Will Forresters parents were William & Maria Forrester.
Young Will's father was a Farmer at "Cornwallis" Windsor NSW when young William was Christened at St Matthews Windsor #1842/973 Vol 26a. Emily Maria Dargin's Christening was on the same page.
In the Sun-Herald on Sun 29/10/06, there was a property For Sale called "Cornwallis House" There were 3 photoes (in colour), The largest photo was an arial view of the Hawkesbury River, farms, fields, trees etc. Another photo of "Cornwallis House" as it is to-day, I wonder what it looked like in 1842? The other photo was of horses, stables, training track etc...
Article in AJV Racing Calender, Nov 1988, by Burt Lillye, Racing Comentator.
In 1810 Governor Macquarie granted land to Mr. J.H.Stroud, superintendant of the School for Orphans in Liverpool. He named it "Warwick Park". Horse racing was conducted in the district as early as 1832. Warwick Park had several owners, including William Long, before it was purchased by William Forrester. Forrester named it "Warwick Farm." It was originally a horse stud & private training track. He also built his family home "The Homestead" on Governor Macquarie Drive.
In 1889 Forrester & E.A.Oatley formed a syndicate to establish a racing club to race at the Farm. The inaugural Meeting was on Saturday, 16 March, 1889, their secretary was George Rowe, after whom the George Rowe Handicap, still run at Randwick, is named. George Rowe lived at Collingwood at one time. I met his grand-daughter when I went to a Collingwood Re-union in 1992.
Forrester's horse was entered in the Melbourne Cup in 1897 & 1898. The Grafter, which was 2nd in 1897, won the Cup the following year, its rider being Jack Gough of Liverpool. In the Liverpool Historical Museum there is a splendid photo of Gough on the Grafter. This was reproduced several years later as part of a mural to decorate the lounge of the Mainsbridge Hotel, which I think one of the owners was Mrs. Margaret Ashcroft.
"Black Bill" Forrester died of a paralysing stroke on 23 Aug, 1901. Sadly, it could be claimed as one of Racing's worst cases of mismanagement; certainly Forrester's heavy gambling being a contributing cause of the Stroke. One of his living relatives told me that on one occasion "Black Bill" risked the deeds of his home on a card game. Fortunately he won on that occasion, but what of the others? There is another side of the story which testifies that Will Forrester was generous & kind, to a fault. It could be said that no Racing personality of his day was more revered than the "Squire of Warwick Farm", but he handled his wealth very poorly, leaving his wife, their son Charles & their three daughters in dire straits. Sportsman, politicians & dignitaries were among the large crowd that travelled by train from Sydney to attend his burial at St Luke's cemetery. Years later, when the Liverpool cemetery was closed, his youngest daughter, Ellie May, had the remains of her father & mother exhumed, then cremated at Northern Suburbs Crematorium, & had their ashes scattered near the present-day winning post at Warwick Farm.
SMH - FORRESTER - 23 Aug, 1901, at Warick Farm, Liverpool. WILLIAM FORRESTER, aged 58yrs.
FUNERAL - Forrester - The Friends of the late William Forrester are kindly invited to attend his Funeral; to move from his late residence, Warwick Farm, Liverpool, on Sunday Afternoon, at 3 o'clock, for Liverpool Cemetery. Train to leave Redfern for Liverpool at 1 o'clock.
