during his riding campaign but had lost the lot and finished up on the dole and living in a church army hotel.

Unconcerned, he sold off the gold mounted whip given to him by King George V and the tea service and cigar box given to him by the Kaiser.

He finished up selling tips on the racecourse.

Cornelius died, aged 65,  in a Penrith, Cumberland, hospital on Monday, 30 December, 1946.

On Oaks Day, June 8, 1907, Cornelius rode the winner of the race which followed the classic.

On Tuesday, February 23, 1932, Foy was sentenced at Nottingham to six months' imprisonment for stealing a mail-bag from a van at Nottingham Victoria station on February 9. He said he only did it for a lark as he was drunk at the time. However, this was not his first offence: on July 5, 1926, at Newmarket, he stole a bicycle.

He rode the winners of the Eclipse, Cambridgeshire, Manchester November Handicap, Champion Stakes & Chester Cup