Death Fred Archer (jockey)

grave of jockey frederick james archer, newmarket, suffolk

because of height (5 ft 10in/1.78 m) archer had diet far more other jockeys. racing weight 8st 10 lb in later years, , keep used turkish baths, abstained totally solid food, , used alkaline medicines purge. newmarket doctor, jr wright, created special purgative became known archer s mixture , drank sherry glass. diet consisted of half orange, sardine , nip of champagne, or castor oil, biscuit , small champagne @ midday, , once left dining room on sight of steak , kidney pie. poor walker, , hardly run, reduced ability lose weight through exercise.

in october 1886, had lose 6 lbs on 2 days, first, , ultimately, ride in ireland - cambusmore lord londonderry in lieutenant s plate @ curragh, race won on return, wasted down 8st 7 lb cambridgeshire going 3 days without food. still 1 lb overweight , cost him race on st mirin, beaten head. afternoon cold, , fell ill. still undertook engagements @ brighton , on first day @ lewes on thursday, here reported have taken chill developed fever of typhoid character , forcing him return home. declared ill on saturday, , sunday in state of high fever.

the next day, monday 8 november 1886. @ residence, falmouth house, newmarket, under medical supervision. 2.25pm sister, mrs colman, visited him in room , asked send nurse away. colman looking out of window when archer got out of bed. heard him coming? , saw had gun in hand. sprang towards him, , while struggling him, put gun in mouth , fired revolver. died bleeding in arms, bullet having passed out of of neck. doctor on scene , pronounced him dead. verdict of jury @ inquest was: deceased committed suicide whilst in state of unsound mind . death @ age of 29 occurred on 8 november 1886; wife had died on 7 november, 2 years earlier.

the death of wife factor. poor nellie - glory, pride, life, all, had earlier told friend. taken me @ moment happiness did seem me great , complete leave nothing else in world wish for. £30,000 in red on betting, exacerbated having heavily backed st mirin. had reportedly not been old self past year.

the gun had been bought because falmouth house in exposed location , had had trouble housebreakers.

he buried in newmarket cemetery on 12 november. wreaths sent duke of westminster , prince of wales. burial plot can found there right of chapel.

he left fortune of £66,662 (equal £6.7 million today) daughter, inheritance being looked after trustees during minority. @ 1 time, rumoured worth £250,000. of effects on display @ national horseracing museum, including gun shot himself. in october 2010 stevengraph silk portrait of archer sold @ auction £320.

news of archer s death reached far beyond racing. in london, special editions of evening newspapers issued, crowds queuing in fleet street buy them, , omnibuses stopped allow commuters read billboards. adoration public showed him close shown diana, princess of wales on century later.

he survived second child, nellie, brought grandparents in newmarket area. married shipping magnate, max tosetti in 1911.