Stevengraph silk portrait - so81

by Sprake:

by Godden:
Fred Barratt, the son of a farmer, was born in 1867 and was to become one of the best-known jockeys of the late Victorian era. He first raced publicly in the spring of 1882, a year in which he had twelve winners. He rode mainly for the Duke of Portland. In 1889, on the Duke's horse Donovan, he won the sum of £34,616 - a record for one horse in one season. However, after this his weight increased and his riding suffered as a consequence. He died in 1895.

The Stevengraph portrait of the young Fred Barratt was first listed on label 29+38 of 1893 and examples are normally found with type C2 card-mounts. He is depicted wearing the colours of Mr R. Martin - white jacket with black sleeves, and a black cap.

Other comments:
It would appear there was some confusion as to Fred's name, as Stevens issued two identical woven silks, but with different spellings of Fred's name printed on the mount.

The version above has the printed name " BARRETT ", with an E. The second version has the printed name " BARRATT ", with an A.
It would seem that BARRETT was his genuine surname.

Godden identifies the racing colours of Barrett as being Mr R. Martin. Recent research by a member of the Stevengraph Collectors Association has however established that the colours, white jacket, black sleeves and black cap, were in fact those of the 6th Duke of Portland. Barrett of course rode mainly for the Duke, so it is reasonable he should be shown in the Duke's colours.

Reference Number:-	Sprake Number:-	Godden Number:-
so 81	not recorded	not recorded

Words:	Woven on silk:- Printed at bottom of card-mount:- WOVEN IN PURE SILK BY T. STEVENS, COVENTRY. F. BARRETT.
Size:	Card-mount: cm deep by cm wide silk: cm deep by cm wide
Comments:	by Sprake: by Godden: Fred Barratt, the son of a farmer, was born in 1867 and was to become one of the best-known jockeys of the late Victorian era. He first raced publicly in the spring of 1882, a year in which he had twelve winners. He rode mainly for the Duke of Portland. In 1889, on the Duke's horse Donovan, he won the sum of £34,616 - a record for one horse in one season. However, after this his weight increased and his riding suffered as a consequence. He died in 1895. The Stevengraph portrait of the young Fred Barratt was first listed on label 29+38 of 1893 and examples are normally found with type C2 card-mounts. He is depicted wearing the colours of Mr R. Martin - white jacket with black sleeves, and a black cap. Other comments: It would appear there was some confusion as to Fred's name, as Stevens issued two identical woven silks, but with different spellings of Fred's name printed on the mount. The version above has the printed name " BARRETT ", with an E. The second version has the printed name " BARRATT ", with an A. It would seem that BARRETT was his genuine surname. Godden identifies the racing colours of Barrett as being Mr R. Martin. Recent research by a member of the Stevengraph Collectors Association has however established that the colours, white jacket, black sleeves and black cap, were in fact those of the 6th Duke of Portland. Barrett of course rode mainly for the Duke, so it is reasonable he should be shown in the Duke's colours.

Fred Barrett