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Johnny Charlton – born at Stranton near West Hartlepool – was the son of the landlord of the Blacksmith’s Arms. He became apprenticed to Robert Johnson at Middleham, eventually completing his time at John Scott’s Whitewall stable at Malton. He rode trials for Scott before he gradually proceeded to ride in public – unfortunately Scott and Charlton never really got on and John left in unagreeable circumstances.
He proved to be an excellent jockey, his first major successes coming in 1853 when he won the 1,000 Guineas on Mentmore Lass and the Doncaster Cup on Huntingdon, both owned by Baron Meyer de Rothschild, the first Jew to be elected to the Jockey Club.
Charlton consolidated his promise with a win on Mincemeat in the following year’s Oaks. Then, in 1857, he quarrelled with Baron Rothschild for whom he had ridden for a number of years and rode instead for William L'Anson, trainer of Blink Bonny.
Charlton’s riding prowess was not matched by his honesty, and he caused what became known as the ‘Blink Bonny Riot’.
Blink Bonny was a powerfully-built bay filly who was unpopular with the stable staff at Hungerford House (William l’Anson's stables). She started odds-on for the 1,000 Guineas, but – short of work – she was comprehensively beaten. Charlton was engaged to ride her at Epsom where, in a field of thirty, she started at 20/1 for the Derby. In a desperate finish, Charlton got up to win by a neck. Several professional punters lost heavily on the result.
Two days after winning the Derby, the horse reappeared in the Oaks, again with John Charlton in the saddle. Starting the 4/5 favourite, she won with ridiculous ease and, in September, was sent to contest the St Leger.
The writer Charles Dickens was one of the enormous number of people who had turned up to watch the race. Blink Bonny started the 5/4 favourite in a field of eleven, but, on the orders of bookmaker John Jackson, Charlton deliberately gave the horse a poor ride, finishing fourth.
Matters came to a head the next afternoon when the horse ran in the Park Hill Stakes over the same course and distance. Charlton again rode her. The filly, carrying a ten pounds higher weight, won easily by six lengths in a time that was two seconds faster than the St Leger winner had set the day before.
The crowd erupted – Charlton was pulled from his horse and, but for the intervention of former prize-fighters John Gully and Tom Sayers, would have been torn to pieces.
Scores of people became involved in the disturbance – the horse and jockey were eventually escorted from the course by an impromptu bodyguard of friends.
Following his Derby success, he gave the whip he used to his father-in-law, William Ewbank.
On Oaks day 1861, he sat waiting to ride Bonny Breast Knot; his medical advisor, however, had different ideas and persuaded him to give up the ride. Charlton reluctantly took heed, his friend John Wells taking the mount.
John's last ride, just eight weeks before his death, was at Malton on Longshot, May 23, 1862.
Leaving a young wife, Emmeline, to mourn him, John Charlton died at Hungerford House, Norton, of consumption in Dalby aged 33 on July 26th, 1862 just a few months after Blink Bonny died as an eight-year-old when giving birth.
John Charlton left effects of less than £1,000
Three months after his death, thieves broke into Hungerford House and removed every item.
Charles Dickens, then 49 and staying at the Angel Hotel in Doncaster with his companion Wilkie Collins (author of The Woman In White) later wrote of the racecourse incident 'a violent scuffling and a rushing at the jockey, and an emergence of the said jockey from a swaying and menacing crowd, protected by friends, and looking the worse for wear.'
Like poor Luke Snowden, John Charlton was distinguishable for his uniform quietness of manner and disposition.
His favourite horse was Hungerford, on whom, in 1853, he won the Northampton Stakes, the Yorkshire Handicap and the Doncaster Cup.
Charlton's finest riding performance came in the Goodwood Cup when, riding Nancy, he beat Alfred Day on Cossack by a head after a rare display of horsemanship from both jockeys.
John Charlton’s classic wins:
One Thousand Guineas: Mentmore Lass (1853)
The Derby: Blink Bonny (1857)
The Oaks: Mincemeat (1854) and Blink Bonny (1857)
Other good wins came on -
Northumberland Plate: John Cosser (1849)
Stewards' Cup: Turnus (1850)
Manchester Cup: Legerdemain (1850)
Ebor Handicap: Nancy (1851)
Goodwood Cup: Nancy (1851) & Sweetsauce (1860)
Queen's Vase: Leopold (1852)
Doncaster Cup: Hungerford (1853)
Ascot Gold Cup: Skirmisher (1857)
Ayr Gold Cup: Trip the Daisy (1858)
Jersey Stakes: St. Clarence 1859
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