Walter Bray
1885 - 1918
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Walter Edwin Bray was born in Brixton on October 23, 1885, the eldest of four sons of Walter Albert Bray and his wife, Jesse. Walter Sr. was then working as an omnibus driver and his sons, Walter Edwin and William Samuel were recorded as scholars.
Shortly afterwards, the family moved south of the Thames, first to New Cross, then to 11 Carlton Gardens in Lambeth, by which time two further sons - Lionel Edward and Jack Stanley - had been added to the family.
In 1901 and then aged fifteen, Walter left home to become the youngest of ten stableboys working for trainer Albert Sadler at Freemason Lodge.
Walter Bray rode his first winner on Oceano at Sandown on June 14, 1901.
Triumph quickly gave way to tragedy. Little more than a month later — on Thursday, 25 July — Walter was exercising Sadler’s Epsom Lass at Freemason Lodge when the mare suddenly bolted and crashed into a tree. Walter sustained a fractured skull and was carried, gravely injured, to the Rous Memorial Hospital. For a time, his career appeared finished.
Months of convalescence followed, but slowly — painfully — he began to mend. By the following spring he was back on the gallops, and on Tuesday, 22 April 1902, he returned to Epsom to partner First Principal in the City and Suburban. Miraculously, he won. Then, as if to cement his return, he won the last race, too, on Margo.
On Tuesday 17 June that year, Walter enjoyed the greatest day of his career. He began by winning the Trial Stakes — later renamed the Queen Anne Stakes — on Rose Blair, before capturing the prestigious Ascot Stakes on Scullion.
Walter ceased to be an apprentice on Saturday 14 June 1902. As the rules stood then, that was the last day on which he could claim the allowance,
In October, 1908, Walter married Sarah Ann Hargreaves, of Liversedge Yorkshire. At that time, Sarah and her mother were living in East Street, Oadby.
By 1911, Walter's career had taken the couple to Co. Kildare, Ireland. Walter's youngest brother, Jack, was also staying with them. Walter rode with 'marked success' in Ireland.
They returned to England in 1912.
Walter's military involvement during the war is uncertain. He enlisted sometime after December 1915 at Market Harborough in the Royal Army Service Corps. Given his profession, logic suggests that he would join the 53rd Remount Squadron at Oadby Racecourse but no definitive evidence has been found of this. At some point, Walter transferred to the 12th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. In the autumn of 1918, the 12th Manchesters were involved in the final 100 days advance into Belgium. During this advance, Walter was was fatally injured, dying on the penultimate day of the war. He was buried at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen.
St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen.
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