There is some doubt as to the precise year of birth of jockey Arthur Plumb. Historians Chas Hammond and the late David Boyd both state that he was born in 1880, whereas fellow historian Derek Gay believes it was 1878. What is not in doubt is that Arthur rode two winners on the Flat in the mid-1890s and five more over jumps between 1899 and 1901.
He was apprenticed to Tom Wadlow and had his first success at Wolverhampton on August 20, 1895, when steering an unnamed two-year-old to win the Bushbury Selling Welter Plate by five lengths. The pair had finished second at Birmingham just four days earlier, beaten a length and a half by Morny Cannon on Villager.
His second win, his last on the Flat, came in August 1896. Having finished second on Madchen in the Wellesbourne Juvenile Plate at Birmingham on August 10, beaten three-quarters of a length by Tommy Loates on Greystone, he went one place better at Wolverhampton six days later on Bad Times, owned and trained by Tom Wadlow, scoring by a lengths in the Wrottesley Plate. This time Morny Cannon had top be content with second place on Rose Marjorie.
Although Arthur continued to ride on the Flat until 1898, there were no more wins, but on October 24, 1899, he and the four-year-old Amyas were victorious in the Wolverhampton Selling Hurdle at that venue, scoring by two lengths. They were unable to follow up in two subsequent starts.
Arthur drew a blank in 1900, but at Folkestone on February 12, 1901, Hercules provided him with his next success when taking the Novices’ Chase by four lengths. The pair then doubled their score in the Elvaston Chase at Derby on March 4, beating the only other finisher by a distance. Just three days later, Arthur made it three wins for the year when School Bell proved too good for his three rivals in the Shepperton Selling Chase at Kempton Park on March 6, winning by ten lengths. There was then a nine-month wait for the final win of his career when Mazawattee took the Newcastle Selling Hurdle at Keele Park on December 30, 1901.
An unplaced effort on Cardington in the Bulwell Selling Hurdle at Nottingham on May 26, 1902 was his last ride over jumps, and he had no luck when having at least one further ride on the Flat in 1904.
Arthur Plumb’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Unnamed two-year-old, Wolverhampton, August 20, 1895
2. Bad Times, Wolverhampton, August 16, 1906
3. Amyas, Wolverhampton, October 24, 1899
4. Hercules, Folkestone, February 12, 1901
5. Hercules, Derby, March 4, 1901
6. School Bell, Kempton Park, March 6, 1901
7. Mazawattee, Keele Park, December 30, 1901
Mazawattee, Arthur Plumb's final winner, Keele Park, December 30, 1901