Skip to main content
Advanced Search
DOS2005-PC-182
The Portraiture of Flying Childers
DOS2005-PC-182

The Portraiture of Flying Childers

Dateca. 1760
Engraver Henry Roberts (active 1730 - 1790)
After work by James Roberts (ca. 1725 - 1799)
OriginEngland, London
MediumEtching with line engraving
DimensionsOverall: 8 5/8 × 5 5/8in. (21.9 × 14.3cm)
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1961-247
DescriptionUpper right corner reads: "7"
Text reads: "The PORTRAITURE of FLYING CHILDERS./ The Property of his Grace the Duke of Devonshire./ Allow'd by all Judges to be the Swiftest Horse that ever Run in this Kingdom, / he was bred by Esq. Childers who Sold him to the Duke of Devonshire & got by / the Darley Arabian Sire of Lord Lonsdal's Brisk young Childers, Old Almanza, / Aleppo, Manica, Skipjack, the Dam of Lord Godolphin's Whitefoot & Wryffot, and / Lord Visc.t Tracey's Mare Whimsey, & several others; Childers Dam was call'd / Betty Leeds, being the Daughter of a Sister to Leeds got by the Marquiss / of Wharton's Old Careless, who was got by Spanker, Son of the Darcy Yellow Turk; / his Grand Dam was got by Leed's Arabian Sire of Leeds, his Great Grand Dam / was got by Spanker, his Great Great Grand Dam which was Dam of Spanker / was a Natural Barb Mare. / Childers in April 1721 beat the Duke of Bolton's Speewell 8.st 5.lb. 4 Miles 500 Guineas, / at Newmarket Octr. he receiv'd of Speedwell 500 Guineas forfeit, Oct.r. 1722 he beat the / Earl of Droghedas Chanter 10.st 6 M 1000 Guineas, April 1723 he receiv'd of the Duke of Bridgewaters Lonsdale Mare, and Lord Milsintowns Stripling 50 Guineas / forfeit each, the following Nov.r. he received 100 Guineas forfeit of Lord Godolphin's / Bobsey, after which he was kept as a Stallion in his Graces Studd, and was Sire / of the Hampton Court Childers, Mouse, Blacklegs, Odsey, Plaistow, Fleece'em, Second / Blaze, and many others. / NB. He leap'd 10 Yards on level Ground with his Rider."
Label TextFlying Childers was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in the 1720s that owned by the Duke of Devonshire. Upon visiting Williamsburg in the 1770s, J.F.D Smyth mentioned Childers, his son, was imported by John Tayloe of Richmond County Virginia and another son Jolly Roger (foaled in 1741) he started covering mares in Virginia in 1748.

The print comes from a collection of forty engravings after the work of James Roberts and engraved by Henry Roberts entitled "The Sportsman's Pocket Companion" published around 1760. Though the horses were drawn by James Roberts, they were likely after other paintings and prints of famous racehorses. The majority of the horses represented in the prints raced between 1708-1755. The collection was originally bound, but the title page stated that "This Work is Contrived that it may be Framed & Glazed in various Sizes, & will make most elegant & pleasing Furniture."

Text reads:
The PORTRAITURE of FLYING CHILDERS.
The Property of his Grace the Duke of Devonshire.
Allow'd by all Judges to be the Swiftest Horse that ever Run in this Kingdom, he was bred by Esq. Childers who Sold him to the Duke of Devonshire & got by the Darley Arabian Sire of Lord Lonsdal's Brisk young Childers, Old Almanza, Aleppo, Manica, Skipjack, the Dam of Lord Godolphin's Whitefoot & Wryffot, and Lord Visc.t Tracey's Mare Whimsey, & several others; Childers Dam was call'd Betty Leeds, being the Daughter of a Sister to Leeds got by the Marquiss of Wharton's Old Careless, who was got by Spanker, Son of the Darcy Yellow Turk; his Grand Dam was got by Leed's Arabian Sire of Leeds, his Great Grand Dam was got by Spanker, his Great Great Grand Dam which was Dam of Spanker was a Natural Barb Mare. Childers in April 1721 beat the Duke of Bolton's Speewell 8.st 5.lb. 4 Miles 500 Guineas, at Newmarket Octr. he receiv'd of Speedwell 500 Guineas forfeit, Oct.r. 1722 he beat the Earl of Droghedas Chanter 10.st 6 M 1000 Guineas, April 1723 he receiv'd of the Duke of Bridgewaters Lonsdale Mare, and Lord Milsintowns Stripling 50 Guineas forfeit each, the following Nov.r. he received 100 Guineas forfeit of Lord Godolphin's Bobsey, after which he was kept as a Stallion in his Graces Studd, and was Sire of the Hampton Court Childers, Mouse, Blacklegs, Odsey, Plaistow, Fleece'em, Second Blaze, and many others. NB. He leap'd 10 Yards on level Ground with his Rider.