1937-1941 : Why those years?
I was also inspired by other great racehorses, notably Phar Lap, Whirlaway, and the rivalry between Seabiscuit and War Admiral, that raced around the same time period. I wanted to explore the great Canadian racehorses from the era.
Finally, copyright was a significant aspect that had to be considered. Copyright had expired for this time period, as in Canada photographs taken before 1949 are now in the public domain.[1]
A few facts about horse racing during the Great Depression and the Second World War:
- There did not appear to be any horse races held on Sunday to observe the Sabbath.
- The Great Depression did not stop people from going to the track. In fact, between “25,000 and 30,000” people were expected to watch the 1938 running of the King’s Plate.[2] Furthermore, there was 16,000 people, a record breaking number for Long Branch, to watch Bunty Lawless win the Championship Test In 1938.[3]
- It was a relatively inexpensive form of entertainment during the Depression, specifically if you only went to watch the races.
- During the Second World War, some race winnings were distributed in the form of Victory Bonds, instead of money.[4]
[1] Jean Dryden, Demystifying Copyright: A Researcher’s Guide to Copyright in Canadian Libraries and Archives, Second Edition (Ottawa: Canadian Library Association, 2014).
[2]“Expect 25,000 to View Plate Classic Today,” The Globe and Mail, May 21, 1938, page 28.
[2]“Expect 25,000 to View Plate Classic Today,” The Globe and Mail, May 21, 1938, page 28.
[3] “Record Branch Crown sees Bunty Lawless Win,” The Globe and Mail, October 11, 1938, page 15.
[4] “They Race Today for Bonds at Long Branch,” The Globe and Mail, June 4, 1941, page 17.
