Bookmaker Benny was popular with punters; Career began at point-to-points and included greyhound racing.

Byline: Benny Edwards

REGARDED as the oldest bookmaker in Cardiff, Benny Edwards will be fondly remembered by Welsh racegoers throughout the country.

He began his betting career in his late 20s when he could be found at all the local point-to-points and flapping meetings.

Benny started out in the racing game when Cardiff had its own racecourse at Ely, and a greyhound racing stadium at the Sloper Road Welsh White City Stadium and later Cardiff Arms Park.

He went on to run betting shops at the Bulldog in Fairwater, Lewis Arms in Pentyrch, the Wyndham in Cardiff and the Newton Arms and Happy Valley Holiday Camp, both in Porthcawl.

Benny died of old age at a nursing home in Marshfield and was laid to rest at Thornhill Crematorium.

Benny, whose real name was John Albert, was brought up in the Temperance Town area of Cardiff and had to leave school when he was 10 to support his family.

He later married Evelyn, who passed away in 2003, and had two sons, Terry and Ronnie.

Ronnie said: "He used to do all sorts of things to make money when he was younger because his dad was ill.

"He would go to Cardiff train station and help carry people's bags and also used to shoe-black outside the Royal Hotel.

"He also used to sell the Echo and Western Mail.

"He enjoyed snooker in his spare time and was a very good player. He used to make a bit of money out of that as well."

Unlike most other racecourse bookies at the time Benny would accept each-way bets, something that made him popular with the punters.

Prior to his betting career he also spent a couple of years in the RAF before World War II and ran a taxi business during the war.

As well as his sons he leaves 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Ronnie added: "I think he was the oldest bookmaker left in Cardiff.

"As far as we know all the other ones from that era have died.

"He was a very good bookmaker and a very smart man.

"We've had phone calls from bookmakers in London as well who have paid their respects.

"Everyone just says how he was a good man who was very well respected."

Former betting colleague Tony Harris added: "Benny was one of the better racecourse bookmakers who you could rely on to take each-way bets."

And former Western Mail racing editor Brian Radford said: "I remember Benny very well, he was a great racing stalwart."

CAPTION(S):

Cardiff bookmaker Benny Edwards, left, was a popular figure on the racing scene in South Wales