John Manners-Sutton, 3rd Baron Manners
Encyclopedia
John Thomas Manners-Sutton was born on the 15th May 1852 to John Thomas Manners-Sutton, 2nd Baron Manners and Lydia Sophia Dashwood. On 12 Aug 1885, Manners married Constance Edwina Adelaide Hamlyn-Fane with whom he had twin daughters; Angela Margaret and Betty Constance Manners, born 15 June 1889; and a son, Francis Henry Manners-Sutton, 4th Baron Manners, MC, born 21 July 1897. Constance died on 4 March 1920 and on the 5 September 1922 Manners was re-married to Zoe Virginie Guinness (nee Nugent), the widow of Claude Hume Campbell Guinness. Manners was perhaps most notable for an extraordinary wager, betting he could buy, train and ride to victory, a horse in the Grand National
. He died on 19 August 1927.
. With just a few months in which to prepare, Manners managed to procure a horse called Seaman for £1,900. The vendor an Irishman called Lindt, was not certain that the horse could be trained to the required standard in time for the race and few believed Manners had the riding ability or experience necessary.
The day of the race brought some of the worst weather conditions in Aintree
's history. The freezing conditions and snow meant many jockeys took a more cautious approach and held back, but Manners drove on until he found himself level with the favourite at the final fence. Manner's horse started to go lame but he managed to press it over the line to win his bet by a short lead. The horse never raced again but lived with the family at the family home for the rest of its life.
, Hampshire
. The medium-sized country residence was designed by the renowned architect W.R. Lethaby
and was completed in 1891. Built with 365 windows, 52 rooms, 12 chimneys, 4 wings and 7 external doors; it is what is commonly known as a 'calendar house'. It is now a Grade I listed building and is considered to be one of the archetypal Arts & Crafts buildings.
The racehorse, Seaman, is buried in the grounds between two trees, having lived out its days as a family pet.
The house was used as a hospital during the second world war. The family never moved back in however, and in 1949 it was donated to the 'youth of the nation'. To that end, Avon Tyrrell House is now owned by a charity that provides holidays, courses, personal development and activities for young people.
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
. He died on 19 August 1927.
The wager
In 1881, Manners made a bet that he could buy, train and ride the winner of the 1882 Grand National1882 Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually near Liverpool, England. It was founded by William Lynn, a syndicate head and proprietor of the Waterloo Hotel, on land he leased in Aintree from William Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton. The course was laid out and a...
. With just a few months in which to prepare, Manners managed to procure a horse called Seaman for £1,900. The vendor an Irishman called Lindt, was not certain that the horse could be trained to the required standard in time for the race and few believed Manners had the riding ability or experience necessary.
The day of the race brought some of the worst weather conditions in Aintree
Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England.It was served by Aintree Racecourse railway station until the station closed in the 1960s....
's history. The freezing conditions and snow meant many jockeys took a more cautious approach and held back, but Manners drove on until he found himself level with the favourite at the final fence. Manner's horse started to go lame but he managed to press it over the line to win his bet by a short lead. The horse never raced again but lived with the family at the family home for the rest of its life.
Avon Tyrrell house
With the proceeds of his wager, Manners built a house, Avon Tyrell, on his sister-in-law's land in SopleySopley
Sopley is a village and civil parish situated in the New Forest National Park of Hampshire, England. It lies on the old main road from Christchurch to Ringwood, on the east bank of the River Avon. The Parish extends east as far as Thorny Hill and borders the parishes of Bransgore and Burton to the...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. The medium-sized country residence was designed by the renowned architect W.R. Lethaby
William Lethaby
William Richard Lethaby was an English architect and architectural historian whose ideas were highly influential on the late Arts and Crafts and early Modern movements in architecture, and in the fields of conservation and art education.-Early life:Lethaby was born in Barnstaple, Devon, the son of...
and was completed in 1891. Built with 365 windows, 52 rooms, 12 chimneys, 4 wings and 7 external doors; it is what is commonly known as a 'calendar house'. It is now a Grade I listed building and is considered to be one of the archetypal Arts & Crafts buildings.
The racehorse, Seaman, is buried in the grounds between two trees, having lived out its days as a family pet.
The house was used as a hospital during the second world war. The family never moved back in however, and in 1949 it was donated to the 'youth of the nation'. To that end, Avon Tyrrell House is now owned by a charity that provides holidays, courses, personal development and activities for young people.