whence the term 'Double Event '?

[Rubyretro]

I was just musing on the term 'Double Event' (after replying to the BS man thread).

I've long held the opinion that the term 'Double Event' refers to the 'Autumn Double' -two 'legs' of a Newmarket race, individually known as the Cambridgeshire Handicap, and the Cesarewitch Handicap, and collectively known as the 'Autumn Double', which are run in the last days of September/early October.

Horse races (at least on the sites dealing with Newmarket) are referred to as 'events'.

Horse racing was an incredibly popular sport in the 1880s (Newmarket once had 4 stations), and I once thought that JtR had planned a double murder at the end of September as a sick 'joke'. Now I'm not so sure -someone on Casebook reasonably pointed out that the term was probably coined by a journalist, and it was HIS joke...

So where does the term originate ? Does anyone know ?.

[Wolf Vanderlinden]

"I was not codding dear Old Boss when I gave you the tip, youll hear about saucy Jackys work tomorrow double event this time..."

From the "Saucy Jacky" postcard sent to the Central News Agency, 1 October, 1888.

Wolf.

[caz]

Hi Rubyretro, Wolf,

The postcard undoubtedly made this term infamous. But I too had the impression that it was racing vernacular first - ie whoever wrote the postcard (and the Dear Boss letter before it) did not invent the term but merely pinched it just for jolly.

If he was a hoaxer and a betting man, he correctly predicted that the killer would soon be getting back in the saddle. And the timing of the double murder, on the last day of September, seems to have been perfect for using such a term in the postcard.

Love,

Caz
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[Rubyretro]

"..I gave you the tip" -yes.

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Ruby. I remember when you first posted about this some time ago and I thought it was ingenious. I would very much like to determine if 'double event' could be shown to be a term used in horse racing at that time.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

There's plenty of references in the racing columns to double events.

And there's this, from The Times–



Regards,

Simon

[Tom_Wescott]

Wow, let's see some more.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Fleetwood Mac]

If he was a hoaxer and a betting man,

Caz...I think it's more than a fair bet that working class men gambled themselves into a frenzy in those days. I know that in my Grandad's time.....gambling was part and parcel of every day working class life......pitch and toss being a favourite.....

[lynn cates]

double attempt

Hello All. Will a double attempt do? This is from Lloyd's August 19, 1888.

Fortunately, he was apprehended before month's end. After all, it is unlikely that 2 homicidal knife wielding chaps should be about during the same period.

Cheers.
LC

[caz]

When I saw the word 'homicidal', I was expecting some attempt to knife a rather more vital part of the body than face and arms, as described in the article concerned.

Am I expecting too much?

Love,

Caz
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