Lecture: The origins of the Grand National in St Albans

In February 1830, St Albans hosteller and horseman Thomas Coleman organised a steeplechase with a grand prize open nationally. He laid down some major rules, and the resulting race became the first of a series known ever since as the St Albans Grand Steeplechase, leading on directly to the Aintree Grand National.

After two decades of research, cleric Stephen Williams and author Jean Yates present for the first time an update of their talk illustrating Tommy Coleman, his sporting hotel in Chequer Street, and the nine glorious years the race was based here, before tracing its loss to Aintree.