Frank Parkinson

Frank Parkinson

1887 - 1963

Article by Alan Trout

Francis Joseph Parkinson, always known as Frank, was born on 31 August 1887. He lived at 29, Lorne Street, Lytham St Annes.

Although he had some success on the Flat with five wins in the autumn of 1907, he fared better over jumps with a dozen victories between 1907 and 1914.

He was apprenticed to Lawrence Rooney and had his first ride at Worcester on July 4, 1907, when Wise Lad finished unplaced in the Worcestershire Handicap, a race won by Elijah Wheatley on Wolfkin. 

He had his first success at Birmingham on September 2 when Billy The Verger landed the Rudley Plate by six lengths. Good jockeys such as Walter Griggs, Fred Fox and Herbert Randall were behind him that day. He added four more wins before the season ended, including three on Billy The Verger, two of which were walkovers.  

Following those successes, albeit two of them being non-events, Frank had his first ride under National Hunt rules at Wolverhampton on Boxing Day when Jenkins was unplaced in the Wolverhampton Handicap Hurdle. His second ride at the same venue the following day was more rewarding, as Clinker took the Himley Handicap Hurdle by six lengths.

Although he had a few rides on the Flat in 1908, he focused his attention on the jumps and was rewarded with four more wins that year. 

Arguably his most hard-fought success was at Woore on April 14, 1910, when his mount, Little Comrade, dead-heated with Click Clack in the Dorrington Handicap Hurdle. Frank objected on the grounds of “bumping on entering the straight and boring at the finish, also for foul riding on the part of Mr Nelson” (Click Clack’s jockey). The objection was overruled, but justice was duly done when Frank won the deciding run-off. That was also his last win for over three years. 

He did not ride at all in 1912 but came back to add two more to his career tally. The last of those was on Hazel Twig in the South Devon Handicap Hurdle at Buckfastleigh on Whit Monday, June 1, 1914, the mare winning by two lengths.

Frank’s final ride was on Loughbrack, unplaced in the Paddock Maiden Chase at Kempton Park on January 29, 1915. He trained briefly in the mid-1920s.  

Aged 76, Frank, then living at 8, Albert Street, Lytham, died on 22 November in Lytham Hospital. He left £2,357 to his widow, Amy.

Frank Parkinson’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Billy The Verger, Birmingham, September 2, 1907

2. Billy The Verger, Birmingham, September 23, 1907

3. Ladiola, Newbury, September 28, 1907

4. Billy The Verger, Haydock Park, October 11, 1907 (walkover)

5. Billy The Verger, Wolverhampton, October 14, 1907 (walkover)

6. Clinker, Wolverhampton, December 27, 1907

7. Jenkins, Birmingham, February 17, 1908

8. Clinker, Birmingham, February 18, 1908

9. Thremhall, Haydock Park, March 20, 1908

10. Virginius, Moreton-in-Marsh Hunt, April 23, 1908

11. Virginius, Wolverhampton, January 19, 1909

12. Wind Flower, Lingfield Park, March 18, 1909

13. Finchale, Hawthorn Hill, March 22, 1909

14. Osiris, Derby, March 7, 1910

15. Little Comrade, Woore, April 14, 1910

16. Bitter Cherry, Devon & Exeter, August 28, 1913

17. Hazel Twig, Buckfastleigh, June 1, 1914