Grandfather at The Trots

Although she threw most of them out we managed many years ago to retrieve from my mother-in-law a few certificates and photos of her father's activities as a driver and training of trotting horses.

Being interested in his grandfather's activities my husband emailed the NSW Harness Racing Association to see if they could tell him anything about Ernest James Gillespie.

This afternoon we were thrilled to receive an email from the Association listing some of Ern's activities. Text of the email follows:

I have found where he was an owner first of all all and then a trainer in the period 1919 to 1934. I have listed below his wins only- I do not have any placing records but presume he may have had some.

1st    Bellwood 30/12/18        Vic Pk               E Gillespie's        (JC Hall Driver)

1st    Bellwood 24/11/19        Epping (H Pk)    E Gillespie's        (R Byrnes Driver)

1st    Bellwood 19/1/20          Epping (H Pk)    E Gillespie's        (R Byrnes Driver)

1st    Bellwood 3/11/20          Epping (H Pk)    E Gillespie's        (JC Hall Driver)

1st    Joan of Arc (27/8/21)   Epping (H Pk)    E Gillespie's        (EL McDonald Driver)

1st    Joan of Arc (28/12/22)  Epping (H Pk)    E Gillespie's        E Gillespie Driver

1st    Careful (21/12/23)        Vic Pk                E Gillespie's        (EL McDonald Driver)

1st    Careful (19/5/24)          Vic Pk                E Gillespie's        (EL McDonald Driver)

1st    Careful (3/11/25)          Epping (H Pk)     E Gillespie's        E Gillespie Driver

1st    Jimmy Wilkes (27/2/26) Epping (H Pk)     E Gillespie's       EGillespie Driver  

1st    Jimmy Wilkes (22/3/26) Epping (H Pk)    E Gillespie's        E Gillespie Driver

1st    Careful (26/4/26)           Vic Pk               E Gillespie's        E Gillespie Driver

1st    Jimmy Wilkes (14/5/26)  Epping (H Pk)    EGillespie's       E Gillespie Driver

1st    Cupid's Arch (2/9/29       H Pk                 E Gillespie's       E Gillespie Driver

1st    Cupid's Arch (8/10/29)    H Pk                 E Gillespie's       E Gillespie Driver

1st    Some Winn (26/2/34)      H Pk                 E Gillespie's       E Gillespie Driver

1st    Some Winn (39/4/34)      H Pk                 E Gillespie's      E Gillespie Driver

1st    Warrego (15/10/34)        H Pk                  E Gillespie's      E Gillespie Driver 

The information contained in this email message provides us with a wealth of information and leads. Armed with this I just quickly put the search terms "Bellwood" and "Gillespie" into Trove and got a list of hits that told me that Ern raced Bellwood at Bathurst, Menangle Park and Richmond in NSW. I have added a task about this to my Research Log and hope to fill out more details of Ern's activities in the near future.

It's amazing what one can find from records that are not traditional genealogical records.