Racing Over the Scarp and Beyond by Jan James

A meeting to form the club was held at Tom Wilding's hotel (now the Avon Bridge Hotel), Captain James MacLean Dempster, presided over the meeting where, Jacob Delmage proposed it, seconded by Thomas Lockyer and carried unanimously, “That annual races be established at Northam. the first of which to take place on Monday, November 2, 1863, according to the Turf Club rules; the decision of the stewards in all cases to be final”.

That the following gentlemen be requested to act as stewards—Augustus Lee Steere, Charles. E. Dempster, William Chidlow, Jacob Delmage, Samuel E. Burges and James Roe and as clerk of the course, Mr Andrew Dempster. (Northam Race Club)