Details
Harry Hall
Portrait of William M. Clift of Newmarket half length in a black coat grey waistcoat and white cravat, holding a riding crop
oil on canvas
30 x 25in (76 x 63.5cm)
Portrait of William M. Clift of Newmarket half length in a black coat grey waistcoat and white cravat, holding a riding crop
oil on canvas
30 x 25in (76 x 63.5cm)
Further details
William.M.Clift (1763-1841) was born on the Marquis of Rockingham's estate in Yorkshire. The Jockey rode five winners of the Derby for the following owners; Sir Fernando Poole in 1793, Mr Christopher Wilson in 1800, Sir Hedworth Williamson in 1803, The Duke of Grafton in 1810 and the Duke of Portland in 1819. He also rode winners of the two races for the Oaks, two for the St Leger and two each of the 2000 and 1000 guineas, 13 Classic winners in all. His name first appears as a subscriber to Weatherby's Racing Calender in 1793 and he rode winners at Newmarket until his retirement in 1826, at the age of 63 years old. He was a hardy South Yorkshireman who began life as a shepherd's boy. He was notoriously uncouth and a contemporary described him as a 'rough uncultivated Indian'. His manners towards his employers were brusque in the extreme, no matter how exalted their status. He was honest but unpolished in his methods and inclined to be hard on his horses. When the Duke of Dorset asked him whether he liked a certain horse he had ridden, he curtly repied 'Hang me, you see I won; that's enough for you! He was a man of considerable physical endurance himself and when he was nearly 80 years old, he used to walk to Newmarket from Bury St Edmunds and back again 'just to give my legs a stretch'.
Harry Hall is not known for having done any portraits but it is likely that this portrait was done as an exception to mark the extraordinary long career of William Clift.
Harry Hall is not known for having done any portraits but it is likely that this portrait was done as an exception to mark the extraordinary long career of William Clift.