Frank Wootton; Frank Wootton. Issue 2132. (Rare colour half-tone gravure).
London: Vanity Fair, 1909. Original colour half-tone gravure. 38 x 26 cm (15 x 10 inches). Very Good. Minor chip on top right corner, not affecting image. Accompanied by 1 sheet of description, Very Good. Published in Vanity Fair, 8 Sep 1909. Hentschel-Colourtype, London (half-tone gravure). Rare.
Francis Leonard Wootton (14 December 1893 – 6 April 1940), known as "Frank" or "Frankie", and sometimes referred to as "The Wonderboy", was an Australian horse racing jockey who had great success as a teenager in the Edwardian era when he was British champion for four successive years. He was born in Australia, the eldest son of Richard Wootton, a "tall, dark-visaged, hard-bitten Australian". His brother was Stanley, another jockey, and later, trainer and jockey coach. The boys were subjected to a very strict regime during their youth; their father was determined they would become jockeys and allegedly denied them food. Richard was sure Frank was ready to race ride from the age of 9, but Australian Jockey Club rules prohibited it. Thus, the Wootton family, together with another young prospective jockey, Bill "Midge" McLachlan, relocated to South Africa where age restrictions did not apply. Item #18-4917
Price: $75.00