Lond you are quite correct I was talking about the guns owner Henry Chaplin as he was then. I did a lot of research about the 1867 Derby held on May 22nd in a large hail storm, with the odds of 1000 to fifteen approximately 66 to 1 against Hermit winning which he did. As far as can be ascertained the betting was as follows :- Hastings £120.000 against hermit winning today about three Million. Henry Chaplin bet for the hermit to win £100 . 000 today about 2 . 85 Million. I found not all of the information was on the net I had to search a lot of newspapers and archives here and abroad. I have posted some pictures of the main characters in the saga and Hermit. At the start of my research I was set very much against against Hastings but then softened because of that very old quote "all is fair in love and war" and his final words before he died "Hermit broke my heart but I did not let it show did I?"

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Hastings


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Florence Paget known as the "Pocket Venus"


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Hastings and new wife at home


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Hermit oil painting

I think those trousers where a fashion item in the 1850 s, also the newspaper photos are rather poor I did not realized until after I posted please put it down to eye site problem. I do wish this site would get with the current times and do its own image hosting.

The only lessons in my life I truly did learn from where the ones I paid for!