Joseph Childs (1884-1958) was born in Chantilly and came from a family with a long connection with English racing. His four brothers Albert, Arthur, Charles and Henry were also jockeys; Charles won a war-substitute St Leger on Hurry On in 1916. Their father had ridden successfully in France and their grandfather was head lad to Peter Price at Newmarket. Childs was apprenticed to T. Jennings junior at Phantom House, Newmarket, and rode his first winner on Lady Alicia at Lincoln in 1900. The following year he won the Royal Hunt Cup on Stealaway and the last Manchester November Handicap run on the New Barns course on Rambling Katie. By the end of the season he had ridden 59 winners and had lost the allowance. Although he won the Great Metropolitan Handicap on Congratulations and the Goodwood Cup on Perseus in 1902, he was given less riding after he ceased to claim and T. Jennings arranged for him to return to France to ride for M. Maurice Caillault in 1903. That arrangement came to an early end; the owner was hard to please, while Childs was quick to take offence and too sensitive to criticism. After meeting with no success during a short period in Italy he failed in another attempt to establish himself in France. Back in England he had only one ride in 1906. When Childs embarked upon his third spell in France he met with only limited success until his luck changed in 1908; George Bellhouse became ill and Childs took his place as jockey to Mr W. K. Vanderbilt, for whom he won the Grand Prix de Paris of that year on North east. After having ridden 75 winners in 1908 he rode 90 in 1909, during which he was retained by Prince Murat. Childs was already beginning to have trouble with his weight. As there were greater opportunities for heavier jockeys in Germany, he went there to ride for the Weinberg brothers in 1910 and 1911. The Weinbergs's trainer was F. Darling, who was soon to take over the Beckhampton stable from his father, and thus began an association between trainer and jockey that was to be renewed with great success in England some years later; relationships between the two men were never completely harmonious, as both were strong-willed and quick-tempered. Based in France again in 1912, Childs obtained his first success in an English classic that year when he rode Mirska, who was trained by T. Jennigns, to win the Oaks. Two years later he caught the last train out of Chantilly before the arrival of the Germans and crossed to England. In 1916 he joined the R F C, but his petulant attitude to discipline made life hard for him both in that unit and later in the Cavalry Reserve. Finally he transferred to the 4th Hussars, from which he managed to obtain frequent leave to ride in the big races despite clashes with his superiors. In 1916 he won the Derby and the Oaks on Fifinella and two years alter he made an auspicious start to his association with the Manton trainer Alec Taylor, whom he always held in high regard, by winning the `Triple Crown' on Gainsborough. To mark his appreciation of the generous leave allowed him; he gave all his riding fees to regimental funds in 1918. In 1919 Childs rode Lady James Douglas's Bayuda in the Oaks and Lord Astor's Buchan in the St Leger for the Manton stable; Bayuda won the Oaks but Buchan was only third at Doncaster. Lord Astor's manager Major Gerald Deane was extremely critical of the way the colt had been ridden and there was a heated exchange, as a result of which Childs never rode for Lord Astor again. Childs became first jockey to King George V in 1925 and continued to ride for the king and his trainer W. R. Jarvis, with whom he was always on the best of terms, until his retirement in 1935. A genuine love of his country made him very proud of being the royal jockey and he took great care to behave with what he considered becoming dignity. The proudest moment of his life was when he won the 1,000 Guineas for the King on Scuttle. In 1926 he won the Derby on Coronach, whom F. Darling trained for Lord Woolavington, without taking much pleasure in the achievement; he liked to win his races by coming through with a late run but on Coronach he was obliged to carry out orders to make all the running. He also won the St Leger on Coronach, and won a third classic for Darling on Cameronian in the 2,000 Guineas of 1931. Child's four successes in the Gold Cup were on Gainsborough, Solario, trained by Alec Taylor's successor at Manton, J. Lawson, in 1931 and 1932. Towards the end of his career Childs won many races for Sir Cecil Boyd-Rochfort, including the 1,000 Guineas on Brown Betty. Lack of versatility prevented Childs from being a really great jockey. A waiting race was the only one he could ride. He was much taller than most jockeys and his dark bushy eyebrows gave him a gloomy and forbidding appearance. Always quick to take offence, he would argue with owners, Stewards or anybody else if he thought that he was right. In retirement he acquired the controlling interest in a greyhound stadium at Portsmouth. He had a small stud at Nazeing in Essex and ran a few horses in partnershiop with his friend George Digby, the Exning trainer. His autobiography Mr Racing Reminiscences was published in 1952.
John Singer Sargent, presented by the artist John Singer Sargent sale, Christies, July 24th and 27th 1925, lot 295