George Alexander Baird’s father died in 1870, leaving his son to be brought up by a feckless mother, Cecilia, who doted on him. He also left George three million pounds. Given the circumstances – lack of parental guidance and a total absence of discipline – it was little wonder that George grew into the spoiled, selfish child which he became. Instead of receiving an education, George spent his childhood roaming the local countryside around Stichill, the estate his father George had inherited from his brother David in 1860.
Eventually, in 1874, he was sent to a school in Eton. He was totally unprepared for its rigid strictures and began flying into uncontrolled rages whenever he could not get his own way. He left within months.
A second stab at education was tried four years later – he was sent to Magdalene College in Cambridge and, with its less disciplined structure, found it suited him better. There is, however, no evidence that he actually attended any classes, but he did make friends and, through these, soon developed a great interest in horses.
He quit college after two years and began indulging in his new passion. He bought a large stable of hunters and began to regularly ride out around Newmarket, the home of flat racing. George soon became enthralled with the whole business of racing.
To ensure that the trustees of his inheritance, who strongly disapproved of his way of life, did not become aware that he had become a jockey, he used the name ‘Mr Abington’ as his racing name.
Taught by the great Fred Archer and the trainer Tom Cannon, George had – for the first time in his life – discovered something that he could do well. He was a superb amateur jockey and could outride all but the very best professionals – yet he was his own worst enemy. The brash aggressiveness he displayed in life followed him onto the racetrack – soon he was in serious trouble with the Stewards.
George won a Hunters’ Selling Flat Race by eight lengths, but was disqualified – along with Gortmore, ridden by Lord Harrington and Evenly, ridden by Mr Peyton – for carrying the wrong weight. Unfortunately, towards the end of the race, George had threatened to put Lord Harrington over the rails if he did not allow him a winning position. What made matters worse was that on their return to the weighing-room, George greeted Harrington with the words “Sorry. My Lord – I took you for a farmer!”
Incensed, Harrington reported him to the Stewards for foul riding. Among the Stewards that day were two who were known to have personal animus towards him. George was rather too rich and rather too good at conquering women for their taste – here was a chance to clip his wings. George was warned off all racecourses for two years.
He used the time to build up his stable and, with his idol Fred Archer, attended the Lord Falmouth Sale. Together they went through the catalogue and, on Archer’s advice, acquired, for 8,800 guineas, a three-year-old filly called Busybody.
When eventually the ban was lifted, George ran the horse in the One Thousand Guineas and the Oaks. Busybody won both and would almost certainly have added the St Leger but for injury.
At the Doncaster Sales of 1885, George bought the unraced Merry Hampton which, ridden by John Watts, went on to win the 1887 Derby in a common canter – in typical boorish fashion, George refused to lead the horse in, miffed that he had not been able to make the weight to ride the colt himself.
The rot was beginning to set in. Though basically kind-hearted, he never cared how, when or to whom he gave offence and delighted in consorting with the riff-raff and low-life of the turf – consequently, human parasites of both sexes constantly surrounded him.
He continued to ride and train, but spent an increasing amount of time in London where he was introduced to the boxing scene. Still excluded from the circle of racing socialites, George found himself readily accepted by the shadier boxing fraternity.
Based at the Pelican Club, the membership included the social elite of the land and, though George found it to be a much-desired place, he also found himself the centre of a very rough clique. True to form, he was barred from the Pelican Club as a result of a fracas at a fight in Belgium.
Such was his wanton life, he began to struggle with his weight. His constitution constantly weakened, he often rode while drunk.
In 1891, he began a tempestuous relationship with Lillie Langtry, former mistress of the Prince of Wales. Often physically violent towards her, he showered her with presents of racehorses, yachts and lavish cheques.
Overtaken by events and somewhat out of control, George lived his life to excess, never taking anything too seriously and never completely sober.
In 1893, George put up the purse money for a boxing match in New Orleans between ‘Gentleman Jim’ Corbett and John L. Sullivan for the world title. George and his friends went on a drunken tour of the New Orleans night spots.
George contracted malaria and pneumonia. Due to his heavy drinking, he was unable to fight off either disease. He died on March 18th aged just thirty-two, having squandered two million pounds. He left the remaining million to his mother. To Lily Langtry, he left nothing. His body was embalmed, encased in lead, and returned to Stichill, where he was buried alongside his parents.
George Alexander Baird was born on 30 September 1861
The Family
Alexander Baird of Lanarkshire was born in 1756. He had seven sons, including James, David and George.
James became MP for Falkirk Burghs. He bought Auchmelden In Aberdeenshire and when he died in 1876, he left his fortune to his nephew, George Alexander.
In 1853, David purchased the estate of Stichill in Kelso for £150,000 (because it was good hunting country). When he died in 1860 (aged just 44) the estate went to his brother George.
George married Cecilia, the daughter of Admiral Hatton, and – having acquired Stichill – knocked down the old house and built a new, grand one on the same site.
On 30th September 1861, in Edinburgh, Cecilia gave birth to their only son, George Alexander.
From his Uncle James and his father, George inherited over three million pounds.
From a local paper...
MR. GEORGE ABINGTON BAIRD, well known in sporting circles as Mr. Abington, expired on Saturday morning at the St. Charles' hotel, New Orleans, where he has been lying at the point of death for several days. When he arrived here to attend the Hall-Fitzsiinmons tight, in which he was one of the former's seconds, Mr Baird was in excellent health. He spent money freely and made many friends. On the night of the fight he wore only loose undershirt like the other seconds, and handed about the ice and bottles from his corner. Here he must have taken cold, but after the fight the entire party started for lark" and a general tour to various places of amusement, which only ended when Mr. Baird broke down. On returning to the hotel he went to bed, but the illness was not thought to serious at first. A doctor was, however, summoned, and every possible attention was paid to the patient. He insisted that Mitchell should proceed ahead of him to New York, where he agreed to meet him and sail to England on the Majestic on Wednesday next. Mr. Baird soon after became delirious, and was so violent that he had to be constantly watched lest he should do himself some injury. Another doctor was summoned, and a consultation was held, when it was found that the disease had made rapid inroads, and that pneumonia had declared itself. The patient rapidly grew worse, and, as stated above, succumbed Saturday morning, having been ill only a week. The body has been embalmed, and will be conveyed to England by the Majestic, on which Mitchell, Bailey, and Monk will also return.
Born in 1861, on the death of his father, Mr. George Baird, he succeeded in his ninth year to the estates of Strichen and Stichell, and when fifteen he further succeeded his uncle, Mr. James Baird, the munificent donor of £200,000 to the Church of Scotland, in the property of Auchiuedden. In 1880, when only nineteen, he started his career on the turf and achieved considerable success. The best horses he owned were Busybody," for which he gave 8,800 guineas, and which won the One Thousand Guineas Newmarket and the Oaks at Epsom 1884, and Merry Hampton," which won the Derby 1887. He was one of the best gentlemen riders, and was great patron of the prize ring. He owned estates in Scotland of 17,000 acres in extent, bringing in annual income of some £20,000. His mother, Mrs. Baird, a daughter of Admiral Hatton, of Clonard, has for many years lived at Stichell, the family seat, in Roxburghshire. At one time, it believed, Mr. Baird had an income of a quarter of a million a year. His death disqualifies Meddler and " Milford " for the Two Thousand Guineas and the Derby.
