# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fordham, George

​FORDHAM, GEORGE (1837–1887), jockey, son of James Fordham, was born at Cambridge on 24 Sept. 1837. He was trained for the turf by Richard Drewitt and Edward Smith, and at the age of thirteen had his earliest mount at Brighton. In October 1851 tie gained his first victory in the Trial Stakes at the Brighton autumn meeting. He carried off the Cambridgeshire in 1853 on Little David, and in the following year he unexpectedly won the Chester Cup on Epaminondas. From this time Fordham became a very popular rider. In 1855 he was at the head of the list of winning jockeys, and during eight succeeding years he occupied the same position, his best record being 165 wins in 1862. In 1859 he won his first important race, the One Thousand Guineas. The same year he won the Oaks on Summerside. Fordham won the Ascot Cup five times, the Alexandra Plate once, the Gold Vase six times, the Ascot Stakes twice, and the Prince of Wales's Stakes four times. He rode several favourites for the Derby, but only won it in 1879 upon Sir Bevys. Fordham had in all twenty-two mounts for the Derby, his last appearance in the race being in 1883, when he was unplaced on Ladislas. He never won the St. Leger, though he rode twenty-two races. He won the Oaks five times. For the Two Thousand Guineas Fordham had also twenty-two mounts, but only won twice. He secured the One Thousand Guineas seven times out of twentv-one mounts for that race. Many of Fordham's best efforts were in small races, when he frequently succeeded against expectation by his singular skill and resolution. His greatest achievement is said to have been in 1871, when he won the Cambridgeshire on Sabinus. His only Cesarewitch victory was in 1857, when the famous dead heat occurred between three.
Fordham was a great favourite on the continent, and especially in France, where he frequently rode. He won the Grand Prix de Paris in 1867, 1868, and 1881, the French Derby in 1861 and 1868, and the French Oaks in 1880. He had no superior as a rider of two-year-olds. His weight was only 3st. 12lb. when he won his first Cambridgeshire. His services were much in request from a very early period; and one owner presented him with a Bible, a testimonial pin, and a gold-mounted whip, all of which he preserved through life, religiously following the motto engraved upon the whip of 'Honesty is the best policy.' He also received souvenirs from the Rothschilds, the Prince of Wales, and other patrons of the turf. He was frequently offered 1,500l. a year to ride in England and France, but he would never agree to receive a fixed salary.
During the latter part of his career failing health frequently kept Fordham out of the saddle. Between 1875 and 1878 he was not seen in public. His last win was in ​Leopold de Rothschild's colours on Brag in the Brighton Cup of 1883, and his last race the Park Stakes at Windsor in August 1884. He carried the most implicit confidence of all his employers, and was kind to young jockeys. It was said that he never attempted to take advantage of a youngster at the start.
Fordham was twice married: first to Miss Hyde of Lewes, who died in 1879; and secondly to her cousin, Miss Leith. After the loss of his first wife he went to reside at West Brighton, where an accident in riding produced a concussion of the brain. He was for weeks in a serious condition. At the close of 1884 Fordham left Brighton and returned to Slough, where he had previously lived, and he died there 12 Oct. 1887.
Fordham was devoted to his family. He was never known to give a vote for a parliamentary candidate in his life. He was extremely reticent on horse-racing, had a deep aversion to gambling of all kinds, and ever showed the greatest anxiety to keep his son from being in any way associated with the turf. His own career was scrupulously honourable.
[Times, Sportsman, and Morning Post, 13 Oct. 1887.]