Epsom was originally prepared by boiling down mineral waters which sprung at Epsom. The town's market is built on the pond that existed in the Middle Ages. Within the centuries-old boundaries is Epsom Downs Racecourse which features two of the five English Classic horse races; "The Derby" and "The Oaks", which were first run in 1780 and 1779 respectively. On 4 June 1913, Emily Davison, a militant women's suffrage activist, stepped in front of King George V's horse running in the Derby, sustaining fatal injuries. The British Prime Minister and first chairman of the London County Council, Lord Rosebery, was sent
The 1821 Derby at Epsom The 1821 Derby at Epsom The 1821 Derby at Epsom, or "Horse Race" ("Course de chevaux", traditionally called "Le Derby de 1821 à Epsom") is an 1821 painting by Théodore Géricault in the Louvre Museum, showing The Derby of that year. Fascinated by the horses, Géricault made many paintings portraying them. Working for a while at the imperial stables, he had the opportunity to study in detail and made numerous portraits of horses. This work is not related to that series of portraits but it illustrates a similar theme horses, as the artist has done many times, such as in