J. E. Savill


John Eden Savill, generally known as J. E. Savill or J. Eden Savill, was an Englishman who had a short but successful career in South Australia as a racehorse owner and trainer, culminating in his horse winning the 1882 Melbourne Cup.

History

Savill was born in the parish of Tinwell, Rutland, the only son of George Savill of Ingthorpe House.
He arrived in Adelaide sometime before 1871, when he was, as "Cerberus", drawing political cartoons for The Portonian, a weekly satirical newspaper, and was also exhibiting his artwork. He married and had a home at a property at Campbelltown.
He was a member of the Adelaide Racing Club and acted as starter in 1874. He joined the rival South Australian Jockey Club after its re-formation in 1875. His horse The Buck raced in the Selling Hurdles of New Years Day 1877
With no other qualifications apart from long experience with horses he set himself up as a trainer of thoroughbreds, with considerable success:
Wild Irishman, a brown gelding jumper he purchased from Hutchinson, performed credibly without placing and was sold to H. E. Downer.
He trained A. R. Malcom's jumper Unknown, grey gelding Sheet Anchor for J. L. Stirling and flat-racer Nelly for George Church.
Around 1878 he took over Gabriel Bennett's lease of Charles Brown Fisher's Lockleys training stable, just off the Henley Beach Road, and with the assistance of Tom Jordan made it the most influential training stable in Adelaide. For a time he handled William Pile's stable, but lost that valuable business early in 1880 after the Newmarket incident and Savill's legal tussle with the S.A.J.C. committee, of which Pile was a member. In May 1881 Pile sold up and Savill purchased his The Assyrian. He also trained horses for W. B. Rounsevell, M. C. Jacobs, C. Leslie Macdonald, J. Crozier and Tom Barnfield.
Among his successes were:
In all, Savill won 111 races, with total prizemoney £12,252 10s., not to mention whatever he made on wagers, and "it seldom occurred that a Lockleys horse surprised his trainer by winning".

Return to England

Shortly after his 1882 triumph with The Assyrian, Savill and family left for England, and lived in St Martin's, Stamford, Lincolnshire. The eldest daughter married the son of a war hero; the youngest married an Earl.
He was involved in thoroughbred racing in England, and had a horse named Ringmaster who won some good races.
In May 1909 he was committed for trial at the Meath Assizes charged with feloniously shooting at one Charles Fortescue Uniacke at Dunboyne, near Dublin on 19 May 1909. He had been summoned to Uniacke's house "The Villa" by his wife, promising that she would be alone. He entered the drawing room and her husband appeared. A scuffle ensued between them and Savile drew his revolver, which went off harmlessly, though whether deliberate or accidental is unknown.
His death in 1920 went unremarked in the Australian press. Others who sailed to the Colonies, made a fortune and promptly returned to England with their new-found wealth, met a similar fate.

Personality

Savill was a handsome and immaculately groomed man who dressed well, and was seldom seen out-of-doors without kid gloves.
He had the unfortunate habit of speaking his mind in a most candid and impartial fashion, which brought him into collision with many associates,
but was popular with the public, who appreciated his honest and straightforward dealings as an owner and trainer.

Other interests

He joined the Adelaide Coursing Club and in 1875, 1876 served as secretary. The club held its meetings at Corryton Park, the property of W. B. Rounsevell at Morphettville.
He was a poultry fancier, exhibited at the Adelaide Show, and later served as judge.

Family

John Eden Savill married Isabella Sarah Charlotte Macdonald on 4 September 1872. She was a sister of C. Leslie Macdonald. Three daughters were:
Their home in 1910 was 31 Clanricarde Gardens, London.