MERRY

James (son of James Merry, merchant Glasgow). b. New Monkland, Lan arks hire 1805; ed. at univ. of Glasgow; ironmaster in partnership with Mr. Cunning ham in counties of Ayr and Lanark; kept a large number of game cocks and continually had cock fights; contested Glasgow 6 March 1857; M.P. Falkirks burghs, Stir lings hire 1 April 1857 but unseated on petition July 1857; M.P. Falkirk burghs 3 May 1859 to 1874; commenced racing at Stirling 1838; kept his horses with George Dawson at Gullane 1842; with Chanticleer won 14 races in 1848; purchased Hobbie Noble for 6500 guineas 1852; won Two you sand guineas with Lord of the Isles 1855 and Mac greg or 1870; won the St. Leger with Sunbeam 1855 and with Marie Stewart 1873; the Derby with Thormanby 1860 and with Don caster 1873; the Ascot cup with Thormanby 1861; and the Oaks and St. Leger with Marie Stewart 1873; retired from the turf 1875; sold Don caster for 14,000 guineas, the largest price ever given for a racehorse; purchased lord John Scott’s stud 1857; won £46,000 on the Derby of 1860. d. 68 Eaton sq. London 3 Feb. 1877. Illust. sp. and dr. news , vi 512, 518–19 (1877), portrait ; Rice’s History of the British turf , ii 332–38 (1879); Illust. sporting news , iv 369 (1865), portrait ; Henry Corbet’s Tales of sporting life (1864) 13–25; Baily’s mag. ii 357–63 (1861), portrait ; W. Day’s Reminiscences 2 ed. (1886) 301–25; Thormanby’s Famous Racing Men (1882) pp. 100–107, portrait .