The Newmarket Racing Lad: Tradition and Change in a Marginal Occupation

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Abstract
This paper describes the work of a widely seen but little known occupation, the racing lad. It relates some changes which have taken place in the organisation of work and the subjective responses to these of a significant minority of the occupation in the locality studied. Such changes as are apparent are accounted for in terms of developments in the local labour market which have served to erode the traditionalist framework within which work has been organised. At root, the core activity is seen to depend on some particularly intangible qualities which working class youngsters have typically brought to this form of work.