Remember Emily Davison at Tattenham Corner. This corner isn’t just a bend in a racetrack. It’s a place etched in history, a site of both excitement and tragedy.
Tattenham Corner refers to the sharp bend on the eastern side of Epsom Racecourse. The Tattenham Corner railway station is nearby. It serves the residential area. The racecourse and the road between the station and the course are in the borough of Epsom and Ewell. The local residential area is in the ward of Reigate and Banstead.
Back in the 1770s, Tattenham Corner became the name for the top section of the Epsom Racecourse. The first Derby was held in 1780. The sharp corner of the racecourse was replaced by a gentler curve in 1834 after a number of racing accidents. The area was mainly used for cattle pasture, sheep farming, and wood gathering. Railways arrived and construction increased between 1850 and 1950.
Now, think about June 4, 1913. Emily Davison, a suffragette, came to the Derby. She stood at Tattenham Corner. As the horses thundered past, she ran onto the track. She possibly held a suffragette flag. Davison reached for the reins of King George V’s horse, Anmer. The horse was ridden by Herbert Jones. Anmer hit her at about 35 miles per hour. Davison was knocked unconscious. Anmer fell and partly rolled over his jockey.
Bystanders rushed to help Davison and Jones. They were taken to Epsom Cottage Hospital. Davison underwent an operation two days later. Sadly, she never regained consciousness. She even received hate mail while in the hospital. Davison died on June 8 from a skull fracture.
Tattenham Corner railway station was significant. Queen Elizabeth II used to arrive there on the Royal Train for race days. It was more convenient than Epsom Downs railway station. In 1993, a train crashed at the station. The driver was over the legal alcohol limit. He failed to stop the train. It crashed into the station hut.
Tattenham Corner today has houses, shops, a railway station, and a pub. The Tattenham Corner Pub was built in the 1930s under a Home Office scheme. Houses started appearing in the 1930s with a master plan for the Tattenham Corner Estate. Most homes were built after World War II until the 1960s.
So, as you stand here at Tattenham Corner, remember its layers. The roar of the races. The fight for equality. The echoes of the past, all converging on this single bend in the track. Tattenham Corner is more than just a location. It’s a living story.