Dear Warkworth,
I don't know much about family history but I am an enthusiastic if amateur student of racing history. Some years ago I wrote this as an entry in a little biographical dictionary of racehorse trainers in Berkshire and I don't know if it's of any use:-
"WEATHERALL William (c1803-1881). William Weatherall is listed as training at Upper Lambourn for much of the 1860s. He was a Berkshire subscriber to the Racing Calendar in 1868 and 1869. Weatherall worked for the Hambleton trainer Robert Hesseltine, before becoming private trainer for several years at Delamere Forest to Mr Worthington - they had 4 horses in 1844 and 1848 - who gave him permission at the end of the latter year to go public. In the early 1850s he was training a small string (e.g. 6 horses in 1850) as a public trainer at Mostyn Stables, Hollywell, and acting as clerk of the course at Holywell Racecourse, moving on in 1854 to Middleham. Two years later he was handling 4 horses and saddled the winner of the Portland Handicap. In 1858 and 1859 he was engaged as private trainer in Ireland to Lord Waterford's stable at Curraghmore in succession to Richard Prince but his employer was killed in the hunting field in March 1859 and his vast stud - the largest and most successful in Ireland - was sold soon afterwards. Weatherall trained no less than 37 winners for him in 1858. In 1864 he moved to the old yard at Upper Lambourn where John Prince had once trained for Mr Merry which had stabling for 24 horses and advertised for new owners with little success. He had 8 horses in 1865 and half this the following year while operating as a public trainer. In 1868 he had a string of 12. By 1869 he was at East Ilsley with 4 horses. In 1870 having moved to Richmond he advertised for owners or as a job as a private trainer. William Weatherall died at Beverley on 21 January 1881 aged 77. [His name is sometimes spelt Wetherell and other variations]."
If there are any points arising from this I'd be happy to answer them. His spellings varied widely in Ruff, Bell's Life, Sporting Life and in the Bentinck Fund reports - he was, of course, as I expect you know a Bentinck pensioner during his final years.
Yrs, etc,
Ramptonlyles
