Alfred Barrett
1857-1887
A well-known Devonshire National Hunt jockey living in Totnes, Alfred Barrett rode 31 winners during the late 1870s and 1880s.
He made an inauspicious start to his race-riding career, falling on Jessie in the Maiden Steeplechase Plate at Totnes on September 3, 1878. He did not take long to make his mark, although his first winner proved an adventurous experience. It came in the Maiden Steeplechase at Dartmouth on September 12, 1878, when his mount Merry Maid fell and threw him during the race. Alfred quickly remounted and went on to win by six lengths.
He enjoyed his most successful year in 1885 with seven wins including a treble at Newton Abbot on August 3, landing the Haldon Hunt Plate on St Mellons, followed by the Knowle Steeplechase on Lottery – obviously not the same one that won the 1839 Grand National – and then reuniting with St Mellons to win the Tally-Ho Hunters’ Steeplechase.
Later that month, on August 22, 1885, Alfred rode a double at Plymouth, winning the Hunt Cup on St Mellons and the Dartmoor Hunt Steeplechase on Lottery. They were to be his last two winners.
He had what proved to be his final ride on his old ally St Mellons in the three-runner South Devon Hunt Plate at Torquay on April 26, 1886. It was an eventful race in which all three runners came to grief at some point. St Mellons at first refused, carried on and then fell, injuring his rider.
It appears that the fall had a lasting effect for Alfred did not ride again. A newspaper report stated that he had “suffered greatly in his head” since the fall. (The report mistakenly referred to the falling having occurred at Totnes, whereas it was in fact at Torquay.)
Not only was Albert suffering from a concussion of the brain, but he was also getting absent-minded and had become partially deaf.
On Sunday, 13 February 1887, he visited his brother who lived at Newton Abbot. He fell on his return and, on Tuesday 15 February at eleven, he took a cup of tea up to his bedroom. Albert died a few minutes after having drunk it. He had laced the tea with prussic acid. “Suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity” was the verdict of the coroner’s jury.
Albert was buried at Dartington at 2 p.m. Sunday 20th February.
Alfred was buried on Sunday, 20th February 1887
