FO X- H U NTING RECO LLECTIO N S

S IR R G N D GR H M BART . E I A L A A ,

S E COND IMPR E S S ION

L O ND O N E V E L E IG H N A S H

1 9 0 8

D R H M B SIR REG N G ART . I A L A A ,

S E CON D IMPR E S S ION

L O N D O N E V E L E I G H N A S H

1 9 0 8

C O N T E N T S

CHAP. EARLY DAYS I I . THE B EAUFO RT HUNT

III. THE B URTON HUNT

IV . THE CO TSW OLD HUNT

THE N E W FORE ST HUNT

V I . THE TEDW O RTH HUN T

V I I . THE HURW ORTH HUNT

V II N O O O S I . RT N C NYER

IX IR I . S B . BELL NGHAM GRAHAM , ART — — ATHERSTON E PYTCHLEY Q UO RN

INDEX

LI ST O F I L L U STR ATI O NS

PA GE

'

S IR E I B . Frontz s ie ce R G NALD GRAHAM , ART p THE E IGHTH DUK E AND DUCHESS OF BEAUFORT O O I S O I C L NEL M LE , N BLUE P LL

LADY BLAN CHE SOMERSET ON V IOLET LO RD HENRY BENTINCK

. N I M . P. MR HE RY CHAPL N ,

R E V . OS I V I O N O B THE J EPH P TT , CAR F RE DC M

COLON EL MARTIN POW ELL HOUND SHOW AT PETERBOROUGH

AS S HE TO N MR . THOMAS SMITH

LORD ALGERNON ST . MAUR LADY GRAHAM THE HALL AT NORTO N CONYERS V ISCOUNT ANDOV ER (AFTERW ARDS EARL OF SUFFOLK ) AND S IR I REG NALD GRAHAM , BART . SIR BELLINGHAM GRAHAM ’ S TREACLE

S IR I M B . O N E B ON BELL NGHA GRAHAM , ART , TH AR

FOX-H% NTING RECOLLECTIONS

C HA PTE R I

EARLY D AY S

HOW I envy the facile pen whic h let us into the

M ark et Harborou h o f secrets of g , and told us

Tilbury Nogo , that unsuccessful man so admirably described by George Whyte Melville . What would I not give for the ever-pleasant pencil with

un which the Druid j otted down the plain ,

D c k varnished words of i Christian , as that veteran hero personally conveyed him in a o ne - horse gig along the bridle roads o f Leicestershire P Classic

o f o ld names are these , recalling to many us the

o f days , and that sensation screaming delight

- with which we once galloped for a start . To day ,

’ such musings are all in vain , for it is at a snail s

pace , and in chastened mood , that I approach my formidable task . Memoirs are often prefaced by unnecessary reference to parentage and pedigree this at least shall not be laid to my charge . Was not that old 2 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS lady j ustified in her bitter reproof to a young man

’ ’ overfond o f allusions to his family 7 Don t talk

% o f to me ancestors , she said ; I once kept a grandmother myself % Let it be sufficient to record that 1 835 was the year o f my birth at Norton

Conyers , in the North Riding of Yorkshire that I

a was educated at the Royal Military College , S nd

o f hurst , gazetted at the age seventeen to the

1 hi 4th Regiment (then the Buckinghams re , now the West Yorkshire) , j oined them at Limerick ,

o f passed a year in Ireland , and at the end that period was ordered with the regiment to Malta . The detachment with which I went sailed in an old troopship o f about seven hundred

Ali ore tons , by name the p , and it took fifteen days o n the voyage from Cork t o Gibraltar (think o f that in these days o f swift military transport) . Malta was but a brief halting-place o n the way to the Crimea , and we landed at Balaclava the

1 1 first week of November 854 . The 4th was

soon moved to the front , and posted to the Third

S ir Division , commanded by General Richard

England . Our chief duty for many months to come was in the trenches day and night , and my most vivid recollection o f that dreary time is snow , everlasting snow , throughout the bitterly

o f 1 — r severe winter 854 55 . Owing to o u hasty FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 3

al o f departure from M ta we , like the rest the

- army , were ill provided with suitable clothing , and I remember the jo y with which I received at last a fur coat and a pair o f long brown boots sent o ut - no t from England , ready made and exactly a perfect fit ; but to me at that time they were beyond all price . I kept well , and was as happy as the day was long (the days were rather long in the trenches) but soon after Sebastopol was evacuated by the Russians o n the 8t h September

1 8 o f 55 , I had a very bad turn Crimean fever , and was sent down to the hospital at Scutari , where my head was shaved , and for some weeks it seemed doubtful how matters would end for me . Our chief interest in hospital was to watch for Florence Nightingale as sh e passed through the wards with

—a im a gentle word for all , weary time until I proved and was invalided to England towards the

1 end o f 855 . My Crimean experience was at the

o f age from nineteen to twenty , and , looking back to such distant times , it seems to me nowadays as

if those scenes had been in another world , and I feel myself a veritable Rip Van Winkle as I muse upon those far- o ff days and wonder how many officers still survive who landed at Balaclava with the o ld Fighting Fourteenth o n that November

1 8 day in 54 . February 1 856 found me gazetted to the Rifle 4 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o f Brigade as Captain at twenty years age , and

almost the youngest Captain in the British Army . I j oined the depot o f the z u d Battalion at Alder

o f shot , and my chief remembrance that spot is in complete contrast to that of the Crimea

eternal field days instead of the trenches , and perpetual dust instead o f snow . Upon the whole

I much preferred Crimean life . Another recollection o f that period is the enthusiasm about pugilism which animated a few young offi cers in various regiments then stationed in the camp at Aldershot . Willingly was I enlisted in that select circle , prominent among

o f th e 6 fl whom was a Second Lieutenant oth Ri es , now a distinguished General also two officers of

1 6 that famous regiment the th Lancers , who are still flourishing ; there may have been a few others whose names are now forgotten . Many prize

fi ht s g within reach did we attend , and more than once we left by a night train to assist early the

’ following morning at W hat B ell s Life was

% wont to term A Merry Mill in the Midlands .

-fi h tin Cock g g was also to be seen at that time ,

o f more especially in the neighbourhood Hendon ,

- a battle ground well known to some of us . These

Corinthian pursuits , which were in favour full

fifty years ago , have long since been extinguished — such tastes and attractions are to - day obsolete

6 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

— part there was no regret at leaving Malta my final farewell might have been said in the words o f Byron

Adie u ye joys of La Valette Adie u sirocco , sun , and sweat , Adieu thou palace rarely entered , ’ Adieu I v e ye mansions where ventured , Adieu o f ye cursed streets stairs , How surely he who mounts them swears %

In the autumn o f 1 860 I was posted to the fl o Ri e Dep t at Winchester , commanded by Colonel

Macdonald . No better quarter in England than o ld — so Winchester many sports , pastimes , and advantages ; dry fly fishing in the Test and

Itchen , nowadays at famine prices , was to be got

for next to nothing in those days . How many delightful afternoons did I pass o n the water o f

Bram b rid e g House , then belonging to Charles — Sartoris h o w many games o f tennis in t h e o ld

’ — o f tennis court at Crawley , the Queen s Crawley

Thackeray in Vanity Fair. I never could see that tumbledown o ld house (since demolished

o f altogether) without thoughts Rawdon Crawley ,

’ % Becky Sharp , and Hester s famous speech , If

o u y please , Sir Pitt , Sir Pitt died this morning ,

% Sir Pitt . Then the hunting (o ur Colonel was

fo r o f very good about leave that) , and plenty

H . : H . packs to choose from the , with Edward

Tre dc ro ft as Master the Hambledon , hunted by FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 7

o f Pre sh aw V ne Walter Long ; the y , by Lord

Portsmouth and the Hursley , with Mr . Tregon

well as Master . The last was a squire from Dorsetshire ; such a trim little man between

fifty and sixty , always in faultless costume , with

o f boots and breeches worthy a better country ,

rather deaf and very silent . W hile at a hunt breakfast in the barracks some young Spark (with doubtful taste) stuffed his horn with buttered

o f toast , but even the discovery this indignity he endured in complacent silence . A few years ago I accidentally came across his tombstone in a

he Bournemouth churchyard , where has been

resting for many years . When we could not leave barracks until after morning parade there was a pack o f b arriers which could always be

o ld found , and was never far away , hunted by

J ames Dear , a brewer at Winchester . Another

- pack was kept by J ohn Day , the well known

Daneb ur trainer at y, near Stockbridge , but these

o f were more difficult to reach . Mr . Nevill Chill and kept a few couples o f black St . Hubert hounds and a tame deer o r two ; he was much

o f deformed , and obliged to ride in a kind basket

n chair o the top o f his saddle . On hunting mornings the whole party went to the appointed

was fixture ; the deer given a generous start , and ran until captured by the St . Huberts . When 8 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

the hunt was over , the Master , with his quaint

establishment , the deer and the hounds , all trotted home together they seemed to be a kind o f happy family who lived o n friendly terms and

o ne were mutually pleased with another , a bright

example o f domestic life . For all these variations o f the chase , hunters of more or less value could be procured from J ohn Tubb , the widely known

dealer who resided opposite to the barrack gates , a man with much resource o f language and a

certain amount of notoriety peculiar to himself . He was periodically o ut o f favour with many r racecourse authorities , but as a universal p ovider

o f h o rse fle sh , and as a very original character , he was well known to most Rifi em en when stationed Th ’ o . e ueen s at the dep t In that pleasing work , Q

Hounds , Lord Ribblesdale , well acquainted with his subj ect devotes some pages to episodes in

J ohn Tubb s career . At what pleasant country houses we used to

: stay Warnford Court , where lived Mr . and Mrs . Edward Sartoris— sh e had been Adelaide Kemble

and there we frequently met her elder sister ,

Mrs . Butler , who preferred to be still known by

her former name , Fanny Kemble . They were the daughters o f Charles Kemble and nieces o f

. Mrs Siddons , and both were gifted with dramatic

la talents and singular attractions . Ade ide had FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 9 been very celebrated as a prima donna in London

1 8 and in many foreign capitals from 35 , when

sh e appeared as Norma at Covent Garden , until

the close o f her stage career in 1 842 . Who has

A W eek in a French not read her charming story , Country Honse % Fanny had been the greatest

o f actress her time , and had played Juliet at the f age o seventeen . But is not all this related by her o wn pen in Records of a Girlhood % Here

Prinse also were to be found Leighton , Val p ,

Henry Greville , George Barrington , Hamilton é Aid , and Miss Thackeray , long before she became

c . Ho Mrs . Rit hie w well I remember the charm

o f that society , and those memorable evenings when Adelaide Sartoris would sing with touching expression and a voice still entrancing ; Fanny

Kemble would recite in deep , tragic tones ; and Edward Sartoris himself would sometimes relax sufficiently t o read (as no o ne else could read)

the plays o f Shakespeare which he knew so well . l Then the Grange , where at that time ived the

second Lord and Lady Ashburton . I was often — there , and met many celebrities Landseer , the

Carl le s S ir y , Roderick Murchison , Charles Kingsley ,

na S aturda Review Ve bles (of the y ) , Laurence k fi l Bro o e ds . Oliphant , the , and others I have a pleasant memory of Kingsley in particular— in

complete contrast to Carlyle as a social factor , 1 0 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS whose return to the ordinary salutation o f good

dl e m morning was at least abrupt , and har y

c o ura in . . g g to further conversation Mrs Carlyle , o n t o the contrary , never ceased talk in a strident voice with broad Scotch accent . A comet in this circle was the Honourable J ames Macdonald , whom I first met at the Grange , little thinking I should have the good fortune to know him so intimately in future years . To all the world he was Jim Macdonald ; to the last Duke o f Cam bridge he was Military Secretary and Equerry

for nearly forty years , with a sunny face bubbling m with erriment , hair like white satin , and a voice like a silver bell ; the fascination o f his company

Bro o k fi ld was indeed irresistible . e was very

o f agreeable , with a knack putting a humorous construction upon the most simple matters o f fact . He was supposed to be the original o f

’ Thackeray s Charles Honeyman in the N em comes , though I could never quite recognise the portrait myself . Anyhow , Thackeray must have

Bro o k fi elds o n known the well , inasmuch as it is record that he was a guest at the first dinner- party o f their early days , when the hostess modestly

sh e asked if might help him to a tartlet , and the great novelist , graspingthe situation and the proba b ilit o f - y an adj acent pastry cook , quietly replied

o ne If you please , and pray give me a twopenny . C H A PT E R I I

THE B EAUFO RT HU NT

IN the spring o f 1 863 I was still at Winchester

o f Barracks , and obtained leave absence for a month in order t o j oin an expedition which was then being organised to hunt wolves in the

o f South o f France . The Duke Beaufort took o ut twenty- two couples o f do gh o un ds and his h unting establishment to Poitou , where a good sized house with stabling and temporary kennels had been engaged for him eight miles from

Poitiers . His party comprised the Honourable

He nr W n dh am t h e y y , Honourable Edward Russell , Lord Worcester (then sixteen and still at Eton) and myself . We all arrived early in April in most unfavourable weather for the purpose— a blazing sun every morning , very dry , and no

o f prospect o f rain . The country was composed large woods surrounded by expansive plains

o ut chiefly devoted to vineyards . We were three days a week , and at the fixtures generally by eight or nine in the morning . The animal f was di ficult to find , and altogether we had little success owing to the heat and other circum 1 2 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

stances . There was also the drawback that some o f the hounds did not relish the idea . An obstinate o ld fellow called Foiler positively

c o nse declined to hunt the wolf at all , and was

o r quently left at home . Two three couples

% o ne decided to vote with Foiler , and only young wolf was killed during the month . One

o ut really fine run there , however , is worthy of

t o record . An old wolf had been seen enter an immense wood at daybreak ; the Duke o n his

o f way to hunt was told this , and decided to draw for him with the whole pack (tufting had

so hitherto been tried most days) , as to force him — to face the open . The plan succeeded the wolf

ran u o r broke away , q ite straight for eight ten — miles in a cloud o f dust never more than half a mile before the pack , and evidently with no idea o f being caught that day . At last he ran through a plantation full o f ro e deer which

V j umped up in iew , and away went the hounds after them . By the time they were got together

sun again the wolf was gone , the was out , and the hunt was over . From all parts o f France Sportsmen flocked

c o nse to Poitou , and there were large fields in

n q ue c e . At the end o f April the establishment

o ur returned to England , and party stayed a day o r two in Paris , where the Duke was entertained

T C S S O F B % FO T H E 8T H D % KE A N D D % H E E A R 1 86 4 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 3 at a banquet and made a charming speech in excellent French . On the whole there had not

- been much sport as regards wolf hunting , but it was an interesting expedition under most pleasant auspices .

During this year I retired from the Army , and for some seasons afterwards hunted with — the Beaufort Hunt an immense extent o f territory , combining almost every description of country— with more than ample for six days a week . At that time three distinct packs were maintained ; Clark was huntsman and J ack West and Heber Long whipped in ; they were all in green plush , which looked smart enough in

fine weather , but was rather apt to hold the

o f wet . Members the Hunt wore the well f known Blue and Bu f, for which distinction ladies also were in great competition . The

o f country always seemed to be full foxes , and

o f there was no end Sport with them . Many merry Spins over the walls , and many a good

’ day s sport did I enj oy with the Blue and Buff . The fastest gallop I ever saw in this country was on the 1 2t h December 1 864 . They found

’ Pac e s him in y Plantation , rather a flying start , and only two o r three got away with the hounds they raced a tremendous pace for forty-two minutes by Crudwell , across Paradise Farm and 1 4 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

E ast c o urt the meadows near House , over the

brook to the fourteen acres at Braydon ; there , I

think , we got among fresh foxes . It was a

lucky day for me , as I had a front seat all the

way . Colonel Po ule t t Somerset had mounted me o n a well - bred chestnut horse called Happy

Land , which he purchased from Ben Land , the

steeplechase trainer . I bought the horse the him next day and renamed Paradise , but he

o ne soon became Paradise Lost , as he was o f five hunters which Granville Somerset bought in a lump from me for £500 o ne evening towards

the end o f that season .

1 868 Clark resigned suddenly in , and from that time Lord Worcester (then j ust come o f

age) hunted the hounds . The celebrated Great

so Wood run , in which he much distinguished

n 1 st 1 8 1 o 2 . himself , took place February 7 The late Duke ’ s fame was known to all the world as the best o f sportsmen and the kindest of friends by nature he was endowed with courtesy and other attributes which rendered him a most popular

o f Master Hounds , and no one who hunted with him for a single day could fail to notice his never

failing exertions to show sport . Weather made no f di ference to him , and his hounds seldom went home until dusk ; his do g language and hunting

% B % Pl L L C O LO N E L M IL E S O N L E FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 5

voice were quite unequalled , and he was the best

- horn blower I ever listened to . At all times most

o ff particular about tail hounds being cut in chase , it was woe betide the young gentleman whom he s aw slip through a gate without first giving the chance to a hound or two who might perhaps

have had a bad start . Prominent among the forward riders of the sixties were Colonel Kings

cote (now Sir Nigel) , Colonel Miles , and Bob

h o rse de ale r Chapman , the noted from Chelten

o ne ham , whom no could beat over the walls .

1 Colonel Miles had been in the 7 th Lancers , and was generally known as Peter Miles . Always a

- welter weight , he had as a young man made a reputation in Leicestershire , where he attracted

o f o f the admiration Sir Richard Sutton , Master

1 1 the Quorn from 846 to 855 . Mr . Bromley

M. P. Davenport , , illustrates that charming book entitled S port with various sketches o f his model champion negotiating oxers and sailing over ridge and furrow . At another period he also immortalised Peter Miles in verse , rather at the

’ Old expense of the author s friend , Mr . W . L .

Gilmour , once a celebrated Meltonian , but a

’ little going o ff at the time o f Colonel Mile s s advent .

Wait till the second horseman pass , ’ ’ Y f as % ou ll see a orm , tis his , al 1 6 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

T a he he vy man who funks the stiles ,

And shudders at the name o f Miles .

S uch f is the ate of mortal man , M Where Gilmour ended , iles began , M And iles in turn must yield his sway, % For every dog S hall have his day .

Another fine horseman was Captain Little

o f (the Josey Little Chandler fame) , always

ready for a gallop . It was whispered about , that once upon a time he had ridden gallantly to a singlehound who raced away o n a line by him self for five minutes , when the Captain j umped o n o n the hound , killed him the spot , and his private run came to an untimely end . I presume f he had long since expiated that o fence , for he was frequently out with the hounds in my time . An excellent sportsman was Granville Somer

C . set . , Q (widely known as the Doctor) , who

hunted there every winter ; a short , stout man

with a pleasant countenance , who wore an

o f unusual number waistcoats , and was devoted — to the Chase generally a stern chase for him . We Often went together to hunt o n Exmoor

with the Devon and Somerset staghounds .

o ur Dulverton , Porlock , and Minehead were

various headquarters , and we sometimes stayed

o f with our mutual friend the Master the Pack ,

Mr . Fenwick Bissett , at Bagborough , near

1 8 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

1 8 th o f married in 7 4 the 5 Marquis Waterford , l and , sad indeed to relate , died after a long i lness

1 in 895 . It is many years now since I wore a blue

f f re c o l and buf coat , but time cannot e face lections of the friendship and fox - hunting which were my experience with the Beaufort

Hunt . In 1 865 I had two o r three steeplechasers

trained by Saunders at Hednesford . The best

o f them was Marble Hill , by Teddington , a horse I bought at Tattersall ’ s when Lord Uxbridge ’ s

stud was sold . He proved a good investment

that spring , as within a few weeks of the purchase he won the Croydon Steeplechase and Hurdle Race on consecutive days George Ede rode him

then and subsequently , when he won several

hunt races for me .

1 86 In 7 I bought Romping Girl , by Wild

— a - - Old Dayrell , from old J ohn Osborne three year which had j ust run second for the Oaks sh e went

’ to Findon to be trained with Lord W e st m o rlan d s

Go at e r o f string by William , a capital trainer the

- o ld fashioned school . That autumn the mare was in the Cesarewitch with seven stone . Sammy

Kenyon rode her , and her chance was much

fancied , but she only got third in a very large h field . During the next two years s e won a

1 8 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

1 8 t h married in 7 4 the 5 Marquis of Waterford ,

s ad and , indeed to relate , died after a long illness

1 in 895 . It is many years now since I wore a blue

f f re c o l and bu f coat , but time cannot e face lections o f the friendship and fox - hunting which were my experience with the Beaufort

Hunt . In 1 865 I had two o r three steeplechasers

trained by Saunders at Hednesford . The best

o f them was Marble Hill , by Teddington , a horse I bought at Tattersall ’ s when Lord Uxbridge ’ s

stud was Sold . He proved a good investment

o f that spring , as within a few weeks the purchase he won the Croydon Steeplechase and Hurdle Race o n consecutive days George Ede rode him

then and subsequently , when he won several

hunt races for me .

1 86 In 7 I bought Romping Girl , by Wild

o ld — a - - Dayrell , from J ohn Osborne three year old which had j ust run second for the Oaks sh e went

’ to Findon to be trained with Lord W e st m o rlan d s

Go at e r string by William , a capital trainer of the

- o ld fashioned school . That autumn the mare was in the Cesarewitch with seven stone . Sammy

Kenyon rode her , and her chance was much

sh e fancied , but only got third in a very large

sh e field . During the next two years won a

FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 9

1 86 great many races , and in 9 I was elected a member o f the Jockey Club . Stirring times they were indeed on the Turf in the sixties it was then that Mr . Henry Chaplin

Bro o m ielaw first appeared with Breadalbane and , and subsequently won the memorable Derby of

1 86 b 7 with Hermit , y Newminster ; about the same time came the rapid and sensational career

o f t h o f the 4 and last Marquis Hastings , ending

1 868 - with his early death in when only twenty six . Other racing magnates o f those days were

t k o ff S o . Prince y , General Peel , Mr Stirling Crau

ford , Lords Glasgow , Stamford , Coventry , Fal

Aile sb ur mouth , y; Chesterfield , Portsmouth , and

Wilton ; the Dukes of Beaufort , Hamilton , and

Newcastle Baron Rothschild , Count La Grange ,

Bat th an . Count y y , Mr Ten Brock , Colonel

To wnele . y , Messrs Sturt , Bowes , Sutton , Pryor ,

J ardine , Sir Frederick Johnstone , and Sir Joseph

Hawley , who won the Derby four times and was

% known as the lucky Baronet . Much in evidence also were the three Romeo

% Lords , Courtenay, Howard , and Andover , a well - known trio who lived to become Earls of

Effi n h am f Devon , g , and Su folk ; but they all

three died comparatively early , and with the

- ne last named I lost o of my greatest friends . The sixties were also essentially the racing

z o FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o f era Admiral Rous and George Payne , and being constantly at Newmarket I knew them both intimately . Scores Of times did I dine with the o ld Admiral and Mrs . Rous at their house o n the Terrace . A memorable feature at those parties was the matchmaking which was sure to come o ff when the claret had been

o f round two or three times . Two or more the guests would ask the Admiral to handicap

their respective horses for the purpose and , ever

o f ready for this kind business , he first made a proviso that each owner should hold half a crown

’ in his closed fist . After some minutes reflection the handicapper in solemn tones proclaimed the

course and the weights . The hands were opened ;

- if no money , no match but if the half crowns

were still there , then it was a match ; the half

’

crowns passed into the Admiral s pocket , and all

three were satisfied . Nobody seems to drink

claret nowadays , and the only matches wanted

after dinner are for the inevitable c 1g are t t e . On the Heath in those times we all rode hacks

- o r ponies . The winning post was dragged from

o ne spot to another , rather like a portable bathing machine There were ropes along the

o n e courses , and this continued until evening at

’

dusk Colonel Blackwood , a Queen s Messenger , rode against the ropes the horse fell and broke FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 2 1

’ his rider s neck . After this the authorities thought it high time to substitute white posts

o ld and rails for the ropes , and more modern stands were erected . Who that once knew George Payne could

% o f ever forget him A man Herculean frame , with emphatic voice and expression , whose company was much sought for ; j ovial and

o f humorous , with a fund strange anecdotes , frequently against himself . I never s aw him anywhere except in frock - coat with high hat and the inevitable deep neckcloth o f black and white (his racing colours) . Twic e Master o f the

Pytchley , and an owner of racehorses ever since

1 82 he came of age in 5 , he started with a large fortune in addition to his Sulby estate in North am t o nshire was p , but there little left in his later years . Still , no misfortunes could damp his Spirits ; t o the end he remained gay and j oyous i as ever , and it m ght have been said of him when he died in 1 87 8 that his motto for life had been

L augh , and the whole world will laugh with you ; — Sigh and you may sigh alone . C HA PTE R I I I

THE BU RTO N HUNT

ANOTHE R country in which I often hunted formerly was the Burton , at the time when it was

six- - a- a days week hunt , and long before the Blankney as a separate country was ever thought o f . Lord Henry Bentinck had been Master from

1 8 2 1 86 4 to 4 , and it was towards the close of his reign that I first made acquaintance with the celebrated pack which he had formed . It

o f was composed chiefly Grove , Belvoir , and

Brocklesby blood , with several strains from

’ Osb alde st o n s famous hounds . Their chief char

act erist ic s were drive , speed , stoutness , and extreme quality ; in appearance the do gh o un ds

o f were perhaps a little light bone , but they were

never known to tire . All this was the result o f a master mind devoted for over twenty years to

o f - o f the study hound breeding . The art handling them in the field was also brought to perfection

’ : - in Lord Henry s time noise , hallos , whip crack

- ing , and over riding were his especial abomina

tions . In the days to which I allude Charley

Hawtin was the huntsman , a bright , talented L OR D H EN RY B E N TIN C K

1 86 2

FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 2 3

’ man who carried o ut his Master s theories to the

letter . He had a bad fall on his head and was

e never quite the sam afterwards , but he came to me in the New Forest in 1 87 5 and remained

in my service until he died in 1 87 7 . The

- in . whippers were Harry Dawkins , W Goodall

(afterwards with the Pytchley) , W . Smith (still

o f with the Bramham Moor) , and as a quartet hunt servants they were probably never sur

at passed . Will Goodall ( Belvoir) and Dick Burton (formerly with Osbaldeston) appear to have been Lord Henry ’ s models upon which he

based his system of hunting hounds in the field . About his own achievements Lord Henry was

singularly reticent , and , when asked as to the

- secret of his success in hound breeding , he curtly replied : I breed a great many hounds and I

% hang a great many . After Lord Henry came Viscount Doneraile

o r from Ireland , for a season two , and then in

1 866 Mr . Henry Chaplin at the age of twenty

five became the Master , purchasing the pack for a large sum and hunting the Burton country six - days a week . Always a heavy weight and

- - rather short sighted , but gifted with heaven born

o n e o f hands , no could beat the Squire Blankney

o over Wellingore r any other country . With a

o f natural knowledge hunting , a quick eye for 24 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o r o ut o f hounds in the kennel , and marvellous

memory for their pedigrees and breeding , he frequently hunted the pack himself with much

His o n m a ni success . establishment was a g fi cent scale , and such hunters as his Emperor

and Snowstorm were , perhaps , never seen .

- Genial , generous , and kind hearted , he was ever anxious that his countless friends should share the sport and entertainment which he could s o

Fo r well provide . several winters I passed many

s weeks under his ho pitable roof either at Blankney , o r his - Bur h e rsh at perfect hunting box , g Chauntry , in the town o f Lincoln . He remained Master

1 8 1 until 7 , when the country was divided ; the Burton and Blankney then becoming two separate

. . . f sb e o n . o O rt hunts . Mr F J S Folj ambe ( ) became Master of the Burton , and Colonel Edward

o f Chaplin , formerly the Coldstream Guards , took

o f 1 8 charge the Blankney until 7 7 , when the

n E H . Squire reappeared o the scene as M. until

1 88 1 o f , and then he sold most his hounds to Lord

. o n Lonsdale Some years later , the whole pack

was sold by auction at Rugby , dispersed in lots ,

and scattered in all directions . Sometimes we find in the Field newspaper the

o f inquiry , Where are the descendants Lord Henry ’ s celebrated pack A question which

fo r may well be asked , as regards foxhound blood

FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIOTS 25 it was almost a national calamity in t h ehunting world when such a famous pack was ( S persed at the hammer . Lord Chesham b o ught largely wi at the Rugby sale , in addition to ch he purchased from me every Blankney bith that I possessed o n retiring from the Hurwo rt h o unt ry in 1 888 (I had bought about eighteen couples privately from Lord Lonsdale a fe w years previously) . When Lord Chesham gave up the 3ic e st er country there was probably more o f the rel blood N in that kennel than in any other . 1 doubt the sort may still exist in other kennels but it would be interesting to know where t most

de sc e n ant s abounds . Where , indeed , are the of

u D o rim o nt Van uish e r Contest , Reg lus , Damper , , g ,

w. o Tapster , Sailor , and Saladin Let those have t the blood value it as priceless , for now could not be obtained for love or money

1 1 8 When I was hunting the New Forest 7 4 ,

h lin . a I had about twenty couples from Mr p ,

art and my bitch pack was in those days , again

w 1 886 c o m s e d in the Hur orth country in , p of

h m ' o ne o f t e o . that blood . I never knew tire

’ Who that ever saw the pack when in Lord Ie nry s

Hawt in ; hands , and hunted by Charley , ca forget how at the end o f the longest day the) would cast themselves o ne o r two fields in front f their

FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 2 5 it was almost a national calamity in the hunting world when such a famous pack was dispersed at the hammer . Lord Chesham bought largely at the Rugby sale , in addition to which he purchased from me every Blankney bitch that I possessed o n retiring from the Hurworth country in 1 888 (I had bought about eighteen couples privately from Lord Lonsdale a few years previously) . When Lord Chesham gave up the Bicester country there was probably more o f the real blood in that kennel than in any other . No doubt the sort may still exist in other kennels , but it would be interesting to know where it most

o f abounds . Where , indeed , are the descendants

D o rim o nt Contest , Regulus , Damper , , Vanquisher ,

Tapster , Sailor , and Saladin Let those who have the blood value it as priceless , for now it could not be Obtained for love or money

1 8 When I was hunting the New Forest in 7 4 ,

I had about twenty couples from Mr . Chaplin , and my bitch pack was in those days , and again

1 886 o f in the Hurworth country in , composed

o ne o f that blood . I never knew them to tire . Who that ever saw the pack when in Lord Henry ’ s

Hawtin hands , and hunted by Charley , can forget how at the end o f the longest day they would cast themselves one o r two fields in front o f their 2 6 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS huntsman and fling themselves at a gallop in a semicircle until they recovered the line P Lord Henry devoted a lifetime and his great talents to the breeding of hounds , but he well knew that his labour was in vain unless they were carefully and j udiciously handled in the field . Every detail o f information was recorded daily in his

o n private kennel book , and reference to its contents many passages are to be found showing the remarkably acute observation with which — he watched the performance o f his pack fo r instance

1 8 . Comus , 44 A model little dog ; a very hard runner .

1 8 . Tomboy , 45 Got the name of the o f Schoolmaster the pack , and was probably the best and most sagacious dog that ever ran in the Midland counties . These two dogs ran in the bitch pack . There was little to choose between — in o r them nose , brilliancy , stoutness each dog was equally quick in dropping clear into the dry ditches and working a dying fox o ut o f them . But Comus could be led wrong by wild men o r a flashing pack of hounds while neither man , nor

o f . hound , nor fox could make a fool Tomboy o r However wild men hounds might be , he would quickly leave them and turn back to his fox . o ut o f Nothing could put him temper , and in his last season he could still race with puppies at night . 1 8 8 . Contest , 4 A model dog , a most brilliant FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 2 7

animal ; noted for his hard running , flying the gates and double rails without touching them , and , too , for turning short without the need Of a ’ drag chain .

1 8 . so Comrade , 49 A capital dog , not showy in his work as

Contest , a quicker dog , shorter in his neck ,

and not perfectly clever about his knees . He o f missed , from accidents , a great deal his work

— - as a one and two year old .

1 8 . Craftsman , 49 The best finder of a fox that ever came into the kennel ; rather slack in o ld his loins , and until three years a very delicate

dog .

1 8 0 . Ruler , 5 This was an extraordinary

brilliant dog , a very hard runner , and remark able for the distance he could bring his hounds back to the spot where they last had it good ; ’ and for working the dry ditches , Old Rosebud s

excellence came out in him .

1 8 . Challenger , 53 A capital and model — dog in appearance died suddenly . A terrible

loss .

1 8 . Corsair , 54 This dog nearly equalled Tomboy in sagacity ; a brilliant animal in every

respect .

1 8 8 . Titian , 5 A most brilliant and deter — mined dog a terrible savage when a fox was

killed so were his two sons .

1 8 6 . Trinket , 5 A capital hound , noted for

her Tomboy sagacity . o t 1 8 6 . u Ringworm , 5 Noted for j umping 2 8 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS o f the very centre of the pack in full cry when — hunting it h e e lway turning back and never being caught for two miles in the Gainsboro ’

VVo o ds .

1 860 . fo r Sontag , Noted taking the hounds o f through two miles sheep , driving before them along the Clak b y hillside in the great Wickenby run .

1 861 . Riot , Followed by her sister Ruby , is noted for having taken back her huntsman and hounds three large fields to the spot where n they left their fox in Th o r ly . A very brilliant performance . 6 1 8 . Dainty , 3 Noted for showing up all the Old hounds as a puppy in a dry ditch ; destroyed by kennel lameness . %

1 86 1 . Regulus , A very good dog ; noted for working the roads and dry ditches .

1 86 1 . Regent , Noted for taking his hounds through sheep . The most brilliant dog o f the two ; died suddenly .

1 86 1 . Victor and Vaulter , Two very bril liant dogs ; little to choose between them . Especially noted for j umping the gate o ut Of the Rasen Road and racing back three large fields with their heads up t o the dry ditch where a dying fo x had been left in the great Wickenby % run . A brilliant performance .

A great number o f the Grove hounds were F ’ purchased at Mr . o ljam b e s sale in 1 845 and the following remarks appear about them

3 0 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

1 8 re Rakish , 47 , never showed herself m ark ab l 1 8 1 sh e y until 5 , when appeared nearly

as good as Dairymaid .

1 8 . Dairymaid , 47 The Schoolmistress of — the pack a capital hound .

Tomboy , Corsair , and Ruler will have

been o ur best and wisest dogs .

1 8 0 . Crier and Carver , 5 Two miserably

mean animals in appearance capital dogs . These five Stranger puppies were noted for having been the leading hounds that coursed their second fox into Spridlington Thorns in the Great % Folding hunt day .

The following notes appear o n hounds pur

’ 1 1 chased at Mr . Drake s sale in 85

Hector and Herald were two good dogs

until they became free of tongue . ’ Smuggler , the crack dog in Drake s pack , and a most brilliant animal until he turned rogue ’ after being brought o ut two days running by

Stevens . Despot also began very well and ended by

getting wide . These hounds probably only went wrong ’ from Stevens infamous feeding , and from being brought o ut day after day totally unfit to

run . Goodall picked o ut these hounds for me as f ’ the best stu f in Drake s kennel . — 1 8 1 . Charon , 5 A very good dog many FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 3 1

— degrees less brilliant than Crafty quite a fi rst

rate animal .

- 1 8 1 . Dimity , 5 The meanest , ill shaped little

thing , but one of the very best . %

1 8 . Challenger , 53 A capital and model

dog ; died suddenly . %

1 8 . Gamester , 53 A good dog otherwise ,

but over full o f tongue . %

1 8 . Cardinal , 54 A very good dog ; very hard runner and good nose ; never showed Cor ’ sair s wonderful sagacity . 1 8 - Pillager and Pilot , 54 , were over full o f tongue , and that tongue a very deep one . The whole litter had extraordinary good

noses .

Capable , Charmer , Clamorous , Carnage ,

1 8 . Candid , 54 Five brilliant and faultless

animals in shape . Clara very good also , but not quite straight . 1 8 Rufus , 55 , was a dog of remarkable

sagacity , with a wonderful nose ; had plenty of — tongue s o had all this litter .

1 8 . . Flourish , 55 Noted for her sagacity

’ Notes on hounds bought at Mr . Sutton s sale , 1 856

Dairymaid and Playful had undoubtedly been two good bitches with capital noses , though Bertram and Flim sey had j ust a turn the best o f them . % These hounds proved a useful cross in the 32 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

kennel . They were fair average hounds them selves , but neither in nose nor pace could they compete with the stuff they came amongst save Lenity , a capital hound .

Rambler proved very good , but we had eight o r nine dogs at the time far more brilliant than him in their work .

Playful , Trinket , Ringworm , and Castor ,

1 8 6 . 5 , were four extraordinary animals

1 8 8 . Traveller , 5 Until four years Old a very hard runner ; almost t o o quiet with his a tongue , and considered rival to Tomboy and Corsair for nose and sagacity in working roads and dry ditches . Fed by Harry Sebright on meal and cold water , and raked and galloped about . He turned

noisy and was drafted .

1 8 6 . Castor , Challenger , and Titian , 5 Our

three severest losses .

1 8 6 . Solomon and Solon , 5 Two admirable

dogs until four years , when both have been seen o n three occasions to give in , nearly at the same

moment . Both were very delicate hounds , and were probably never brought out by Harry

Sebright fit to run . 1 8 was sh o f Wanderer , 57 , thought y his — a o ne tongue very light and bad to hear . It was in the Burton country I made my first

attempt at hunting hounds . Late in the after

noon , when all had gone home except three or

four , we had a very sharp scurry for ten or fifteen FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 33

V minutes after a fox almost in iew, when a

o ur o n drain came in way , a big j ump , but a little

o f Irish horse mine called Cannibal , I got well

o f over . The dyke was probably more fo rmid it able dimensions elsewhere , as stopped even

Mr . Chaplin , as well as Mr . Chandos Leigh and

Lord Henry .

o n The hounds ran for another five minutes , then threw up suddenly in the middle o f a fallow

field , and never touched the line again . There

o ne so was no in sight , after a time , with all the

o f confidence youth , I proceeded to hold the hounds down wind and then in other directions . No doubt I must have thought it encouraging to the pack to wave my right arm with energy as I took them along with that action o f the hand which is much in vogue on poultry farms . All in vain . They never touched the line again . I looked round once more ; what did I se e Fifty yards behind there stood Lord Henry him

self, the Messrs . Chaplin , Chandos Leigh , and

Charley Hawtin . Would that the earth could

have swallowed me up at that moment Slowly , % step by step , the cavalcade approached I heard a smothered hush and yet another

pause At last Lord Henry , in slow , measured

tones , almost hissed out word by word, Sir

Reginald , when you have quite done feeding 34 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o u m your chickens , perhaps y will allow y hunts

% man to cast my hounds . I did not hear the

o f . n last it for many a day Eve now , forty years

after date , I doubt if that episode is quite for gotten when I meet my good Old friends the

Right Honourable Henry Chaplin and Sir E . f Chandos Leigh . This was my first and last e fort at hunting the Burton hounds— distinctly it was not a success The story o f this adventure was

fully appreciated by another intimate friend ,

- George Whyte Melville , who delighted in any

o f humours the chase , though he invariably accepted his o wn disasters with perfect equa

nim it y . When living in the Pytchley country

o ne he was day accidentally cannoned against ,

at a fence , by a near neighbour who had lost

control of his steed , and was knocked over , horse l al . and On picking himself up , and in reply

t - to inquiries , Why e Melville merely remarked ,

% No w I know what St . Paul meant when he

’

o wn . wrote , Perils by mine countrymen C HA PTE R I V

THE COTSW OLD HUNT

IN the summer o f 1 87 1 I undertook the Master ship o f the Cotswold Hunt . I had long wished

o f o o r to become a Master Hounds , and the pp t unit y occurred in consequence of the death o f

Cre o e Colm o re . o f Mr g , who had been Master the Cotswold since the country was formed as a

1 8 separate hunt in 58 . At the suggestion o f the second Lord Fit z h ardinge (well known by his

% nickname o f the Giant who had hereditary influence in that country , the Mastership of the Hunt was offered to me . I went with him to attend a General Meeting of the Cotswold

Hunt , held at the Plough Hotel , Cheltenham , in June of that year , where I was unanimously

s ub s elected the Master . I was promised a crip

o f 2 00 tion about £ 4 a year , with an agreement on my part to hunt the country three days a week ; the chief subscriber was Sir Francis

Go ldsmid , who lived at Rendcomb Park , and gave £5 00 a year the tradesmen of Cheltenham gave a similar amount , and the remainder was contributed by the residents and visitors in the 36 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

ffi country . There was some di culty about the

’

. Co lm o re s hounds , as they belonged to Mr

o n executors , who insisted their being sold by

auction , and the hunt horses were also sold at

the same time . The sale took place at Chelten

in 1 8 1 ham July of 7 , and on behalf of the hunt committee (who raised funds for the purpose) I b ought most of the pack for about nine hundred

guineas . I also purchased half a dozen of the hunt horses o n my o wn account ; the re

m ainder o f my stud I got chiefly from Mr . George

o f - h o rse de aler Reeves Reading , a well known in

To m those days . Hills had been the huntsman

re - for some time , and I engaged him the new

-in ll whippers were Dick Russell and Wi J ones .

Joe Titcomb became my second horseman , and I believe the latter is with them still in the same

W - o f position . ith forty eight couples hounds and about twenty horses I commenced cub - hunting o n the 4t h o f September 1 87 1 my headquarters

were at the Plough Hotel at Cheltenham , and I had to be at the kennels (about a mile from there) every morning long before daylight in order t o start with the hounds , as I did not know a yard

f To m o the country . Early in the season Hills met with an accident and inj ured his leg , which left

so m us in rather a fix , I had to hunt the hounds y self , and I did so throughout most of that season .

38 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS stables were always full of high - class hunters for sale . Many of my friends used to come and stay with me for a night o r two to try their intended

- purchases with the Cotswold when cub hunting . He was a capital salesman as well as a fine horse

o f man , with the best hands the nags sometimes did no t go quite so smoothly when handled by the young and gilded purchasers . A great talker was Bob Chapman , and capital company at all

o wn times , especially over his mahogany at

Oaklands .

Another neighbour was Lord Coventry , who

o f was Master the North Cotswold , which he

hunted himself with remarkable success . He

o f had a capital lot hounds , and was very keen to Show sport and catch his foxes he then lived

at Spring Hill near Broadway , and many a day did I enj oy with him and his hounds when he

was mounted on Solferino , and his Roman ,

o f Rambler , Demon , Tradesman , and the rest

them were flying over the walls . No better j udge

o f horse and hound then and now , no better all

round sportsman perhaps in England .

1 8 1 — 2 That year , 7 7 , we had a very good

’ season ; eighty-eight days hunting killed 2 1 %

brace of foxes , and were stopped eight days by

. o f s To m frost At the end the sea on Hills left , FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 39

and I engaged Charles Trav e ss from the W o rc e s

hire H . t e rs K . to come to me as and first whip ,

1 8 2— and I began my second season , 7 7 3 ,

with him , and with Will Shepherd as second whip (I think he is now huntsman in Worcester

. W e shire) began well , and had a good time

- o n 2 t h cub hunting ; but , the 9 of November

I got a bad fall . I was riding a bay mare called Gift (which I bought from Lord Coventry) in a sharp gallop over the hills : sh e

caught the top of a wall , and gave me a smashing

fall . I expect sh e was a bit blown at the time ;

o f anyhow , I broke the point my right shoulder ,

and was laid up for many weeks in London ,

attended by Mr . A . Cooper (now Sir Alfred) .

I got back to the hounds again after a time , but

was a good deal knocked about , and never quite r sound for the est o f the season .

I also had an invitation day in the V . W . H .

East co urt country o n the 1 st o f April . Met at ;

. a very large field there , and a scorching hot day

Found three foxes in Braydon Pond , but could do

E ast c o urt nothing with them . Lunch at House ,

and waited about till it got a bit cooler . In the

afternoon we found in Oaksey Wood , and had a capital forty minutes to Cuck erdo wn and Kemble W ood and back to Oaksey . There for a time the hunt came to an end , and the fox seemed 4O FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

unaccountably lost . Being rather late everybody went home except Sir William Throckmorton and myself . I hung about for half an hour waiting for a missing hound , when my second whip trotted up to me with the hound , and

o ur whispered in my ear , I have j ust seen hunted

%

. s aw fox I said , Take me to where you him

% o ff without another word . A few yards , in a thick hedgerow , two or three feet from the ground ,

o ur . sure enough there lay fox Out he j umped , ran into Oaksey Wood, and after a few minutes the hounds caught him . I was never so pleased in my life as I was to kill that fox , though we should not have caught him but for the intelligence

of Will Shepherd . This made a good finish to a very fair day . t h Three days afterwards , on the 4 of April ,

’ I had an other invitation day in the Duke s

country , but not with the same success as the

o ur . previous year , and sport was very moderate During this season we hunted eighty- nine

1 six days ; killed 9 brace , and were stopped

days by frost . The fall I got in January had left f its e fects upon me , and I decided to resign the I hounds at the end of the season , namely , on st

o f 8 1 . Trav ess May 7 3 After I left , Charles was

- appointed huntsman , and although thirty four

years have since elapsed , he is still there in FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 4 1

that capacity , and continues to enj oy universal popularity as a huntsman of the highest class .

A few words about the history o f the country . The o ld Earl Fit z h ardinge (fo r many years known as Colonel Berkeley) hunted not only the present

Berkeley country , but every alternate month during the season moved his hounds to the Chelten ham kennels in order to hunt both the Cotswold di and the North Cotswold districts . He ed in

1 8 57 , and soon after his death , his brother ,

Admiral Berkeley , who was created Baron Fitz

1 861 hardinge in , limited his country to the

Cheltenham and Tewkesbury road , leaving the

lm re . Co o hills beyond Cheltenham for Mr , who formed his pack in 1 858 by buying hounds from f Lord Gi ford , at that time retiring from the Vale o f White Horse This arrangement continued until Lord Coventry took over the Broadway

1 868 district in to create the North Cotswold ,

’

o n . Co lm o re s 1 8 1 and Mr death in 7 , as I have said , I succeeded him as Master of the Cotswold

Hunt for two years . The pack which I hunted

’

o lm o re s . descended direct from Mr . C purchase

In that wild country , where foxes are mostly

S stout , hounds must have peed and stamina to race up and down the hills also they must have drive to push a fox through the immense wood lands . The Cotswold Hills are very steep and 42 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

severe , therefore hounds and horses to live with them must possess a good pedigree . The chief fences are stone walls , and formidable enough , but with a good scent hounds can race over the walls faster than most horses , j umping them abreast without that stringing and toiling after the leaders so prevalent in many countries . It must not be supposed that hounds can race every day over these wild hillsides , Often enough scent is so bad that rapid progress becomes impossible but with a real scent and a straight fox it requires a quick man o n a fast horse to keep well with hounds , for once you are away

is from big woods the country , generally speaking ,

Open and unpopulated . A very wet autumn is required to make sure o f scent and sport up to

o n is Christmas ; the other hand , there often a screaming scent under exactly opposite con ditio ns , and when the dust is flying in clouds

o f in the month March . Stout hill foxes were plentiful enough in the big woods o f Withington

o f and Chedworth in the centre the country , as well as in the rough Cranham woodlands towards the south side , and a wild Cotswold fox once bustled in the woods will often go right away over the hills , and is not an easy animal to catch .

However , the Cotswold country is not entirely

o f hill , the exception being a strip vale in the

44 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o n - domestic discipline , who kept an ever watchful eye on such proceedings , and discouraged his wanderings after what she termed strange

% packs of hounds . He sometimes asked me to organise a plan with him for an excursion to

’ meet the Duke s hounds at Trouble House o r

Newnton Lodge , but Mrs . Pitt would be sure to get wind of it somehow , and put her foot down in opposition to the scheme .

o e sa The Reverend J would y, But , my dear , I promis ed to pay my respects to His Grace to

sh e morrow To which would reply , Nonsense , t s ay at home and look after your parish . Again he pleaded , But , my dear , you would not have me break my word and sure enough the next morning would find this eminent divine at Trouble House with what I believe are called ante - grope

lows over his trousers , mounted on his old bay horse (who made a noise and rej oiced in the name

o f Musical) , pounding away all day long , popping

over the walls as they came , murmuring when

sir o n in the air , Capital , and landing ,

% Wonderful , sir . To the last moment he would

stay with them , little heeding the Trouble House he would surely find that evening o n return to

the Rectory . How often have I parted with him at night d G fall , j ogging home with the houn s , saying , ood FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 45

night , Joe , to which he would reply in a stage

- whisper , Good night , Sir ; if you should think

- o f of a bye day towards the end the week , perhaps

t o you would drop me a line , Sir , as the fish said the angler .

Another time , somewhere towards Shrove

- . Do Tuesday , Good night , Joe you ever hunt in

% P o n Lent He replied , Never , Sir , except a

% Lent horse .

Then again at the end of the season , when the

- . r last day came round , Good bye , Joe Wonde when we shall meet again P With an air of pro found mystery he would answer, Perhaps , Sir, I might have to be in the neighbourhood o f

E o n psom , Sir , some important business about

% the last week in May . I doubt if that idea ever

o ff quite came at least , I never saw him at the

Mr s . Derby , and I suspect Pitt drew the line at a racecourse . Later o n in the evening o f life this worthy couple left Rendcomb and retired to Torquay, where the quaint old Rector ended his days far away from those Cotswold Hills he loved so well . C H A PTE R V

THE NEw FORE ST HUNT

THE New Forest is perhaps as good an example

o ld as could be wished of English scenery , and after about eight hundred years it still remains the New Forest . Its boundaries may be smaller , but the main features are the same as in the days o f o f William Rufus , and the names the old woods , streams and plains still remain ; moreover , it is almost the last o f the Old forests which England could boast o f in former times . What strikes most people when they first come to the New Forest is , that amidst all the changes which are going forward in these modern

o ne days , here , at least , is place which is but little altered , and this perhaps is its greatest

charm . In former times there were many red

o ld deer in the Forest , and an tradition has been handed down that the Royal Buckhounds came down to hunt them so far back as the

1 6 month o f August 7 3 . It seems certain that in the forties and fifties o f the last century the

’ Queen s Buckhounds ca me for several years in FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 47

the month o f April for that purpose . After the Deer Removal Act o f 1 85 1 the red deer were

ordered to be destroyed , and Captain Buckworth

l a o f Fo x e se . o f Powell , with Mr Hay Morant

o f t o Brockenhurst Park , were some the first

start a few couples to hunt them ; then Mr .

o r Grantley Berkeley , with two three blood

hounds , killed a few , and they all gradually

disappeared . In the following years some packs o f harriers

came down during April to hunt the fallow deer ,

b rriers a . but the were not a success After this ,

o f Hinc h e sle a Mr . Lovell got occasional leave to

hunt them ; he took up the matter in earnest , and kept a few couples all the year round as the nucleus o f a larger pack which he got together

’ every spring fo r about six weeks hunting in the

Forest , and permission had to be obtained from

the Crown annually for that period . Since those days the Forest has never been without a per manent pack of deerhounds , which hunt regularly

o f r throughout many months the year . I e

o ne 1 861 member April in , when I came down

from Winchester Barracks , the fallow deer were

hunted by Mr . Augustus Gore (formerly of the th 7 Hussars) , and old Captain Shedden , a former M . E H . , acted as huntsman for him , but that

arrangement did not last long . 48 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

L o f Mr . ovell was a remarkable man , tall , slight figure early in life he had been in the Ist G Life uards , during which time he lost his right arm by an accident when shooting pigeons at the

Red House . Always a graceful horseman , no one could ride better through the Forest , and no one more thoroughly understood the art of hunting

wild deer . The following Proclamation is probably the

N o f New first otice Foxhounds in the Forest , and seems to have been published about 1 7 7 0 :

ADVE RTI SEMENT

NO Hounds are to be permitted to hunt in the ’ Forest , except the Lord Warden s and the Duke ’ o f Richmond s (if he should choose to come) , but

. 1 in the month of April , viz from the st to the 3oth ,

both Days inclusive . That no Pack be suffered to go o ut more than o ne three Times in Week , and no Hounds to be

taken out the intermediate Days and , to prevent ’ confusion , it is agreed that the Lord Warden s

Hounds are to hunt Monday , Wednesday , and ’ Friday , and Mr . Grove s to hunt Tuesday ,

Thursday , and Saturday , and no more than two Packs o f Hounds to be in the Forest at the same

Time . It is necessary to remark that the Duke o f Richmond had liberty from the preceding Lord

Warden to bring his Hounds , which was continued FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 49

o f to him by the Duke Gloucester , and was the only person who had permission to use , not only ’ the Kennels and Stables , but the King s House likewise , if his Grace should choose to come , — which is very improbable then , any strange

Pack must give way for the Time , that there may be no more than two Packs at the o ne

Tim e .

- The Earths , not to be stopt till half past four in the Morning , and no Hounds to be thrown o ff till five .

The Earths , during the month of April , not to be stopt but by the Keepers or their Servants . % The Keepers have orders not to suffer any o n o r Fires to be lighted the Earths , any Person o n to stand the Earth to keep out the Foxes . o ut o r No Tarriers to be taken , Foxes dug , o f in the month April . 1 Date 7 89 .

No doubt the first actual Master o f the New

Forest Foxhounds was Mr . Gilbert o f Lambs

Corner , now called Bartley Lodge , who became M P H . 1 . . 81 the from 7 until he died in 1 7 98 . The

1 8 Hunt Club appears to have been founded in 7 3 , when its meetings were held at Romsey , but soon afterwards were moved to Lyndhurst .

’

. No rth e rwo o d Mr Gilbert s kennels were at , and a man' named Woods was his first hunts

. 1 8 1 man He came into his service in January 7 ,

o f and, according to an Old diary , in July that 5 0 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

i fo r year he was d scharged neglecting the hounds , but came back in October , having made proper

% 1 0 submission and asked pardon . In March 7 9 a note is made that the fox was lost by Wood ’ s

% obstinacy, and in May o f the same year he was discharged . Notwithstanding his dismissal Woods does not seem to have done badly , as he was a man of saving habits , and when he died at Lyndhurst in 1 820 his relations found after his death over a thousand pounds in his cottage , of which £39 was in silver . After Mr . Gilbert came Mr . J ohn

Compton of Minstead Manor , who had for his

o f huntsman Thomas Sebright , the father the famous Tom Sebright so long in the Milton

Country .

1 808 . In came the celebrated Mr J ohn Warde ,

-fi e MP H . v who had then been an . for thirty

’ years . He had his kennels first at the King s

Fo xle ase House and afterwards at , near Lynd

1 81 hurst . Mr . Nicoll succeeded him in 4 , and

o wn was his huntsman , keeping his hounds at the kennels where he lived in Lyndhurst , Opposite ’ 8 8 . 1 2 to Bolton s Bench Mr . Nicoll retired in , selling his pack to Lord Kintore for £1 000 . After him Mr . William Wyndham took over the country,

Burnfo rd keeping his hounds at House , Bramshaw,

o n and hunting them himself . He went for ten

5 2 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

for the rest o f the day . I remember the first

L o ut time they were out , ord Wolverton cried to a young sportsman who popped his whip , For

’ ’ heaven s sake don t crack your whip o r every o ne

% o f them will go straight home . When down there during that month I heard by chance that

Mr . Standish was giving up the Mastership of the New Forest Foxhounds (which he had hunted for

five years) , and had already agreed to sell his pack to go to Ireland . In those days , ever ready to f take a fresh country , I j umped at the o fer , and suddenly found myself the of the New

Forest . At that moment the first thing I had to do was to look about for a pack o f hounds ; horses are easy enough to get , but to find hounds that are worth anyt hing in a hurry is always a diffi cult matter . Eventually I heard that the

Craven pack were for sale , and I went up to look at them near Hungerford . There were about seventy couple of all sorts and kinds , but owing to some disagreement in the Hunt they had to be sold immediately . I gave £5 00 for the whole

t o lot , and sent them down the Lyndhurst kennels .

During that summer Mr . Henry Chaplin , who in

o f those days had no end hounds at Blankney , kindly gave me some eighteen couples , being

o ld his and young drafts , so I found myself with

o f at least eighty couples hounds, very many more FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 53

. o f than I wanted However , in the course the summer I reduced them to about fifty couples then I engaged Jack Goddard (a s o n o f the old Jack Goddard) as my Kennel Huntsman and

first whip , and a young fellow called Jim Reynolds from the North Hereford as second

whip . I had decided to hunt the hounds myself

o ut my whips turned all right , and we got on well together . That autumn o f 1 87 4 we began cub -hunting o n 1 1 th o f the August , but many the mornings were terribly hot , and as an alternative I began

- to try afternoon cub hunting , meeting at about

o r o n 3 , and generally going as long as the daylight lasted . The experiment answered very well it was seldom so hot at three o r four in the afternoon as it was at seven o r eight in the morning , besides which it got cooler every hour , and altogether the plan was a success in the Forest ; perhaps it might not answer quite so well in other countries . Throughout the season o f 1 8 1 8 -six 7 4 and 7 5 we hunted ninety days ,

- killed thirty eight foxes , and were stopped twelve days by frost the total o f foxes does not sound very good , but it must be remembered that the New Forest is by far the most difficult o f all countries for catching foxes . In the first place it is almost impossible to stop it pro 54 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS perly there are always holes and corners which nobody ever knew of before then again , there are those innumerable drains in the New En closures frequently six to eight feet deep . If a

o f tired fox drops down into one them , and runs along it until he is o ut o f sight and sheltered by

o f masses gorse and undergrowth , there he is as safe as if he was underground . Then again , in my time foxes were so plentiful there was the ever- constant chance o f changing o n to fresh

W e foxes . had excellent sport throughout my

first season , and I extract from an Old diary accounts of some days which may be mentioned

On the 1 0th November 1 87 4 met at Stony ’ Cross . Found in King s Garn and ran to Ravens nest ; back by Can t e rt o n and Shave Green to Manor House ; then over by Acres Down to o n Pound Hill , and to Ferney Knap and Markway

Bridge , where the fox got in somewhere . About

an hour and a half , and a capital pace all the way ; very few of the field saw the end o f it — 1 9th November . Met at the Vine at Ower drew Em b ley and Pault o ns blank ; found at last

in the afternoon in Shelley Bog , and hunted a ringing fox for about three hours round Emb ley Pault o ns and , and at last killed him in Romsey

Common . A hard day for hounds , and it was

moonlight before we got home . FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 55

On the 1 6th January 1 87 5 we met at Hilltop G o f ate , and after drawing a lot woodlands blank in the morning we at last found a capital Ab b o t st an din good fox at g , and ran a great pace across the Open forest to Langley Manor and then on to Southampton Water : up to this about fifty minutes . The fox lay down o n the mud , and the hounds could not reach him without sinking step by step as they got nearer to him . o f do h o unds There were sixteen couples g out , and it was getting dusk . I was engaged to dine that night at Minstead Manor House with Mr . s o Henry Compton , I left and told Jack to get hold o f the fox if he possibly could . That evening , rather late , as the party were coming

- out of the dining room , a footman came up to me and said , They have sent up from the sa kennels to y they got the fox after all , and ’ Manager brought home the head . The genial squire said to me , If we had only got that message five minutes sooner we would have ’ Opened another bottle o f claret .

On the 3oth March met at Stony Cross . ’ Found at Lucas Castle , and ran him over to Ock nell Pu it s and back to the enclosure at gp , ’ where we lost him . Found at King s Garn , and o Oc k nell ran him by Lynw od , Bramshaw , , Broomy , to Islands Thorns , where the fox was just before us and quite done . As we went into the last enclosure a lot of young horses which were turned o ut in the Forest galloped into the middle o f the pack . This gave the fox a chance , and we 56 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o ne lost him after hour and twenty minutes , most o f it at a tremendous pace , without any check % all the way .

W e were by now well into spring , that time o f year when all is smiling in the Forest . A bright gaudy morning is not generally supposed to be favourable for the chase , but in the New Forest a spring day may be quite brilliant , and at the same time as good , if not better , for hunting than in wet weather ; moreover , when the country is dry , the bogs which extend for miles

o n in some parts , begin to dry up , and a warm

n day it is there a fox loves to lay and su himself .

Fo r those who care to notice hounds drawing , it is always an interesting sight to watch them o n f these occasions . They sni f the air as they dash in , and they soon know well enough if he is

o r there not , though the secret may be kept until the Old fellow j umps O ff the dry tussock where he has crouched until the very latest moment ; then , and not till then , comes that crash and chorus which scatters all your cares

to the winds .

o f 1 8 In the April that year , 7 5 , I invited the Duke o f Beaufort to bring some o f his hounds

o f for a week spring hunting , and about the middle o f the month he sent down about twenty couples o f do gh o un ds to my kennels at FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 57

Furz ey Lawn . Charles Hamblin was in charge o f them , and Lord Worcester hunted them .

Lyndhurst , the capital of the Forest , never

- was so gay as then . The attraction o f this novel idea brought no end Of visitors . The Duke stayed with his Sister , Lady Rose Lovell , at Hinch e sle a ; Lord Worcester and Lord Arthur Somerset were with Lord and Lady Lo n des borough at No rth erwo o d ; Lord Vivian and Lord St rath nairn stayed with General Parker

Malwo o d at Castle .

’ The duke s first meet was at Fritham o n

1 Thursday the 5th , when there were about five hundred people o ut o n horseback and probably an equal number in carriages . They found their

’ first fox in King s Garn enclosure , but he was headed over and over again on the Stony Cross

Road . At last they got him away , and ran for about half an hour over the open through Ock nell

W t o Sluft er Bratle ood enclosure , near y Water, where they killed . In the afternoon they found again , and had a hunting run over the open

o f Forest over an hour , and lost him towards

o m e rl S ey rather late in the day . I remember

was the hounds worked well , and it quite a good

’ day s sport .

’ o n The Duke s second day was Monday ,

1 t h e 9th April , at Brockenhurst Bridge . If 5 8 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

’ previous Thursday s meet drew together a con

o f course sportsmen and spectators , it was cer f o n ainly exceeded the present occasion , and I

o f find the following account the sport , which appeared in the local papers at the time

’ o f The Duke Beaufort s hounds , which have been brought into the New Forest fo r a few days hunting , followed up the large meet at Fritham o f Thursday with a really grand gathering at Bulmer Lawn , near Brockenhurst Bridge , o f o n Monday . The news the presence of this famous Pack , which numbered couples , in the New Forest country had become quickly o f noised abroad , and the little village Brocken hurst was o n Monday the centre o f a gather ing o f the élite Of S portsmen from this and adj acent E counties . very train arriving either from the east o r west brought with it a long string o f horse - boxes ; the Isle of Wight also c o nt rib ut via ing its quota Lymington , and accompanying o f these was a concourse lords , ladies , and gentle a in men such as is rarely witnessed , especi lly a f H o . country village . The Isle Wight , the H . , the Hambledon , the South and West Wilts , the ’ East Dorset , and Earl Radnor s countries were Fo r respectively represented . quite an hour before the time announced for the meet the roads in every direction converging o n the Lawn were lined with vehicles , and horses , and persons on foot , until when noon had arrived there were not less than two thousand people present , the

60 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

The field was the most numerous and fashionable

ever remembered , even by those who carry their % recollections back to the deer days , when the % - Forest was the happy hunting ground , and the

perfect paradise of all true sportsmen . The

- pack started at half past twelve , and the departure

from the meet presented a Sight rarely seen , and which will never be forgotten by those who o f % witnessed it . The weather was the finest ,

though somewhat too hot for hunting ; still , it tended to render the day thoroughly enj oyable

to all present . The hounds were taken to the enclosure adj oining New Copse , from whence a fox was quickly halloed across the railway into as Park Hill Enclosure . He ran first if for Stubby , but , being headed by foot people , turned to the o n left , and came to Bulmer Lawn at the Brocken Of hurst end it then bearing to the right , went New as if for Park , but turned before reaching the road , and , running parallel with it , went into Park Hill Enclosure again at the Lyndhurst end . He came quickly out and went into Park grounds , where he dodged about for some time , o r - and although viewed once twice dead beat , o r he managed to get to ground , into a drain in the cover adj oining Pond Head , and was lost . A second fox was not found until five in the G afternoon in Ipley orse , when he ran down

Ipley Water , nearly to Hatchet Gate , turned to the right , and going through the adj oining covers Culv e rl Culv erl ran up y Water , and passed y

Farm , crossed the Beaulieu Road, and running FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 6 1

— through the thickly timbered Forest adj oining , went into Frame Heath . Turning to the left he o ut ran the length of it , and near Lady Cross ; went into the New Enclosure beyond , and through o f it nearly to the edge Beaulieu Heath , and running short back retraced his steps nearly to

Frame Heath , leaving which to the left he kept the thickly - timbered ground nearly as far as Pe nne rle y Gate , where he went to ground , and thus saved his brush . The time occupied in this fi ft -fi v e run was about y minutes , and although the pace was at no time good , the scent being

flashy and wanting altogether in the Enclosures , yet it gave the hounds an opportunity of showing e rfe c their hunting qualities , which they did to p tion . Excellent sport has also been obtained during the last and the previous week with both the New Forest Deerhounds and the New Forest

'

. b Foxhounds The latter pack , hunted y Sir

Reginald Graham , had an extraordinary fast run o f about an hour to ground at Knightwo o d % 1 on Saturday the 7 th April .

In those days there were about half a dozen

Crown keepers , who each had a large district under his charge . I found them all capital in the way o f preserving foxes , and obliging about the earth ffi stopping, which was always a very di cult matter to perform . The Oldest keeper at that time was

Bolderwo o d George Cooper, who lived at and had been in that service under the Crown for nearly 62 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

fifty years ; he was always o ut with the hounds o n o f the north side the Forest , and an excellent man in every way .

M FH . That famous . , Mr . Osbaldeston , after

a turn with the Quorn and the Burton , took over

1 82 the Pytchley Country in 7 , and during that season he is said to have exclaimed , I have been lo oking for Paradise all my life and I have found

% s a s it at last . I could not y quite o much as that , but I certainly was delighted with my

first season in the Forest , as Sport had been so

o ut good, my hounds had turned very well , and the little pack had long since earned the name f % o the Fast Ladies . They were composed o f what I got from Blankney and from the

s Craven . Some of the latter were not quite o reliable as the former , but they were all hard runners and went a tremendous pace . Then

. L Mr aurence Cumberbatch , the Deputy Surveyor who had control under the Crown Of the whole

Forest territory , was a good supporter to me .

o f He was fond all sport , but I knew he was a

- keen fox hunter at heart , and was a gentleman for whom I had the greatest regard . The area of the Forest proper in those days was

o n about acres , surrounded all sides by large estates belonging to various country gentle men . On the south side there was Beaulieu, an FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 63 e o f 8800 acre s b elo n in state about , g g to Lord Henry Scott (who afterwards was created Lord Montagu) ;

Cadlan d o f there was also , with a large extent woods , then belonging to Mr . Edgar Drummond ; farther on there was the Exbury estate , where at

G St ucle that time resided Sir eorge y, who hunted regularly with me also Hinton Admiral , a con side rab le property belonging to Sir George Meyrick (whose eldest so n eventually succeeded

i n me as the Master) . On the west was B st er and its big woodlands , belonging to Mr . John

o f Mills , who started a pack harriers while I was

. b e there On the north Side was Hale Park ,

f o n longing to Mr . Go f and the east there was

Pault o ns , belonging to old Mr . Sloane Stanley ; then Em b ley Park ; and farther away still came

Broadlands , at that time owned by Mr . Cowper

Temple , whom I have seen out with the hounds , but he was generally engaged in rather more serious matters of Church and State . There was also a large woodland tract o n the outskirts o f the Forest d in the Salisbury irection , called the Earldoms , which in those days was j ointly hunted by Lord Radnor and myself but foxes were by no means plentiful in those parts , and I did not meet there more frequently than I could help . In the centre of the Forest was the well-known Minstead

Manor , where lived that model country gentleman 64 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

- Mr . Henry Compton , an excellent fox preserver f and the most kind and hospitable O men . I constantly stayed there as his guest , and no words can say how good he was to me the first year o r two of my time he used to come out

o n with the hounds , especially the north side , which was the part both he and I liked best ; and as long as he kept o n hunting he remained

o f fairly well . The Chairman the Hunt was

Te st wo o d Sir Henry Paulet , who lived at , an

h airm an ith C w . excellent , tact and sound j udgment

a c o m Old General P rker , who had formerly m an de d the 1 st Life Guards and lived at Castle

Malwo o d o ut , was constantly , though as a rule the pace he went was hardly equal to the occasion ,

’ s a and he was often heard to y, Sir Reginald s

% Fast Ladies are a bit too fast for me . Other members Of the Hunt in my time were Captain

o xle ase Buckworth Powell , who owned F , j ust outside Lyndhurst ; he had formerly been in the Grenadier Guards and always owned a race

horse o r two . Lord Normanton Often came

t o m erle o u S . from y, his place near Ringwood

Bradb urne o f Mr . Lyburn , a good sportsman

o f and a great friend mine , who many years later

o f took over the hounds . Captain Timson

Tat chb ur . y, who had been in the Carabiniers Captain Morant also sometimes appeared for

C OLON E L M A R T I N POW ELL 1 899

66 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

killing Dragoons . Never was there a better Hunt

15 Secretary . Nowadays he Colonel Powell of

Brooklands , Lyndhurst , probably the oldest

o f - member the Hunt Club , a Forest fox hunter

u all his life , and now , as ever , a co rteous , kindly

gentleman . During the summer of 1 87 5 the Yorkshire

Driffi eld Hound Show was held at , and I was

asked to act as Judge there , in company with that celebrated Devonian the Reverend J ack

Russell the other Judge was Mr . Hill , who kept — a north country pack . We all went to stay

with Mr . J ames Hall at Scorborough in the East

M. E H Riding ; he was a famous Yorkshire . , having been Master o f the Holderness Hunt

for about thirty years . There was a j ovial party

there , amongst whom I remember Lord Fever

sham , Sir Watkin Wynn , the Rev . Cecil Legard,

and many others . In the showyard during that

afternoon J ack Russell came over to me and , In

what perhaps he thought was a whisper , said ,

in very audible tones , I say , Graham , if you and I are going to stay at Bramham for next Sunday we had better give George Fox o n e o f

these prizes , or we shall never hear the last of

% it . His ideas of j ustice and merit were the cause

f Ho w o much laughter among the Spectators .

fo llo wm ever , we did go to Bramham , and on the g

68 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

The following was one o f o ur good gallops in my second season : On the 1 6th November 1 87 5 met at Lyndhurst Road Station . There was a large gathering of the hunt , it being a very fine morning . We went first to Deer Leap Enclosure ,

Busc o t s which was blank then to , where a fox was o n foot immediately . We ran him hard through Irons Hill and away over the open ;

r turning to the ight he pointed for Pond Head ,

o n t o and nearly the Brockenhurst Road , where he was headed and turned back across to the rifle - butts , and we killed him by the police

’ station near Bolton s Bench , after about thirty

fi v e minutes , and a capital pace all the time . The fox was a well-known customer (nicknamed f Dr . Kenealy which had a forded many a

’

. o n run in Mr Standish s time , but this occasion twenty-two and a half couple o f the Fast

di o ld La es were too much for the stager , whose

brush I gave to the Ho n . Francis Denison (so n o f Lord Londesborough) ; o n a very fast

saw pony he rode well , and the end of this sharp

gallop .

I think the best day I ever had in the Forest ,

1 1 8 6 or anywhere else , was on the 4th February 7 ,

advertised at Brockenhurst Bridge at eleven .

o f o n Snow was falling heavily , and a lot it the

ground early in the morning . I never dreamed FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 69

there could be any hunting at all that day , and I stopped the hounds going o n ; but about twelve

’ O clock there was a bit o f a change and I got t o the meet at and found nearly everybody had

o f gone home except half a dozen , one whom was

i n Sir Claude de Cre sp g y . The snow was going

s o fast and I was persuaded to draw , we trotted ’ Mo n down to Mr . ra t s coverts at Brockenhurst

Park , where , to my surprise , we found directly and raced away to Boldre ; then by Stockley ,

Pi b ush Frame , g , and back through the big

W o o dfi dle Enclosures at y and Denny, running the rides the whole way , and caught him close to

fi ft -fi v e Denny Lodge , about y minutes ; such a

fo r scent , and they ran as if they were tied to him

saw so the whole way . I never anything fast

o r before since . Sir Claude and I were the only

t o two at the finish , and he helped me get the

t o hounds back the kennels , for both the whippers in s o . were lost , and was everybody else Although this was far the best thing of the season , I had some regret about what happened , for I felt that if in spite o f the snow I had gone to the meet an hour sooner (as I ought to have done) probably most of my field would have shared the sport . Soon afterwards we had

c r another good day in the same part of the ount y , and the following account appeared in Land 7 0 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

and W ater o f from the pen Cerise , a writer well known at that time

1 1 t h On Saturday , March , the meet was at

New Park . Sir Reginald Graham has again shown us grand sport with a Brockenhurst

fox , this time with the dog pack . After a ’ longish draw , not finding till three O clock , a

Splendid fox went away from New Copse , through

Perry Wood , taking a good line for Brockenhurst

Manor , but , for reasons best known to himself ,

turned sharp to the right across the railway , to

Whitley , circling back through New Copse , Lady awk o n t o B Cross , Frame , and H Hill , eaulieu fo r Heath , heading right away Norley , across o n Norley Farm , to the Heath again , the hounds fo x rolling over their dead beat in the Open , within o f o n e fifty yards Norley Wood . The run lasted

hour and a half , with hardly a check . The

country was terribly heavy , and the pace from awk — in H Hill very fast fact , I think , quite as severe as o ur run from Brockenhurst o n February % ’ 1 4th with the ladies , when we killed near

. o f o f Denny Lodge Out a field about thirty , l on y seven were up at the finish , namely , the

M . P. Master , Lord Henry Scott , , Sir Claude de Cre s i n - p g y , Messrs . Powell Montgomery , Duplessis ,

Emms , and the second whip . Since the melan c h o l o f y death his kennel huntsman , Sir Reginald t o o ut o ne Hawt in is only able take whip , Charles ,

temporarily doing duty at the kennels . At t o - 1 th our Hunt meeting day ( 4 ) , to the great

7 2 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

Burton country for some time ; but he had a bad fall and was never quite the same after

1 8 wards . Still , when he came to me in 7 5 he was all right fo r a couple o f years until his las t illness . He was buried at Emery Down Church

yard , where his tombstone shows that he was

- only thirty eight years o f age when he died .

Poor fellow , I never liked any hunt servant quite

so well as him .

o f That same year Mr . Henry Compton

Minstead Manor also died , deeply regretted

by everyone who knew him . I think he was

a - bout sixty four , and I never knew a more

hospitable friend . G About the same time died also eorge Cooper ,

Bo lderwo o d the Crown Keeper at , a fine old fellow

o f o f seventy years age , who had passed his

life in the Forest and was much appreciated .

s ad These three events were a great blow , and I felt that hunting the country would never be quite

the same to me without them . In the place o f Charley Hawtin I engaged

Alfred Mandeville (I forget where he came from) , a hard fellow who could stand any amount o f

and - work , with his help we killed forty seven foxes

o n after a very good season , which ended the

1 1 th April 1 87 8 . During that winter o ne o f o ur good days was FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 7 3 described by the local papers in the following account signed % Sirius

6th November 1 87 7 . The New Forest Fox — — hounds . Red letter days have been rare , if not altogether unknown , with any packs of foxhounds o r thus far in this somewhat remarkable , rather unremarkable , season . The run with the New o f no w o Forest , which I am going to endeav ur to o n give a description , if it did not occur a day o f - which deserves the name a red letter one , must at least be considered as extraordinary in more o ne senses than , even if we eliminate the sensa t io n l a element from it altogether . Let me first point out that the New Forest Foxhounds are Furz e a kept at y Lawn , near Lyndhurst , H mp shire , and that the Master is Sir Reginald Graham , who has for his whips Alfred Mandeville and o f Walter Primmer . The nearest towns approach o f for intending visitors , whom it is unreasonable to expect there will be many after reading o f this run , are Southampton , Lymington , and o r Ringwood , for the N . F . H . New Forest Fox hounds .

The meet was at the Vine Inn at Ower , when , after time allowed for stragglers , and those who have not learned the maxim concerning the early

bird and the worm , to j oin the rendezvous , the

order was given for a fast move for Em b le y . f ffi There a find was soon e fected , the di culty of ’ discovering Reynard s whereabouts being sur so mountable , even by human nostrils , glorious 7 4 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

a scenting morning was it . This fox proved a o ne o f right gallant , and worthy the famous pack Em l at his brush . The coverts at b ey are exten s o sive , and the grounds around corresponding , the fox had plenty o f tactics for trial before a t permanent vacation of his domains . The scen was so hot , however , and he was raced so hard and persistently up and down his happy hunting e o ut grounds , that he mad occasional dashes by f way of feinting with his foes . First o all he made o ut o n the side towards Romsey , and , finding that no go , he tried another similar venture towards Wellow . Home quarters , however , had fo r now become much too warm comfort , and Charley discovered that Em b le y was no longer for him a peaceful abiding place . His next bolt was across the lane and over the fields towards Pa un c e fo t e Farm . Thenc e he turned to the left down through the covert over the Salisbury t o Road Greenhill , and down into the meadows as if steeplechasing t o the Old Abbey Church at f . o Romsey Here a mob fellows , who behaved as though they had never seen a real fo x before in their lives , and who , as Mr . Carter remarks in ro v inic ial a p paper , must have fancied it was some wild foreign animal j ust escaped from ’ ’ W o m b we ll s Bostock and menagerie , by their shouting and yelling turned him away again to the left . The point o f the fox was evidently

Romsey Abbey , but the hullabaloo caused another n o w diversion , and the hounds raced him fast and furiously the whole way up the meadows

7 6 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o r all a day to come , at events until its fame shall have been e clipsed by a longer and more glorious

o ne . It is but common j ustice to say that Sir R . was hi s Graham with hounds everywhere , and that he handled them in a most j udicious and

. w masterly manner I hope that , not ithstanding an avoidance o f anything like undue laudation r or triumphant cracking of the desc iptive whip , I have at least rescued this run o f the New

Forest Fox Hounds from total Oblivion , and % o u o f o f ro v inic al raised it t the ruck p records . % % SI RI U S .

I can remember a famous day on Thursday , h 2 4t J anuary 1 87 8 . Lord Percy was staying with me to have a look at the north of the country , which he had never seen , and I mounted him on

a bay mare called Gelatine . We met at the

Royal Oak , Fritham , with sixteen couple of dog hounds ; went first to Islands Thorns , a large enclosure which was full of deer that morning .

They gave us some trouble , but I got the hounds together and trotted o ff a couple of miles to

some gorse outside S lo de n . An old fox was off

like a shot , and we raced him at a rattling pace

- over the Open heath for thirty three minutes , and

caught him between Go reley and Fordingbridge .

Br ne . adb ur It was a terrific pace , and when Mr

o ut got up to us he sang to me , Wherever you

s e e go , all your life you will never such a gallop FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 7 7

as that again . We found another fox in the after noon at Hasley , but the scent had changed since the morning, and we lost him at Broomy Lodge . At the end o f this season I gave up the country and sold my hounds the bitch pack went to my

o f successor , Mr . George Meyrick Hinton Admiral

do h o un ds the g went partly to Lord Spencer , who was Master of the Pytchley , and partly to

Lord Howth , who then kept the hounds at Pau . In looking back to those times I should be inclined to s ay that if a man only hunts to

% ride , he had better never go near the New

% o n Forest , but if , the contrary , he rides to hunt , then there is no limit to his enj oyment . I have never seen any country where at times hounds ran harder than in the Forest

- this was by no means an every day occurrence .

In the autumn the scent is often very moderate , and especially so when the leaf is falling ; but

when that is quite over , matters begin to improve , and from January to May sometimes when

o r the country is almost under water , sometimes when the ground is as hard as iron— I have seen many days on which hounds can race from w morning till night , especially ith a straight fox who runs the rides in the enclosures and the tracks o n the Open heath . Those are the days to ascertain whether your hounds have got 7 6 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o r all a day to come , at events until its fame shall have been % eclipsed by a longer and more glorious

o ne . It is but common j ustice to say that Sir R . was Graham with his hounds everywhere , and that he handled them in a most j udicious and masterly manner . I hope that , notwithstanding an avoidance of anything like undue laudation o r a o f triumph nt cracking the descriptive whip , I have at least rescued this run o f the New

Forest Fox Hounds from total oblivion , and % f o f ro v inic al raised it o ut o the ruck p records . % SI RI U S .

I can remember a famous day on Thursday ,

2 4th J anuary 1 87 8 . Lord Percy was staying

o f with me to have a look at the north the country , which he had never seen , and I mounted him on

a bay mare called Gelatine . We met at the

Royal Oak , Fritham , with sixteen couple of dog hounds ; went first to Islands Thorns , a large enclosure which was full of deer that morning .

They gave us some trouble , but I got the hounds together and trotted o ff a couple of miles to ff some gorse outside S lo de n . An old fox was o

like a Shot , and we raced him at a rattling pace

- over the open heath for thirty three minutes , and

caught him between Go re ley and Fordingbridge .

. Bradb urne It was a terrific pace , and when Mr

o ut got up to us he sang to me , Wherever you

o u se e go , all your life y will never such a gallop

7 8 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o f drive or not , and to my mind they are not much use without it . I have nothing but the most pleasant re collections o f those happy hunting- grounds in

o f the New Forest , and in spite Time who

% steals our hours away , my thoughts can still linger in a vision o f those delightful sp rIng mornings when I drew Matley Bog , and did not draw in vain . CHA PT E R V I

THE TE DW ORTH HUNT

THE history o f the Tedworth Country is in separable from the name of Thomas Assh e t o n

Smith , who founded the Hunt and was Master

1 8 from 1 82 6 until he died in 85 . That celebrated

1 806 sportsman , after a famous career from to

1 82 o f n re 4 as Master the Quor and Burton , turned to Hampshire to form a local hunt in

Old his county, and to pass an age in a country

o n where he could still gallop after his w hounds . Most o f the Tedworth Country is composed

Of downs and light wold land , with but little fencing , which stretches for miles and miles ; but there is a narrow strip o n the north- west corner called the Pewsey Vale , while on the north there is an immense tract of lowlands which includes Savernake Forest . There are extensive

o n woodlands towards the east , and the south side a wild district surrounding the Dan eb ury

- f training ground . What a di ficult game to play

Mr . T . A . Smith must have had when he first started with some draft hounds from Sir Richard

Sutton , with which he commenced at Penton 80 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

Lodge in 1 826 . It sounds so surprising that any man who had passed most o f his life In Leicester shire should have cared to undertake the conver

o f sion such a territory into a hunting country . f His first di ficulty was with his father , an irascible old gentleman who immediately warned

so n o ff . his the Tedworth coverts He did not , however , live long enough to cause him per

1 82 8 manent annoyance , for on his death in the F H MH . removed his establishment to Tedworth

o f House , and took possession the family estates both in Hampshire and in Wales . In the huge woodlands o f Doles Faccombe and Wherwell he set to work in earnest by having rides cut through them , so that he and his hunt servants could reach the hounds when

drawing those woods . What labour he must have employed and what money he must have Spent in carrying through such undertakings There was also the immense tract named

Co llin b o urn o f 1 00 . g Woods , at least 5 acres A tradition has been handed down that in these

woodlands Mr . Smith was in the habit of ordering bonfires to be lit to induce the foxes to fly ; certainly these woods were the key to the whole

country , and in my time I used to rent them ,

S o ut h ro v e as well as g , entirely for the preserva

tion of foxes .

FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 81

There was one bit o f blue in the horizon ; this was the immense expanse o f Salisbury

Plain , with its wide stretch of turf , which , with

o f S o ut h ro v e the bit vale round g , formed the best part of the country , dotted with patches

of gorse which mostly held a fox o r two . The Squire began by hunting four days a week himself in the best parts , and at the same time he sent his huntsman with another pack every

Wednesday into Wherwell Wood , and every

Saturday to some of the other great woodlands .

At first Dick Burton was his huntsman , and after that old George Carter , who came to Ted worth in 1 842 with a pack of hounds which Mr . Assh e t o n Smith bought from the Duke o f Grafton f o that day . The soil on the downs was of cold

s a and chalky nature , and perhaps it is safe to y of the Tedworth that you can either run fast over it o r cannot run at all . Close at your fox o n a favourable day you may perhaps race him from find to finish , and in a spin over the downs it often happens that you can s e e him all the way as he rises hill after hill o f the undulating

— o f sheep walks until the hounds get hold him , but this is not every day . When the land is cold and hard and there is no scent upon the

ffi t o . downs , then it is di cult get a gallop A goo d general idea of the open Tedworth Hills 6 82 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS may be obtained from the summit of Beacon

Hill , some few miles from the kennels . Let your eye wander over the sweeping undulations as

s e e far as you can , and you will liken it to the unbroken billows o f the ocean— mile upon mile o f unruffle d surface , with nothing to break the scene or hide the view ; the downs dotted with

- fi eld sheep , and an occasional turnip or small plantation j ust show themselves here and there ; it is all wild and picturesque beyond words .

a As h et o n . s I can ctually remember Mr Smith , as when , quartered at Winchester Barracks in

1 8 t o 57 , he invited me over stay at Tedworth , and I recollect hunting with his hounds o ne day

S o ut h ro v e when they met at g , which was con sidered about the best fixture in the hunt . Little

- - did I think then , that some two and twenty years later on I should become the Tedworth instead o f him .

o f At the time I speak , his iron frame was rapidly giving way and the lamp was nearly o ut 1 8 8 Vaeno l , for in August 5 he died at , his

. L place in Wales , after a lingering illness ike

o f many another Master Hounds of those days , his lot was cast in that period o f hunting history probably the most conducive to sport . Pheasants and game-preserving were not then carried to

84 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

the hunt horses , as I preferred to start with a fresh stud o f my o wn .

- o n 1 8th We began cub hunting the September , and during that season o f 1 87 9 and 1 880 we hunted ninety- four days and killed eighty- two

t o 1 foxes up 7 th April , but we were stopped by

- frost twenty nine days , and it was only a moderate

int s h e e r . o o w v season We had two or threegood p , , o ne o f o n 2 th them the 4 November, a straight

- a d-a- - eight n half mile point from Fargo to Wylye , and killed . At the same time another fox went away from Fargo with only a whipper- in and a few couples wh o caught him after a scurry over

’ the downs . This was a very good day s sport , and the hounds killed four foxes during that

th - day . On the 5 J anuary there was a nine mile point , with a fox from Round Down , near Everley , and we killed him in the middle o f the West

Woods . That morning we also had a sharp

fo x gallop with a from Pewsey gorse , and caught

- him at Upavon after twenty fi v e minutes . My agreement with the country was to hunt four days a week , but I generally found enough

t o c hounds make up a mixed pack , whi h I hunted

- o r myself on a bye day , either Wednesday Friday , and o n these occasions J ack Fricker did not

o come ut . Some o f the cub -hunting was delightful in FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 85

Ailesb u r o f Savernake Forest , as the Lord y that day (this was the 3 rd Marquis o f Aile sb ury) allowed me to take the hounds and horses to the

Tottenham kennels at Savernake . Here they

o r stayed for two three weeks in the autumn , and we always found plenty o f cubs to hunt . The Saturday fixtures were generally Doles

o r Wood Faccombe Wood , an enormous tract of

o f sur woodland on the east side the country , rounded by hills with arable land and endless flint s ; the consequence was that on those days

had the hounds often their feet cut , which caused a deal o f trouble in the kennel . NO o ne could s ay that the Tedworth was

- o r a really good fox hunting country , indeed a

o ne good scenting country , but I think it was o f the best for foxes that I have ever known .

You could find them everywhere , and the farmers

o ne fo x- were and all hunters , and with them Jack Fricker was quite an idol for thirty o r forty

— a years good servant and a very honest man , patient and persevering in the field but I always thought he might have made a better huntsman if he had been away a little into other countries

o f o f early in life , instead passing the whole his career at Tedworth . There were , nevertheless , o ne o r two points in which he was quite um equalled ; he could make his hounds at any 86 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS hour o f the day draw the thickest gorses with more dash and determination than any p ro fe ssio nal s aw I ever ; and another thing , he always had them steady from riot . I have seen a hundred hares before the pack when puzzling o ut o n a cold line the chalky hills , but no hound o f his would ever look at a hare under any circum

stances , not even in the wildest weather . An unwelcome feature in this country were the dense fogs , which often came on suddenly

’ without a minute s warning , and I remember that many o f t h e field used to carry small com f in . o passes their pockets A great friend mine ,

Mr . Godfrey Webb , was staying with me at Netheravon he was well known in London life but not much accustomed to the chase . I per

’ s uade d him to have a day s hunting on a steady f Old horse o mine named Mortimer . In the afternoon of that day , when the sport was nearly

fo over , we suddenly found ourselves in a g and

separated from my friend , who did not make his appearance at o ur house until late that

evening . He then told a pathetic story o f the sudden darkness which had come on about four

’ h o w o clock , he finished his last sandwich , how

he drained the remnant Of his flask , how he

smoked his last cigar , and then resigned himself t o his impending fate in the Open air until day

88 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

Ireland owing t o the proceedings o f the Land

League . For a few seasons after this he hunted

o ut in England , but when with the Cottesmore in the spring o f 1 885 he had a very bad fall

which inj ured his spine , crippled him for the

o f 1 8 . rest his life , and he died in 95 Sad to think o f all the sufferings which he endured in his

a . c latter ye rs Su h a fine gallant fellow , and such a splendid fox-hunter Among my friends and supporters was Old

Sir J ohn Kelk , who had j ust bought the Ted

a worth Estate , had built house for himself in

Grosvenor Square , and had been created a Baronet .

He was very kind and hospitable , and gave me the free use of the kennels and stables at Tedworth ; but he did not live long to enj oy

his prosperity , and died a few years later . Then

at Wilbury there was the Hon . Percy Wyndham (who afterwards succeeded me in the Mastership

o f the Hounds) he , his wife , sons , and daughters h all unted regularly , and were a very popular

family . At Co nh o lt Park lived Lady Charles Welles ley ; sh e was an excellent preserver o f foxes o n

that estate . Her two sons , Henry and Arthur ,

were in the Grenadier Guards , and keen fox

hunters . Later in life they both became Dukes

o f Wellington . Then from Amesbury came Sir

% L O R D AL G E R N O N S T . M A R

m ers et Afte rw a rds 7 4 t h D uk e of S o

90 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS no horse o r carriage in London could escape

o r their Observation their verdict . Lord Algernon was a most excellent coachman , and in early life passed much o f his time in driving many o f the Stage- Coaches o f those days ; he lived t o a great age , and was actually driving a team o n the day he died . I had known him intimately all my life , and had a very great regard fo r him . n The there was Sir William Humphery , who lived at Penton House ; and his constant

C. friend , Mr . Bulwer , Q , from whom I bought a charming skewbald mare with a coat like satin ,

fo r 80 . called Columbine , which I gave him £ I should have kept her much longer than I L L did, but ord ondesborough gave me no peace

1 2 0 until I let him have her for , I think , £ , as n he wanted a leader for his London team . The

f tit c o m . o S b e there was Mr Stephen Butler , and

. l . Mr Wi liam Hayward of Wilsford , Mr Fowle of Chute Lodge , Mr . Powell of Easton ; Sir Michael Hicks-Beach who came now and then to

o r stay at Netheravon for a day two , and Sir

Cre s i n Claude de p g y, who lived at Durrington , a man o f iron nerve who regarded locked railway

- gates and sheep hurdles with equal indifference .

- - Also two or three well known fox hunting parsons ,

A re . . wd such as the Rev W H . y of Ludgershall , FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 9 1 and the Rev . J . H . Gale of Milton , with a loud voice and rather abrupt manner ; I think they

% used to call him Rude Boreas .

My Hunt Secretaries were Mr . Stephen Allen o f Eastover and Mr . Thomas Lamb o f Andover

l s . Gar o but previous to my era Mr Brewer of g , near Stockbridge , had been from time immemorial

o f the secretary to the Hunt Committee , a man

who enormous size , was a Master in Chancery , and went by the name of Master Brewer , partly

o f because his Chancery designation , and partly because he was rather apt to assume when he

Of t he could the title Master of Hounds , an honour to which he had no right . One day when hunting on the downs , most of the field , who had lost

saw the hounds , on the horizon an obj ect in red ;

’ o ut o ld somebody cried , There s Brewer going

’ % over the hill ; the hounds can t be far o ff. After galloping a mile or two in hot pursuit they discovered that this Obj ect was an immense red water - butt which they had mistaken fo r the ample proportions of Master Brewer ; but his shoulders were broad enough to carry most of the blame which was sometimes attributed

to him . I recollect inviting a Swedish masseur named Bramberg to come from London to stay with me for some hunting ; a young man 9 2 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS who had been very attentive to me during

o ne my sciatica troubles . He had been at

time in the Swedish Artillery , and I found he could ride pretty well , though naturally he was not accustomed to going o ut hunting . I mounted him o n a white horse of mine called the Ghost , a very safe conveyance . The first day the meet was a long way o ff and he was no t o f in the best condition , but his enthusiasm was enormous and he enj oyed himself immensely . At the end o f a long hard day we found ourselves about fifteen miles from home with a dreary ride over the hills before us . I noticed my friend apparently rather exhausted , and as we started o n o ut our homeward j ourney he cried to me ,

Oh , if I only knew where to get a glass of Swedish Punch % To his dismay I had to break it to him that Swedish Punch was a beverage unknown to the English people , and that no public - house lay within many miles o f our

homeward route . Our progress was slow , and the only way by which I could get him along

o ft - at all was the repeated promise that , if we ever did fetch home , he should quench his thirst

’ to his heart s content . Our goal was at last

s e e reached , but never in my life did I a couple

% s o completely done as the Ghost and the

% Swede .

94 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS wards Grafton over the heavy ploughs nearly

W e xc o mb e to ; over Fair Mile , where he turned to the right and skirted Heath Copse , and so through the Rags and Shaw Copse , Chantry , through Jubilee Clump to Scots Poor , where he was headed and lay down in Hippenscombe

o ld - Gorse and they killed him , an dog fox ;

1 2 . time , hour 3 minutes A real good sporting run . Found again in Grafton Park a fox which at first ran through all the farm buildings he

W e xc o mb e could find in his line , then through ,

Te dc o mb e and on to Hill , where he lay down

in a pit till the hounds fairly worked up to him , and catching a V iew they rolled him over in the open within half a mile o f the big woods ;

- time , thirty two minutes . This brought us up

- o f to forty one brace , the total for that season — 1 87 9 80 .

We began again , as usual , the next autumn ,

and had a good November , some of them very

fair days .

1 1 880 N On Monday the 5th , , we met at ether

avon House , where we then lived during the

winter months . A large field turned up , amongst

whom were Lord Algernon St . Maur , Lord

Lawrence , Lord Wiltshire , Sir William Humphery , n Sir Edmu d Antrobus , Hon . Percy Wyndham ,

M. P. . . , Mrs and Miss Wyndham , and many others FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 95

At half-past eleven the hounds moved Off to draw o ne of the coverts which I rented sloping to the

o f o n river Avon , and instantly a brace foxes were foot ; one went away over the park with the hounds very handy to him raced over the water meadows

s e t up to Fittleton village , then he his head straight over the downs until turned by a team of horses at work , and was caught in the open close to the village of Upavon . The pace was pretty good, distance five miles , and time thirty fi v e minutes . Found another fox almost directly in a t urmp fie ld ; gave him a good dusting for twenty- fi v e minutes , and lost him in a storm near Wilsford . We then trotted o ff a couple o f miles to draw

Chirton Gorse , a capital covert on the hills , but a deluge of rain brought matters to a close for this

do h o un ds day the g were out (nineteen couples) , and I thought they did very well in rather wild weather . — . 2 . Monday , Nov 9 Met at Wilbury , always

o f s a favourite down meet , especially late year , since the o ld place became the residence o f the

. M. P. Hon Percy Wyndham , , a kind and hospitable friend to all around . A fine still morning , and eighteen couples of bitches stood in the park until where some seventy horsemen and half a dozen ladies had assembled . Everyone was of 96 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

course pleased to s e e Lady Graham again o n

horseback with the hounds , her first appearance ,

n o ff this seaso . Trotted a mile to draw the

Warren found , and away over the open through the Park to the wood near the house ; some puzzling work among the hares there ; got up to

him , and killed . Time about thirty minutes . Moved away a couple o f miles to Tower Hill ;

h o r o n o f t ree four foxes foot instantly , one whom

was soon offered up . Whistled away after another down the belt o f trees to the South

Western Railway ; ran parallel to it for a mile , away

to the right over the open downs , leaving Old

Lodge to the left , and to ground in some gorse in the Roche Court direction a sharp burst of about

% -fi v e - twenty minutes , rather spoilt by over riding .

I read the Riot Act decidedly , and without — distinction o f persons not before it was wanted . On o ur way back the field were refreshed by Lord

Lawrence at his residence , Old Lodge , and the

o n hounds j ogged to Folly Hill got up to a fox , and

soon ran him to ground . Then over the railway

o n to the Warren , and fastened to another , who took them almost in view down to the Park ;

bustled him in the coverts there , and killed — twenty minutes e ating o ur last fox under Wil

o n bury House windows , precisely the same spot

as the first fo x o f the morning . Hounds started

98 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS fact that where we killed o ur fox this day is nearly thirty miles north o f the spot on which a similar event took place the previous afternoon . The most curious finish to a fox hunt that I ever witnessed was killing a fox in the racquet court at Marlborough College o n 3 1 st J anuary

1 882 o f , which the following account appeared in a Wiltshire newspaper

The Tedworth Hounds had quite a holiday o n meet at Oare Hill Tuesday . All who could get a mount for the day turned out to enj oy the national pastime , and hundreds were scarcely ’ ’ o n less active Shank s mare . Not only was o f the meet a large one , but the finish the first run at Marlborough created no little excitement f in the precincts o Marlborough Co llege . The fox who sought refuge thither , was found in West o f Woods , the vast extent which may be imagined when we s ay that 600 acres o f the coppice belong to Sir Henry Meux alone . Reynard was

forced from the woods , went to Gore Coppice , Granh am back again , then made for , passed the house and turned sharp round to the White Horse down ; without stopping to admire the glorious panorama here visible o f the town and downs to o ur a t the north and east , fox went a cracking

pace down the hill , crossed the river , and entered ’ the College Master s garden . The pack was too

close upon him for any stay , and desperately seeking shelter amid the haunts of men (for we may FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 99

o f not presume that , with all the cunning the o f tribe , a fox could be aware the vacation) it bolted through the passage into the College o r court quadrangle , crossed it , and sought shelter

- in the racquet court . Here two young gentlemen were at play , and they were not a little astonished by the sudden entry of the fox , followed by the pursuing hounds , Sir Reginald Graham , J ack

Fricker , and a large field . It did not take long to s aw despatch him , and the next thing we was the

o f . . . head in the possession Mr C M Bull , who considers that it will , when preserved , form an interesting obj ect in the College Museum , to which he intends presenting it . Another fox got up in the withy bed close to the chapel , but its career was short , for it was speedily chopped in the % water meadow near Preshute House .

2 1 st On the last day of this season , Tuesday,

s at isfac March , we had a fair hunting run with a tory finish . Met at Savernake ruins at twelve with the dog pack . After some forest hunting in the morning we went to He nswo o d and found a good straight fox , which we killed j ust outside the town of Hungerford not much pace , but a six

o f mile point . This brought us up to a total thirty

1 — nine brace for the season of 1 88 82 . We had a good bit over twenty-two miles

back to Netheravon that evening , and it was my

last day for ever in the Tedworth country . 1 00 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS About this time the force of circumstances induced me to go away to live in the North

Riding of Yorkshire , and it was with very great regret I was obliged to resign the Mastership o f the Tedworth Hunt . I am told that nowadays Netheravon House

o f is the headquarters a Cavalry School , that the

di di o f surroun ng strict is a mass camps and huts , and that in some parts many miles o f wire have

o f appeared . I only speak this from hearsay,

as I have never again been in that district . Even now I like t o think o f the country as I once knew

o ld it in those days , when in congenial company

- I found so much friendship and fox hunting .

1 02 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

Yarm . Our road to Croft also led us through the village of Hurworth , within a short distance o f the Hurworth Kennel , and we overtook the hounds going to covert . They were accompanied -in only by Mr . Wilkinson and his whipper , and f Mr . Flounders took this opportunity o intro duc in g me to Mr . Wilkinson . I found him very much what I expected to find him : a well-fed

Englishman , with a back as broad as those of three o f o ur dandies put together mounted on a

finely shaped chestnut horse , looking very like a hunter to carry a heavy seventeen stone , which he had then o n his back with a keen eye in his — head , and a very intelligent countenance strong, u o f to be s re , in the dialect his county , but looking very much like a sportsman , and there

fore claiming my respect . There was a very large field of sportsmen assembled at Croft Bridge on this day— amount o ne ing to at least hundred , which is a very

unusual circumstance with this pack . ’ Lam b t o n s hounds , however , were gone ’ S e d e fi eld L g , and ord Darlington s were a way o ff so it was supplied by the gentlem

those hunts , many of whom had come a t dis ance for the occasion . I am happy to

some o f them were well requited fo r their pains .

We proceeded to draw Dinsdale Wood , a covert o f some siz e and situated o n a steep

hanging bank . Before throwing in his hounds ,

Mr . Wilkinson did me the honour Of asking me to accompany him into the wood and see him find FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 03

his fox . This invitation I readily accepted , and so far I was most gratified . He found his fox almost instantly , and in very excellent style .

His hallos were capital , and his ear unusually quick . This was not all . We had a very baffling fox o n foot— very unwilling to break

and his turns were short and frequent . The pack and their Master , however , were quite a match for him , and for about five minutes the — — scene witnessed only by ourselves was e n ’ chanting . Have at him , Music , good bitch , ’ t h ast halloed Matty By Jove , better gang ’ ’ away , for thou lt die if thou don t . Have at ’ o ld him , Cruiser , fellow , but thou lt have his ’ head in thy mouth before night . Oh , that I - o n could give his view hallos paper , but that ’ can t be done . They were enough to raise a man from the dead .

Mr . Wilkinson wished to s e e his hounds get well away with their fox , and therefore stood still and blew his horn ; but he should have o n ridden , and blown his horn for when we got to the top of the covert , not a hound , except a

us o f . few that were with , could we get sight I ’ know where they are gone , said Mr . Wilkinson

you must follow me , for we shall never get over ’ that stell . I did follow him , and he took me to an awkward ford ; but we might j ust as well have gone round by York . The hounds had a

capital run of an hour , and killed their fox , but o f only in the presence a chosen few , who were bold enough and fortunate enough to get well 1 04 FDX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

— over this awkward stell Billy Williamson , I believe , being the first to charge it . It was deep f and rotten , and the change that was e fected in the colour o f the ci - devant white cords of those o f gentlemen who dropped short it , plainly showed what sort o f a bottom it had . Two things were now evident I was quite sure they were in for a run , and I was quite sure I should se e nothing o f it unless let in by some lucky turn . I did not , however , quit my pilot s a but , strange to y, I rode for exactly one hour n about fifty yards behi d him , without ever hearing the tongue o f a hound until within the last ten minutes . When we did get up to them ,

- the thing was over , the whoo hoop was only wanting . They had not tasted him , but he was

dead beat , and in a few minutes more Matty had him by the brush . It must have been a beautiful run for those who s aw it . The pace was excellent and the country very good indeed

for the provincials . I had two reasons why I did not regret this

wrong turn at first starting . First , I and my horse might have been planted in the stell and se e secondly , it was a great treat to me to Matty o r Wilkinson and his chestnut horse get over , I s a should rather y creep over , upwards of a hundred fences in the very masterly manner they both

performed . He has ridden this horse three seasons without having had a fall from him ; sa and when I w him creeping over his fences , t o which appeared nothing him , whilst my

1 06 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

’ hounds . No , no , said Matty , Nimrod shall ’ have the brush , and it hangs up in my hall .

It is quite evident I had no pretensions to it , therefore I considered it the greater compliment .

We drew again , and three foxes all broke covert at the same moment ; but we did nothing worth o f o f speaking , although they tasted one them . o f Matty , however , is the hero my tale and his character is described in a few words . He o f boasts no scholastic education , no collegiate reading ; neither does he appear t o be much o f under the discipline o f art . But this he may — h e o f o n be. proud keeps a pack foxhounds perhaps smaller means to keep them with than almost any other man in England ; and he is acknowledged by all t o be as good a rough - and ready sportsman as ever halloed to hound . He is likewise much esteemed amongst his neigh

- bours as a kind hearted man , a character, indeed , true sportsmen fo r the most part lay claim t o and maintain . In everything relating to the passion for

s a . hunting , I should be inclined to y , Mr Matthew

Wilkinson may have his equal , but his superior h would be difficult to produce . His attac ment t o his hounds is almost beyond belief , and nearly o f equals that an o ld maid to her cat . He has always some o f his favourites walking about his house and to a bitch with whelps he will give as much as sh e can eat o f a good sirloin of beef o r o f o n leg mutton from his o wn table . I had it unquestionable authority that , although he keeps FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 07

o r ten twelve cows , the whelps in the spring have all the best milk , and nothing but a little sky blue is allowed for the house . I was also informed that it has been his practice to keep a tame fo x which would run about the house and buildings for the e difi c atio n o f the puppies as soon as they were able to follow him . He keeps but four fo r i hunters h mself and Tommy , and his stable system is this His horses are never physicked , neither are they galloped in their exercise o f having , as he observes , plenty galloping ’ when they hunt . Death and it s terrors kick the beam when put into the scale against Matty Wilkinson ’ s passion for the chase . Although he cannot swim , no , not even a little , he has crossed that rapid and deep river , the Tees , at least forty times in his life after the hounds , and has had some hair breadth escapes . Very soon after I was in his o f country , he was in the greatest danger being l drowned . He p unged into this stream when swelled with rain , and was unhorsed in the middle o f o f o ne it . Fortunately catching hold of the his o ut stirrups , horse dragged him , but I believe ’ it was what he called a very near go . When he had run his fox to ground he coolly laid himself o n t o down his back , and held up his heels enable the water t o run o u t o f his boots .

I very much fear this gallant sportsman will , o ne o f these days , change time for eternity in t o his attempts cross this rapid river . Indeed , Lo z z on his late escape , his brother y seriously 1 08 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS admonished him o f the impending danger but all the notice taken o f the salutary hint was My o wn life is my , and I suppose I may do what I ’ like with it . ’ When Mr . Matthew Wilkinson s eldest o n brother was his deathbed , he was asked by a fo r fo r friend the fixtures the forthcoming week .

: His reply was this Why Tommy is very ill , and if Tommy dies , we can t hunt till Monday ’ but if Tommy don t die , we shall hunt somewhere ’ o n Friday . A brother sportsman died , and left Matty five pounds to purchase a black coat to o ne his memory , Matty purchased a red , thinking thereby that he had shown still greater respect to his departed friend .

Mr . Matthew Wilkinson is esteemed a very superior huntsman as far as the working o f his hounds is concerned , as also assisting them in recovering a scent . His great weight , however

(full seventeen stones) , precludes the possibility o f his always being in his place though every o ne I conversed with agreed that , from his great o f o f knowledge the country , and the usual line o f s his foxes , he creeps up to his hound , when at fault , much sooner than might be expected . This is the result o f a quick eye and a good share

o f o f . . brains , with each which Mr W is very well furnished . Of his management in the kennel I can say nothing no r can I say much o f the condition Of his pack , any further than that their elbows were clean , and that is as much as can be generally said o f hounds that work as hard

1 1 0 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

f was giving up his Raby country , and he o fered some portion of it to the Hurworth , which enabled

o ut o f them to go three days a week instead two .

o f s Mr . J ames Cookson Neasham then uc

c e e de d . as Master , and Mr Parrington continued

1 86 as huntsman with him until 4 , when he retired . Sport seems to have risen to a high standard

’ during Mr . Parrington s time , and from a diary still in his possession I extract in his o wn words the records of some of the best days he had

6th 1 8 — 2 61 . Tuesday , February Met at Hurworth ; found a brace o r leash o f foxes in ’ o n Mr . Wilkinson s cover at Neasham chopped e instantly . At the same moment another broke away to Dinsdale Wood , with which we got away o n pretty good terms . He left the wood a little o f west the Asylum , and ran a ring at a good ’ pace to Grey s Plantations , where presently several foxes were o n foot and began to ring s o about in all directions , stopped the hounds ’ ur and trotted away to Mr . S t e es s Plantation .

Found quickly broke almost in view to the east , ran a ring nearly back to the Plantation , and then went straight away to the Fish Locks where the hounds fairly chased down their fox In splendid style after a magnificent burst o f twelve minutes ; l - o d . a fine vixen fox Tried Bolton Park , then o n o ld to Mill Wood , where we unkennelled a fine dog- fox forced him away at a racing pace past ’

. Pe ttl Mr Grace s to West Wood , thence to y, FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 1 1

’ t o urt e e s s and away Mr . S Plantations ; then a ring in the Open , and back to the Plantations ; o n then away to Bolton Park , to opposite Girsby

Village , where he crossed the Tees ; then pointed for the Fish Locks , where , turning to the right , he

- went direct towards Long Backed House , crossed t ain dale S , and away through Beverley Wood then turned away to Allen ’ s Plantations and down o f to the Tees west Sockburn , was headed short ’ back to Allen s Plantations , away for Eryholme ; then turning past Brick House , ran again for the

Tees viewed him ere he reached the river , and ran into him in the stream after a most magnificent run o f one hour and five minutes from Sockburn o ld - 1 without a check a fine dog fox , and 95 o f o ut o ne couples hounds , only couple wanting

- at the last whoo hoop . The fox we chopped in the morning proved t o be the fox we had such a o n severe run with from Fighting Cocks Saturday . ’ A most capital day s sport , only eleven horsemen s aw o ut of a very large field the finish . th 1 86 1 — Saturday , 9 November . Met at High

Worsall Toll Bar . Found in the Whin ; broke at the north end away for Worsall Gills , which he o n left his right , and running a ring over Worsall Moor brought us to Picton Plantations right o n through , leaving Picton village his right , and also Kirklevington Mill , ran direct to a drain near Yarm , which he found stopped at this point ’ the hounds had a moment s check , after running their fox for thirty minutes at a most terrific pace , and scattering the field all over the country . 1 1 2 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o n S c arfi t Our fox struggled to Hill , where a lot o f fresh foxes came to his rescue ; the hounds div ided and eve ntually we lost him . Found again in Worsall Gills ; broke away past Farden side , pointing for Girsby , then wheeled round and away as the crow flies t o Worsall Toll Bar

Cover , which he passed close by , running forward for Kirklevington , turned for Picton , and ran a t o ring back the Toll Bar Cover (time to this point , forty minutes) . Our fox now hung in the cover fo r nearly an hour ; at last he was compelled ’ t o W al . d s to quit , and broke away Mr y Planta Mo urie tion , thence to Bank , along by the margin o f the Tees to the railway at Yarm , then to the o f right Kirklevington Lane , crossed the railway ’ Me n e ll s and pointed to Mr . y Woods ; but , as he had not strength to j ump the boundary wall , he turned back across the railway past the brick yards , where the hounds caught a view and ran into him o n the edge o f the Tees after a mag — nifi c e nt run o f two hours and a quarter a splendid

- Old dog fox . A fine crisp morning , and good o f o u scenting day ; had nineteen couples hounds t . Many o f o ur field went home satisfied after the ’ first run . There never was a better day s sport than this with hounds . 86 — I 1 2 . Saturday, st February Met at High

Worsall Toll Bar . Found in the cover instanter, and away he went pointing for Picton Planta o n tions , which he left his right ; then forward t o Picton village and to the railway, which he n o t did cross , but ran parallel with it nearly to

1 1 4 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

fo r o f the first twenty minutes , but at the end an o r hour they were all more less beaten . I was t o lucky enough have a second horse , and , chang

ing near Deighton , I managed to keep with the

hounds to the finish . A remarkable fine Old - o ut dog fox ; had eighteen couples , including h n s three do g o u d . This run I now think the best I had during the four seasons I hunted the

Hurworth . h 8 — In 6t 1 6 . Thursday , November 3 spite of a very dense fo g we threw o ff at noon in Blackman

N W . Cover ; found directly broke at the corner , o f and, running north a couple fields , turned to the right across the turnpike road and away to Briar Flat Wood ; then turned sharp back up t o the riverside and crossed the Batts , ran their e whol length , and then recrossed into Dalton W ood , and passing Dalton Village went to ground in a drain by the railway side after a o f - o f clipping burst twenty four minutes , most which was only seen by myself o n account o f the o o f f g . After a good deal delay in procuring a terrier the fox was bolted , and went away fo r pointing Clervaux Castle , which he left o n Halnab the right , and then pointing for y, t o ran a ring back the railway , and crossed the line running for Blackman Cover , which he ran fo r past and crossed the road , going direct Forty Acres but after getting within a couple o f o f hundred yards the Cover , he suddenly changed his course , and wheeling round to the right he ran close past Blackman House and then away for FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 1 5

Cowton Plantations . Most unfortunately the o ne hounds divided at the railway , half running up the line and the other half crossing t o the west , which I followed in order to get the hounds

o ff . the line , and we lost at Cowton Village We afterwards discovered that the other half o f the hounds with the run fox went straight up the railway to the earths near Cowton Station , o where they ran their fox t ground . In their chase up the line they unluckily met a train , and o ne o f o n them , Dainty , was run over and killed the spot . This run from the drain to the point where o ne the hounds divided , was exactly hour and

five minutes , and was undoubtedly first class from beginning to end . The pace was tremendous o f all the way , and only four the field kept them V o n in iew , namely , the Master his brown horse , c u fi l o n S r e d . o f Colonel Sambo , young Mr Fowle N o n orthallerton a chestnut horse , and myself o n Lady Bennett , and never during the whole chase were we able to s e e more than seventy o r o ne hundred yards ahead o f us o n account o f % the fog .

From 1 865 to 1 869 the Hurworth Master was Maj or Elwo n (the owner o f Plaudit) ; then again the same Mr . Cookson (a breeder o f some famous racehorses , Mincemeat , Kettledrum , D . 1 8 undee , and many others) In 7 3 he retired in favour o f Lord Castlereagh (the present 1 1 6 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

M P H o f . . . Marquis Londonderry) , who was for t wo t his seasons , wi h George Dodds as huntsman

o f then Maj or Godman , formerly the Carabiniers then Mr . Cookson once more came to the rescue , and after him Mr . W . H . A . Wharton of Skelton

1 88 1 886 Castle from 4 to , when he left to take the hounds in Cleveland .

Fo r that position he was well adapted , as who could be more fitting as Master of the Cleveland Hunt than the Squire of Skelton Castle ; and long may he continue to enj oy prosperity in that f o fice . In the spring of 1 886 I took over the Hurworth and hunted the country five days a fortnight for two seasons ; I found that I required more L L hounds , and ord onsdale , who was at that dl time hunting the Blankney country , kin y let me purchase about eighteen couples of his beautiful Blankney bitches ; they were of the

o ld so same sort which I had always liked much ,

fo r and I was very lucky to get hold of them , they helped me to show sport in the famous

Hurworth country . N Will icoll , from the Cleveland, came as Kennel Huntsman and first whip a capital

o ut fellow to go hunting with , and he did very

fo r . well me William Rees, from the Wheatland, came as second whip , but in the following season

1 1 8 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

Deighton , Worsall , Trenholm , Stank , Winton ,

’ and Oliver s Whin . I have known nothing more delightful in all my hunting career than some o f those fast

o r t o gallops from Welbury Winton the hills . The following account appeared in a North allerton newspaper o f o ne o f the best runs which took place in my time

th 1 888 On Thursday , 9 February , had a

- bye day at Sigston Bridge . The weather was all that could be desired . A small and select

field met to enj oy the sport . First drew Sigston Wood ; go t o n a drag at once ; hunted slowly o f into Landmoth Wood , where a brace foxes were o n foot . We went away past Beacon Hill and Marigold Hill , across the Carrs to Spring o n Lo w Wood and to Silton , where scent failed _ and he was lost . The hounds were then trotted away to Winton Whin , where they at once found Reynard at home . Without hesitating a moment he broke at the north - west corner as fo r Of the covert if Welbury , with the hounds close at him , but quickly changing his course , ’ he left Harlsey Castle to the left , over Mr . Raper s

farm , crossed the Harlsey Road , through Brun f cli fe Whins , away over the Thirsk and Yarm o ld - Road near where the toll bar stood , into Arncliffe Wood the pace up t o this point was

terrific , the bitch pack fairly racing over this o f beautiful bit country . Without stopping a FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 1 9

moment they dashed up the big wood , and

were fo r a short time lost to V iew . The horse men taking the road up the wood past Mount

Grace , had the good luck to find the hounds

had come to a check near Lady Chapel , but the o gallant Master (Sir R . Graham) being n the o f spot quickly , caught hold his beautiful little t o ladies and, making a galloping cast the left,

hit O ff his fox . They then ran parallel with the Wood to t o o f f the p the Cli f, where they turned full east , racing over the open moor to Scarth Neck , over the Swainby and Osmotherley Road past Wild

Goose Nest , skimming the enclosures like a flock o f pigeons and topping the walls like greyhounds . Leaving S lap e st o ne s o n the left they dashed into the valley over the stream into Thimbleby

Wood , where this gallant fox saved his brush , o r rather all that was left o f it (for he was a bob o n e l tailed ) , by going to ground in the A um

Works . fi ft -fi v e Time from find to finish , y minutes, with only the slight check above named .

Distance at least nine miles , and taking o f into consideration the nature the country , o f particularly the latter part it , this must be acknowledged as o ne o f the fastest and best runs % o f the season .

o ne This was a real good day , and no rode better than the Rev . Charles Atkinson , at that

o f time the Rector Sigston, near Northallerton , 1 20 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS a capital sportsman and Often o ut with the

o n o f Hurworth Hounds that side the country . In the vicinity o f Hurworth the S c urfi eld

fo r family have long owned a considerable estate , o n which their numerous coverts were well looked after , in fact they were model lodging houses whence foxes were always forthcoming . Probably in these days there are many other

o f coverts equal note , but I only mention some

Of those which existed in former times .

There was not much woodland in the country , Beverley o n the north and Cotcliffe o n the south were the largest strongholds but o n the south east corner came the big woods o f Thimbleby f and Arncli fe , and it was hereabouts that the boundary was j oined by the Bilsdale , a moorland hunt and a trencher - fed pack which had existed

o n o f for ages . Sometimes they came the line a fox

o f into the heart the Hurworth Vale , and tradition had it that they were not very particular about

o n what they did these occasions . One of their

Masters , Mr . Nicholas Spink of Bilsdale , ran a fox

o ut down to Welbury Whin , dug him there , and took him away in a sack . This occurred when

L o f ord Castlereagh was Master the Hurworth , who at once wrote through his Hunt Secretary to remonstrate with the Bilsdale o n his gross breach of hunting customs , which resulted

1 2 2 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

Roofed House ; seventeen couples o f bitches ; drew Worsall Whin ; ran hard for thirty- fi v e minutes ’ and lost him at Kirklevington . Drew Pease s Plantation very fast twenty five minutes to ff S t ain dale ground . Went o to draw capital

gallop fo r thirty minutes to ground at Deighton .

A screaming scent all day , and my diary says , A ’ ’ very good day s sport .

My Hunt Secretary was Mr . A . Park of

Ne wb us o n Grange , who kept a watchful eye the f coverts , the finances , and other a fairs of the Hunt , and I must not forget the names of one o r two o ld Hurworth friends o f those days who have since passed away .

To m N There was Wilkinson of easham Abbey , a keen sportsman who often acted as fi eld- master when I was hunting the hounds . He kept a pack o f - otter hounds , and was devoted to that pursuit inde ed it was from a chill which he caught o n the river at his favourite summer sport that he died, after a short illness , in the prime of life many years

. it ago As Wordsworth puts A man he was ,

% t o - of cheerful yesterdays and confident morrows ,

o n much beloved in his w country .

- Then there was Lord Henry Vane Tempest , who Often turned up from Wynyard and elsewhere to have a day with us . He thought there was nothing like the Hurworth , and would travel any

1 24 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS afternoons were short of daylight but there were other considerations also which induced me to resign .

My successor was Mr . William Forbes o f

Callendar, who had much previous experience as Master of the Kildare Hounds in Ireland . I

lo t sold my Blankney to Lord Chesham , who at that time had the Bicester , and it was with very great regret I said farewell to the Hurworth

1 country on the 1 st May 888 . CHAPTE R V I I I

NORTON CONYERS

NORTON CONYERS is situated on the river Yore some four miles north of the city of Ripon ; there is some diffi culty in fixing the exact date

o ld when the quaint house was built , but no doubt can exist that it was standing in the reign

o f Henry VII. The ancient family of Norton were in posses sion from very early times until they became

1 involved in the Rising of the North in 569 . A remarkable chapter of English history was that in which those who clung to the Old faith staked their lives in its cause , many perishing ; while others like the Earl of Westmorland , who left historic Raby behind him , and the venerable

Richard Norton , fled to Flanders and were known in England no more . The story o f Norton was taken by Words worth as the theme o f his White Doe of Ryl

stone , in which he accepts the tale as told in

’ the o ld ballad of the m iss10n o f Earl Percy s 1 2 6 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

- little foot page to Master Norton , a summons which he could not resist

Come you hither , my nine good sonnes ,

Gallant men I trowe you be ,

How many of you , my children deare , l ’ Wi l stand by that good erle and me .

E ight of them did answer make,

E Of - h astilie ight them spake , Oh father, till the day we dye , ’ S We ll tand by that good erle and thee .

And s o went forth o ld Richard Norton with his banner bearing the cross and the five wounds

o of ur Lord . His family were entirely ruined

o ne o f and his estates confiscated , though only his sons was executed , while he himself escaped to the Lo w Countries . N After the attainder of the ortons , their

sub se estates were forfeited to the Crown , and quently Norton Conyers passed by a marriage with the Musgraves to the Grahams , descended through J ohn o f the Bright Sword from the Scottish Earls o f Monteith and Strathearn . The first o f the Grahams at Norton Conyers was the Royalist Sir Richard Graham of the

% Netherby clan , who had married the daughter

and heiress of Thomas Musgrave . He was

o f I. Gentleman the Horse to J ames , was created

1 62 a Baronet in 9 , and distinguished himself at

FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 2 7

Edgehill and Marston Moor , where he was desperately wounded and rode from the field o f

battle many miles to Norton , then through the

o f Hall and up the stairway , where the print the

’ horse s hoof is still shown to this day . The exterior o f the Manor House has but l litt e claim to architectural beauty , but it falls well into its woodland surroundings of sycamores

and other trees o f great size . On the northern side is the historic bowling

green o n which King Charles I. passed five consecutive days in his favourite amusement while waiting for supplies .

Within the old oak hall , covered with ancestral

o f portraits , is the broad staircase the legend , ascending by the big mullioned window with many coats o f arms towards the panelled

’ King s Room , which was occupied by more than one o f the Royal Stuarts . Many generations o f Grahams had come and gone from the o ld house at Norton before the

o f 1 8 time the last Sir Bellingham , born in 7 9 and for seventy years a Baronet . One point o f special interest in connection with Norton Conyers is , that many consider it

% to be the original o f Th o rnfi eld Hall in jane

E re o f e y , that most fascinating all the Bront

works , though others lean to the belief that the 1 2 8 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS place was intended for the Rydings near

Birstall .

Bronte Countr In that interesting book , the y, i Mr . Ersk ne Stuart expresses his conviction that Charlotte Bronte had Norton Conyers in her mind, and he gives many reasons for his Opinion in the following W o l% ds ’ There are also the

all rookery and the gardens ; but this is not ,

o f o ak the interior the hall , panelled and covered with portraits of men in armour , the brass

e handles and the doubl doors , the untenanted

’ upper storey , the position of the housekeeper s

o ak s room , and the broad taircase , all answer

% ane E re to the description in j y . Halfway between historic Ripon and the o ld

m Tanfi eld Mar ion Tower at , in the picturesque

o f valley the Yore , in a country rich in natural

o f o ld beauty and full history , there stands the

o f gabled house Norton . The adj acent lands

o f and woods , following the course the river , are situated on the south Side of what is known as

the Bedale country . The Bedale Hunt lies almost entirely in the North Riding ; on the north it adj oins Lord

’ o n Zetland s territory , the east the Hurworth ,

o n Ainst and the south the York and y . The country originally formed part o f the immense Raby Hunt so long hunted by the Earl

1 39 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS and I have no doubt as they become more complete more foxes will escape from them . Packs which are composed of hounds Of various kinds seldom run well together , nor do their

tongues harmonise , yet they generally , I think , kill most foxes but I must confess that , unless I like their style of killing them , whatever may be their success , I cannot be completely satisfied . I can well remember o ld Squire Milbank : in fact he blooded me o ut o n a pony with his hounds when about five years old , not many yards from the spot where the Bedale Hunt assemble in the present day whenever they meet at Norton Conyers once or twice in the course o f every winter . His Mastership seems to have been

o f successful , as the Hunt picture ( which the engraving is so well known) bears the following inscription

E s . 1 Presented to Mark Milbank , q , 7 th 1 8 2 o f December 4 , by members the Bedale

Hunt and other gentlemen , at the annual Hunt Dinner given by him as Master o f the Bedale % Hounds . Portraits of the following gentlemen appear in the picture Mr . Milbank and his hunt servants ,

o f Lord Zetland , Duke of Leeds , Duke Cleveland ,

Sir Bellingham Graham , Colonel Pepper Arden ,

. S e r e ant so n . . Mr g , Hon Sackville Lane Fox , Hon FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 3 1

P. M. . M P John Dundas , , Hon Thomas Dundas , . . ,

t raub e nz e e S . Capt . Van , Maj or Healey , Mr

Anthony Maynard , Mr . John Booth , Sir J ohn

Beresford, Sir Edward Dodsworth , Mr . John

Bell of Thirsk , and others . Then again in 1 838 we find that a Bedale Hunt Song was composed in his honour by the

o f Rev . John Monson , the Rector Bedale , an

excellent Sportsman and very hard rider, of whom Lord Darlington in one o f his diaries says : I

cannot omit to mention that the Rev . John Monson shone as conspicuously this day on his

grey mare as in the pulpit , and was alone with the hounds over Ainderby Mires when they hill % Th o rn s . killed at last , near willow bed

There is an old Latin proverb which , when converted into English says : If a man is not

% o ne born a poet you cannot make him , and I think that anyone will be inclined to agree with

that maxim who reads the following ditty , which some fifty or sixty years ago was invariably sung year after year at every Bedale Hunt Club Dinner with acclamation

THE BEDALE HO% NDS IN 1 838

’ o f fo x- f Here s to the old ones hunting ame , R L Cleveland , alph ambton , and Harewood ; ’ f Here s to the young ones that a ter them came , Who will not say that they are good % 1 3 2 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

Here ’ s to the Master 1 well skilled in the art To kill an old fo x in all weathers ; ’ Here s to the riders , all ready to start

Brilliant in boots and in leathers .

’ all v Here s to the hounds , igour and bone , In condition excelling all others ; ’ 2 Here s to old Barwick , who stands quite alone

In cheering them on through the covers .

’ S Here s to the portsmen , I give you each name , Their feats and their fortunes in detail ; N R di orth i ng heroes , all eager for fame , T o be reaped in the country of Bedale .

On M Borderer mounted see ilbank ride , T ’ hree hundred won t buy such a horse , sir ; L f imbs with no check to their reedom of stride,

Wind without whistle or cough , sir .

% ’ T HO % T -a - % S ally oot toot he is gone , says the quire ; L et any one catch them who can , sir ,

Who rides with my hounds a good horse will require , f And himsel he must be a good man , sir .

’ D 3 l L Here s to the uke , if he leads not sti l eeds , T o borrow a joke from His Grace , sir ;

A nobleman true , both in word and in deeds , rm es t fi . And the support of the chase , sir

’ 4 Here s to the Graeme , who does not disdain

- In a north country province to ride , sir ; F ’ L orgetting that once , thro the eicestershire plain , S carce a rival could live by his side , sir .

1 M k o f Pe Mr. b T d e d 1 8 8 2 . il an horp rrow , i 2 ’

k fi . Mr. Milb an s rst w hip 3 Th e 6 D k e o f L e e d th u s . S ir B e G llingham raham .

1 34 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

T l f he gal ant , the ardent , of promise so air , The Beresford brothers they bring ; A word from my pen must give them their share f O the honours and glories I sing .

M — T r any good ones remain Hodgson , Crompton , and owe , Fo x N , Ward , and the young one from orton ;

But to mention them all is not in my power ,

S . o , surely, it cannot be thought on

’ S T l 1 And here s to the quire of hirsk , J ack Be l ,

Who supports both the chase and the turf, sir ;

He will not , unless he likes it , go well , T ’ ho the hounds may run ever so fast , sir .

’ M Here s a bumper to ilbank , the source of our sport A bumper to him and his hounds sir ; - fi P Brim full it shall be of the nest old ort ,

Where health and good humour abound , sir .

fl And may we all ourish till green our old age is , S uch fun and such sport to pursue sir ; And your % lame ’ humble poet to be hanged now engages ’ If his composition s not true , sir .

Rev N M NS N . OH O O By the J , R 1 8 8 . ector of Bedale , 3

After Mark Milbank came the Hon . Ernest Duncombe (now Earl o f Fev ersh am ) fo r eleven

o f years ; then Mr . J ohn Booth Killerby for another eleven years ; but when he started the country does not seem to have been in a pros

e ro us p state , as during his first season his pack only killed eleven foxes and had fourteen blank

1 Maste r o f t h e H amb le ton Hounds . FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 35

days . Later on matters improved and he showed

some good Sport , hunting them himself until he

retired in the summer of 1 87 8 . After his time

there were many Masters of the Bedale , including

M. P. Maj or Dent , Mr . G . W . Elliot , , Captain

o f . Wilson Todd , and the Duke Leeds To all

of these Fred Holland was huntsman , a keen and cheerful man much liked by the farmers ,

’ 1 02 who retired in 9 , after twenty years service ,

1 000 with a testimonial of about £ , and went to

live at Masham , where he recently died . The Duke of Leeds hunted the country

six 1 8 8 regardless of expense for seasons , from 9

1 sa to 904 . I think the best day which I w in

2 t h 1 00 his time was on the 4 January 9 , when he was hunting the hounds himself . They met at Norton Conyers and found a real good fox in

’ Guy s Whin ran by No st erfi eld nearly to Low

Park ; then to the right , crossing the Bedale

Road between Carthorpe and Burneston , up to

Leeming Lane , where he was headed and turned

Kirk in t o n short back , leaving g on his right , down to Sutton Howgrave across Park fi eld Farm to the covert where he was found . Luckily they did not change there , and he went away over the

saw South Park at Norton , where I him nearly

h e done , but managed to j ump the high wall near our Ripon Lodge gates . Only about half 1 36 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o t the pack g over the wall , but they coursed him in view and caught him in the open at the end

o f . the next field It was a very good run , and I never s aw anyone more delighted than the Duke was at the finish , when he and Mr . Amcotts Wilson started o n their homeward j ourney o f fifteen miles from Norton Conyers to Hornby

o ld - Castle . It was a very dog fox , and he kindly

o ur had the head mounted and sent to house , where it hangs to this day . A few days later I had a tombstone placed o n the spot to commemorate the event , with Hic

J ac e t and the date thereon . The Bedale second whipper- in at that time had rather a hump o n o f his back , and went by the nickname

’ Humpy . This hump almost seemed to act as an accumulator , for he had a singularly shrill hallo . The following season the hounds were trotting along to draw , and , as we passed this

Spot , I pointed with my whip towards the tomb t o % stone , and said Humpy , You remember what happened there P He had not a retentive

memory apparently , for he at once exclaimed , Poor gentleman % was he killed o n the spot P

’ a On the Duke s retirement the Hunt , in p

o f preciation his services , presented him with a

o f fo x testimonial in the form a silver , from a

1 38 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

and at that time it was asserted that , except upon occasions when duty called him to the House o f

Lords , he had only missed three days with his

pack during that long period . It was said that he never shirked any part of

the hunting business by leaving it to others , but was content to go through the cub - hunting

himself season after season . In those days there was probably no other record in the history o f sport which could compare with the description o f that famous establishment

’ at Raby , as during Lord Darlington s long reign the Hunt was maintained entirely by his o wn resources , and the scale upon which matters were conducted is perhaps shown by the fact that he paid £340 a year to his tenants north of the Tees

o f o n for the rent his w fox coverts .

’ However long the day s work , he never missed making notes o f the sport in his Diary before that day was over , and this hunting chronicle he allowed t o be published from year to year under th e name Of The Operations o f the Raby

% Pack . After his death in 1 842 , at the age o f seventy six s o n , he was succeeded by his , who afterwards became known as Duke Henry . As the country had no t been hunted fo r the previous three o r four

o f fo x years , some the coverts had got into bad FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 39

o f condition , and many them had disappeared

s o altogether , Duke Henry established a pack o f staghounds fo r some time ; but after the coverts were restored and foxes had again became plentiful , he turned his staghounds into fox

o f o ld hounds , took possession the Raby country , and all went well for some years to come . When this duke died in 1 861 the same state o f things appears to have occurred again , until

866 o f H rt fo rth 1 . a , when Mr Cradock came to the rescue and started a pack , which he got together by drafts from various kennels . During his first

- season they hunted sixty nine days , killed four

o f . teen brace foxes , and had five blank days The second season o f 1 867 —68 they hunted

- seventy three days , killed ten brace , and had four

1 8 0 blank days . Then in 7 , Thomas Bridger

Champion was secured as huntsman , and matters

’ t o continued improve until Mr . Cradock s resigna

1 8 6 tion in 7 , when the present Lord Zetland M H . F . became , and has since hunted the country . Some years ago the members o f his Hunt presented him with a picture; by Heywood Hardy; representing a meet of the hounds in

o f front Aske Hall . In addition to those o f Lord

Zetland , Champion , and other hunt servants , there were portraits of Sir William Eden o f 1 49 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o f d ur . S e b Windlestone , Mr Gilpin Brown y, Mr .

Mo rrit t o f R . A . Rokeby , Lord Londonderry ,

He nr - o f Lord v Vane Tempest , Colonel Wilson

f o f H ln a ab . Cli fe , Captain Wilson Todd y , Mr

H r f r h . o f a t o t . Cradock of , Mr W Scarth Stam

r Ho n d op , . Thomas Dundas , Lady Alice Dundas ,

Lady Hilda Dundas , Mr . Herbert Straker , Mr . J .

Fife , Mr . W . Foster, and others ; a pleasing picture ,

o ld in which it is shown that now , as in the days o f Raby , the hunt still wear the black velvet

collar and gold fox . What real pleasure it was to hunt with Lord Zetland % Ever courteous and considerate to his

o ne field , he never deviated from the obj ect in his

To t o . mind , and that was show sport carry o u t that endeavour he was ably seconded by

fo x Champion , a brilliant man after a , a fine

t o horseman , with a good voice , and keen show a gallop at any hour o f the morning o r the evening according t o my views he was an ideal huntsman . Ho w many pleasant weeks year after year have

o f I passed at Aske , that charming home Lord and

Lady Zetland, where hospitality is unbounded .

Fo r o f the purpose hunting in that country , I

e db ur . S often stayed with Mr Gilpin Brown at y, a sportsman o f the o ld school wh o could go a long f way back into history o the Raby Hunt .

1 42 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

A year o r two ago I took up a weekly pictorial paper, with a picture intended to portray the meet o f a pack o f foxhounds somewhere in Leicester shire . In the foreground was represented an elderly gentleman o n horseback in a hunting coat and cap , and underneath were written these remarkable words The well-known

’ octogenarian huntsman , Mr . Trilby , was present on this occasion Throughout the sixties England was ringing

o f T il . a b with the heroic deeds Mr y, and the hunting world were flocking into Market Har borough t o follow Tailb y and his brilliant pack over high Leicestershire . He did not even retire

1 8 8 until 7 , and already his very name seems to be forgotten and distorted .

Trilby indeed , and such is fame Notwithstanding the attractions of the Bedale and Zetland Hunts , I could not be quite happy without some hounds o f m yo wn to hunt therefore fo r several years I kept a pack o f harriers at my o wn o ld expense in the kennels at Norton Conyers .

’ We all know J o rro c k s s opinion on the subj ect

rr o f b a ie rs . Does he not s ay; I never sees a chap a -trotting along the turnpike with a thick stick in his hand and a pipe in his

mouth , but I says to myself , There goes a

' ’ ’ man well mounted for harriers . I wouldn t FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 43

be a Master o f Muggers for no manner of

money .

o n Such , however , were not my ideas the

s o se t subj ect , I to work to buy a pack from

o f Scotland . Then various Masters Hounds gave me a few small bitches which were hardly big

enough for them to enter as foxhounds . Among

L c e t t others , Mr . y Green kindly gave me five couples o f beautiful animals from the York and

Ains t . y , some of them with Belvoir blood I had to draft a good many of the Scotch lot before I

could get them to the size and sort which I fancied ,

but at last I arrived at about fifteen couples , all

o f 2 0 bitches full quality , and standing exactly

inches high . The first man I had as kennel huntsman was

Will Wootton , who came with the lot from Scot

land , and I used to hunt them with him and a second horseman (in green coats and caps) to

whip into me . After him a young fellow named Charles Greenhow took his place ; and then in later years , Tom Champion from the Woodland Pytchley (a son of the huntsman whom I recently mentioned) , a capital hound man and a nice

o ut fellow to go with , who remained with me as long as I kept the harriers .

o f o f We had plenty country , lots grass for miles round Norton Conyers , and many good 1 44 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o t h e Ains t places to g to in York and y country , notably the Copgrove Estate belonging t o Admiral

Sir Francis and Lady Bridgeman , where we had good sport , and were always welcome . Then Lord Harewood sometimes gave me a day o r two about Goldsborough when he lived there ; now and

o n then , also , I had a day the moors round

o f about Harrogate , and Mr . Andrew Lawson

Aldborough , near Boroughbridge , often asked us

’ o l I Anso n C . over . Then in the Bedale country , M P f o f . . . o Howe , Mr Nussey , , Rushwood , and other neighbours were all capital friends to the pack . Beckford once said , It is a good diversion in a good country ; you are always certain of sport and if you really love t o se e your hounds hunt , the hare when properly hunted will show you more o f it than any other

% animal . I am quite sure that any boy who is destined to become a good sportsman should be entered

s o early to harriers , not much to teach him to ride , as t o teach him not to ride in the wrong place and

- at the wrong time . With hare hounds he will soon learn t o pull up his pony at the least Sign

o f t o s it o n a check , still , to keep his eyes fixed

. t o o the pack , and to hold his tongue It is only evident in the present day that these simple lessons have not always been acquired in early

1 46 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

t o form , and j ust the sort I liked walk about with o n Sunday afternoons .

M. E H Over thirty years ago , when I was an . ,

’ I happened to be dining o ne evening at White s f Club with the late Lord Su folk , who at that time

o f kept a pack harriers at Charlton Park . After dinner o ur conversation drifted into

o f the discussion hunting subj ects , and as Mr . George Lane Fox was seated at an adj acent

n o t o ff f table far , Lord Su folk fixed his glass in his eye (with him a sure sign o f mischief) and boldly inquired from the celebrated Bramham

f - Moor Master his Opinion o hare hunting . I

% have always , he replied , understood it to be a

% most scientific amusement . It seems very doubtful if Peter Beckford really cared much for the pursuit of the hare ; does he not tell us in his o wn words

- I never was a hare hunter . I followed this diversion more fo r air and exercise than amusement , and if I could have persuaded myself t o ride o n the turnpike road to the three -mile i stone and back aga n , I should have thought I had no need o f a pack o f harriers .

w Again , when contrasting the merits bet een the slow and the fast hounds for the purpose, he says

FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 4 7

f It was a di ficult undertaking . I bred o f many years , and an infinity hounds , before I could get what I wanted . I at last had the s e e pleasure to them very handsome , small , yet very bony they ran remarkably well together, ran fast enough , had all the alacrity that you could desire , and would hunt the coldest scent . When they were thus perfect I did as many others do , I parted with them .

This is exactly what I did myself in the spring o f 1 8 97 , and I have never blown a horn again

since that day . Perhaps I had blown my o wn trumpet quite enough already With the last century many sporting writers

have come and gone , but amid all that hunting

lore , what is there to compare with My Winter

% so o f Garden , that tale descriptive Charles Kingsley and his musings when a hunted fox crossed the path o f his afternoon ride along the fi r clad heather lands which far and

wide encircled his peaceful rectory at Eversley . Nothing in the English language can be more charming than the simple story he told us j ust

fifty years ago . Peter Beckford must have been about forty when he began his letters dated from Bristol

Ho t 2 Wells , oth March He published

1 8 1 Tho u hts them as a book in 7 , and called it g 1 48 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o n Hunting . Since then there have been count

o n t o less works the same subj ect , but this day Beckford still holds his own as o ur greatest

o f authority , and some his maxims might still be engraved in eternal brass . % What could be better than this It is said , there is a pleasure in being mad , which only mad men know and it is the enthusiasm , I believe , o f fox- hunting which is its best support strip

o f o u it that , and y then , I think , had better let it quite alone .

1 50 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

Bellingham became a Master o f Fo x Hounds by succeeding Mr . Musters in the Badsworth country . It is needless to s ay anything about that famous sportsman Mr . Musters , who was then acknow

o f ledged to be at the head his profession , and if he had been as zealous in the details o f the

o f kennel as in those the field, would have had a reputation second to none in England at that ffi time as it was , Musters was a di cult Master to follow Sir Bellingham appears to have

fo r hunted the Badsworth country two years , and apparently with success . He hunted his hounds himself, with J ack Richards as first and

- n Kit Atkinson as second whipper i . Both these good servants remained until he took the Quorn six years later , when J ack returned to Badsworth as huntsman , and Kit was promoted to the same post in Worcestershire . Kit ’ s chief mission was to make young horses into hunters , in which duty he was very capable , being a good horseman , endowed with excellent hands , and weighing only nine stone . There

’ was a good illustration o f Kit s nerve later in the Atherstone country where he was riding a mare which had shown no signs of making a

six hunter throughout her years , and had given

him some very bad falls . Kit , however , would

no t sh e give up hope , and declared that was FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 5 1

t o o ne sure make a good some day . The

o n hounds got into Annesley deer park later , when Kit came to the pales first and cleared

them , getting well over before anyone else had a

try . It was in 1 8 1 6 (during his Badsworth period)

that Sir Bellingham won the St . Leger with a

mare called the Duchess , by Cardinal York , and it was in 1 8 1 7 that he left the Badsworth to commence his Mastership o f the Atherstone

country , which he held for three years . The Atherstone Hunt included a large tract of country which had seen many changes up to

1 8 1 5 , when that noted sportsman Squire Osbaldeston came from Nottinghamshire and brought his o wn pack to the Atherstone for a

o f couple seasons . Sir Bellingham hunted the Atherstone hounds

o f himself, living most the time at Lindley

o f . Hall , near the town Atherstone His estab lishm e nt enabled him to hunt five days a week , and his management apparently gave s at isfac tion during the three seasons he remained there ,

% Huntin Reminis cences as Nimrod , in his g , writes thus

It was a pleasure to any real sportsman to hunt with Sir Bellingham Graham , because 1 5 2 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS he did the thing throughout in a thorough

- sportsmanlike style , as fox hunting ought to be done from the moment he got upon his hunter until he killed or lost his fox he was intent and

earnest in that pursuit , and the result of his sportsmanlike conduct was that no man kept

his field in such good order . When Sir Bellingham Graham quitted the Atherstone country he left behind him a great regard for his good name and universal regret at

his departure .

1 820 In the year , fascinated by the idea

o f N orthamptonshire , he left the Atherstone

for the Pytchley , where he succeeded Lord

Kni htle Althorp and Sir Charles g y, but there

o n he only remained for e season . Troubles of some kind seem to have arisen which rendered

him unpopular in that country . The Druid

records that the foxes were destroyed , even the mail- coaches were hung with their dead carcases

as a sort of defiance . Still , he fought on , and

determined to have a grand field day . He turned

o n e down seven brace night , but not a hound

could speak to it in the morning , and he drew

% every covert blank again . The result was that at the end of the season he left the Pytchley

f o f to take over a very di ferent style country ,

namely , the Hambledon Hunt in Hampshire .

1 54 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS The hunt servants to the Quorn at this time

were Will Staples and J ack Wigglesworth ; the

’ hounds consisted o f Sir Bellingham s original pack in addition t o his purchase of all Osb al

’ de st o n s o f -fi v e hounds , with the exception twenty

couples . At this period the Quorn subscription amounted to between three and four thousand

o ne o f pounds , and Sir Francis Burdett , who was

the principal subscribers , wrote Put me down

00 for £3 , and if that is not enough I am good for

% £2 00 more . Nimrod tells us much about the good sport o f o ne o f that time , and that during the seasons the old pack killed every fox they found during the first six weeks . We are also told by the same writer that , as regards riding , Sir Belling ham had quite established his reputation as a

- o f leader among the best heavy weights that day . There was a celebrated run from Glen Gorse to

Stanton Wood , for example , where he particularly distinguished himself o n a horse called Cock Robin by taking the lead and keeping it until

o f - the finish , although two the best light weights E in ngland , Colonel William Coke and Colonel

o f George Anson , started within half a field him , but never caught him until all was over . It was about this time that his hunters became

1 56 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS looking fellow called upon the Baronet at his London house and asked him if he would sell

t wo . of his horses He said he would , that they

were down at Norton Conyers , and that the price

was o ne thousand guineas . The man paid the sum

in bank notes then and there , and the horses were

never heard o f afterwards . Some time later the same man called again

and asked the price of Beeswax . He was told

’ five hundred guineas . As I ve been a good

’ % customer , I hope you ll make it pounds , said

’ % se e the man . I ll you damned first , was the prompt reply . As a huntsman the critics seem to have found little fault with Sir Bellingham , except that he was perhaps too quiet in drawing , and was therefore at some times apt to draw over his fox ; but his horses and horsemanship were so good that he was never long without having an eye o n his hounds , and being able to assist them when in a difficulty . It would appear that his custom was to divide his hounds for hunting days into an o ld c pack and a young pa k , and it is possible that this system may have had some advantages as

regards uniform pace , but it is doubtful if the practice would find much favour with huntsmen o f the present day . FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 57 Nimrod describes the circumstances of a

very severe fall he had with the Quorn .

He was killing his fox at the end of a sharp o x thing when an fence presented itself . Three fi rst - rate performers were going in the same line ,

but they would not have it . Sir Bellingham

never turned his horse , and cleared all but the

rail on the opposite side , which probably his weight would have broken ; but unfortunately o n o f his horse alighted one the posts , and turned ’ n over o the rider s chest . Strange as it may

appear, Sir Bellingham remounted his horse and rode o n but he had not proceeded many yards when he was observed by Sir Harry Goodricke t o b ut be in the act of falling to the ground , which he was fortunate enough to prevent . From that period , about twelve at noon till nine the next night , Sir Bellingham never knew what had happened to him an d as he lay under the hay stack— whither his friends removed him at the time of the accident— every moment was expected to be his last . The pith of the story , however , is yet to come . He was bled three times the first day , and confined to his bed five . On the seventh , o f to the utter surprise , and indeed annoyance , his friends , he was seen in his carriage at Scraptoft , ff ’ o . merely, as he said , to see his hounds throw The carriage not being able to get up to the

Spinney , Sir Bellingham mounted a quiet old horse , placed there , no doubt , for the purpose , f mu fled up in a great coat and a shawl , and 1 58 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o n . looked The fox was found , but took a short ring and returned , when the hounds came to a check close to where he was sitting upon his l ro tern no t horse . Wi l Beck , the huntsman p , being up with his hounds , the Baronet cast them and recovered his fox . In three fields they checked again , and Beck made a slow but by no means brilliant cast Sir Bellingham s aw all - o n this from the hill , and , no longer a looker , he cantered down to his pack and hit o ff his fox o n again . Things still went but awkwardly .

Another error was observed , when Sir Bellingham , annoyed that a large field should be disappointed o f their sport when there was a possibility o f - in having it , took a horn from the whipper (for

he could not speak to them) and go t to work again . The hounds mended their pace ; down went the o f shawl in the middle a field . They improved upon it ; down went the great - coat in another field ; then he stuck to his hounds in a long hunting run of an hour and a half over a strongly o t fenced country , and had g his fox dead beat o ne before him , when he was halloed away by o f his o wn men to a fresh fox under the Newton

Hills . No w what is to be done P The excitement

that had carried him thus far was all gone , and

- it was all but whoo hoop . With every appear o f ance exhaustion , and a face as pale as if he sat o n were dead , he himself down a bank and t o faintly exclaimed , How am I get home , Heaven ’ only knows .

ELL N H A R AH A B A RT ON TH E B A R O N S IR B I G M G M , 1 8 23 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 59

It was during this Mastership of the Quorn

Fe rn ele - Hunt that y , the well known artist , painted

1 82 2 at Melton Mowbray , in , the celebrated Quorn picture which included the following portraits

R . N . . Hon . Captain Berkeley , , Hon George

o n Anson , Val Maher , Sir Bellingham Graham (

Bru den ell R an c liffe The Baron) , Lord , Lord ,

- . l . Mr Whyte Melvi le , Mr Greene of Rolleston ,

Lord Elcho , Mr . Maxse (on Cognac) , Mr . George

o f Wombwell , Marquis Graham , John Moore ,

Colonel Coke (on Advance) , Sir James Mus grave , Lord Molyneux , Lord Darlington , John

i Fe rn ele . Bushe , Jack Wh te , y (the artist) This picture still hangs in the hall at Norton

2 000 Conyers , and is said to have cost £ , a price

hi al w ch armed the Meltonians of those days , with the result that it was eventually raffle d for

1 0 - at £ 0 a piece . It had been arranged that the

r winner should be declared by th owing dice , and most o f the competitors were present . Sir

lin was Bel gham not there , but was represented

w six by Mr . Maxse , who , after thro ing and five

o ne his for himself, had more throw for absent

r hi f iend , w ch turned out to be double sixes , and

hi z t s won the pri e , appropriately enough , for the

Mas ter of the Quorn .

1 82 n In 3 , Osbaldeston retur ed to the Quorn , 1 60 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS repurchasing twenty- fi v e couples o f his o ld pack

1 000 for £ , and continued to hunt the country

1 82 . up to 7 , when he took the Pytchley His favourite hounds were Furrier , Flourisher ,

Vaulter , Rasselas , Valentine , Hermit , and Rocket . At o ne time there were twenty- four and a half

- - couples by Furrier , a black and white dog , who was

1 bred at Belvoir in 82 1 by Saladin from Fallacy . The Squire sometimes made the whole of his pack

’ for the day s hunting o f hounds by that noted

E H . 1 M. . 8 sire In 34 he retired for ever as , and transferred his hounds privately and conditionally to Mr . Harvey Combe , who took them to the

Old Berkeley Kennels at Rickmansworth . In

’ 1 b alde st o n s 8 0 . Os 4 , still described as Mr

% ’ hounds , they were sold in lots at Tattersall s

d 6 00 and realise £ 4 , but most of them went back to Mr . Harvey Combe , and Lord Cardigan bought

m In ten couples to re a In the Pytchley country . Ho w interesting it would be nowadays to know where any o f that once famous foxhound blood is to be found % Upon the retirement o f the famous John Mytt o n from the Mastership o f the Albrighton

1 82 2 o ne l Hunt in , no cou d be found to take over

o f the whole his country , and the sportsmen o f the district had to rely upon Mr . William Hay , who hunted the Staffordshire side only from

1 62 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

country . He undertook , therefore , to hunt the Albrighton and the Shropshire each four days in alternate fortnights , and hoped this plan would meet the continued support of the Albrighton subscribers .

The arrangement was not altogether successful ,

1 82 — and at the end of the season 4 5 , Sir Belling

ham resigned the Albrighton , and restricted

himself entirely to Shropshire . He had in 1 823 taken a house situated upon

the Whitchurch Road , within a mile and a half

Lo xdale o f . Shrewsbury , the property of Mr the

Town Clerk , and here in that year the gentlemen of the Shrewsbury side of the county had sub scribed to build kennels capable o f holding a

o f hundred couple hounds , with stabling for

- ix twenty six hunters and s loose boxes . There was also a temporary kennel at Lee Bridge for

o n the meets the Prees side , which contained

some of the best coverts .

o ff The country itself was well for foxes , and

would stand four days a week . On the whole ,

too , it held a fair scent , but it was deficient in

gorse coverts generally, and in those days a great part o f it was wet and boggy and difficult to

. t o stop As a country ride over , Shropshire was

s o easy , far as fencing was concerned there was

nothing to stop a hard rider fairly well mounted , FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 63

seldom any necessity to take timber , and the common Shropshire fence was a small hedge on a

low bank with only a single ditch . These fences ,

however , came quickly , had to be taken slowly ,

and were very apt to stop horses in their pace , especially as the going was almost always in

o f deep ground . In one part the country , also , the low- lying meadows abound with black boggy l drains , which wi l not allow a horse approaching

near enough to be certain of clearing them ; and

it may be said of the Shropshire country , as a

whole , that a horse which can go well there can go

well anywhere .

In Shropshire , accordingly , Sir Bellingham maintained a hunting establishment little inferior to that he had considered necessary for Leicester

o f shire . His kennels contained seventy couples

-six working hounds , and his stables twenty

- weight carrying hunters . Large hounds did not suit the small enclosures of Shropshire , and there were some in the dog pack bigger than were desirable .

Vulcan was a favourite hound , but deter t mined and savage if put o u . On one occasion when running hare Joe Maiden , then second

whip , caught him a broadsider for it Vulcan j umped at him and bit him right through boot

- and stirrup leather . Virgin , by Cheshire Valiant , 1 64 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

’ from Fancy by Lord Lonsdale s Palafox , was

another favourite , a bitch which remained good i fo r . W ldb o eight seasons Workman , by y , by

’ Osb alde st o n s Wonder from Remnant , was a

hound which could run for ever Patience , too ,

o ut o f o f o ld by Abelard Purity , and full the

Pytchley blood ; Brimstone , by Marmion from

’ Jezebel ; Famous , by Lord Lonsdale s Reveller

’ B s from Sir Factious Juliet , Jollity , and Jealous

’ ’ by Osb alde st o n s Piper from Lord Lonsdale s

’ J oyful ; Purity and Parasol , from Mr . Warde s

pack , were all famous hounds . Nimrod has an interesting account o f the kennel management of the Shropshire hounds under Will Staples

He throws open the door o f the feeding house and stands at a certain distance from it o f himself . He draws a certain number hounds , calling them by their names . He then turns his back upon the open doorway and walks up and down the troughs , ordering back such hounds ffi as he thinks have fed su ciently . During this time not a hound stirs beyond the sill o f the i Open door . One remarkable instance of d s i in o n c l e . p presented itself this day Vulcan , o f the crowning ornament the dog pack , was standing near the door waiting for his name to be called . I happened to mention it , though rather in an undertone , when in he came and

1 66 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

Bab b ins hour and forty minutes , too , from Wood ,

ending . with a kill between Chirk Castle and o f Llangollen . One reads also manners and customs long since discarded ; how sober sportsmen had a poor chance against some o f the others who

% were a little primed , and how midday drinking

was held to improve riding across country .

’ Why don t you tackle that Welsh Squire , asked Lord Forester o f a friend who was much

badgered by a sportsman from Wales . Why ,

o ut if I could be sure he would come sober , I

o would take his bet t morrow , but the infernal fellow will come o ut half- drunk and then he

beats me , was the answer .

o n o f The Druid , too , has a note some the

o traditions f the Shropshire Hunt at this period .

% The Atcham Bridge Meet has never looked it s

best since the three (Will Staples , J ack Wiggles

worth , and Tom Flint) were wont to wait in the

fo r meadow Sir Bellingham . We know no spot

M t t o n so rich in hunting history , even if J ack y had not j umped those rails with his arm in a

% sling . I am grateful to various writers o f former

times from whom I have Obtained information , but it is to %Esop (the Hampshire historian) I am indebted for a very characteristic aneo dote FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 67 On taking his hounds into Hampshire to hunt the Hambledon country , Sir Bellingham inquired from the Hunt Secretary what amount o f subscription would be forthcoming . About ’ o o c o n t e m t u £7 , was the reply , upon which he p o usl y remarked , Barely enough to keep me in ’ spur leathers and blacking .

It is quite possible that economy was not t he strongest point in his character . C H A PTE R X

ATHERSTONE 1 81 —1 82 0 , 7

OME o f S extracts from a Diary the Atherstone ,

Pytchley , and Quorn , kept between the years

1 8 1 1 82 o f 7 and 3 , may even at this distance time e be considered interesting , as they are tak n

o f from the handwriting Sir Bellingham Graham , who hunted those celebrated countries .

o f 1 8 1 In the autumn 7 , his first season with

- the Atherstone , cub hunting did not start till

o f 3oth September . Owing to absence rain the

o f ground was very hard , but in spite the heat

% the hounds behaved exceeding well . Hounds hunted sixteen days up to Ist Novem

o f ber , and killed nine foxes , which there appeared to be a plentiful supply . The Diary mentions that

- f o ne day thirty three couples o hounds were out .

8 h October t . Hopwas Hays . Thirty couples ; found instantly , and went away down t o Hints turned to the right for Swinfen , through ’ D o t t s Swinfen Pool Tail , and killed in Mrs . y Plantation an o ld do g - fo x— fi ft y- fi v e minutes very quick . Found again in Hopwas , and ran two t o foxes ground in about an hour . Tried a small

1 68

1 7 0 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

— November 1 5 th . Nineteen couples at Od o f stone ; found a brace foxes in the gorse , o n e o f which we ran direct through Nailst o ne

Whigs , and over the Open for forty minutes at the best pace o n to the Forest we then changed o ur o f fox , and after a great deal severe running he went into a drain under the road by Bradgate o n Park wall , making the whole two hours and - fi v e twenty minutes , the first hour and five minutes without a check ; opened the drain l - o ut o d . and got him , an dog fox My horse

Exeter died the same evening . Rode Exeter and Houghton ; Jack , Peter ; Kit , Chicken . — November 1 7 th . Catton . Twenty couples ; o r o n e o f found two three foxes immediately , which we got well away with and ran a ring by

Walton and back , when he threw himself into the earth , which had been opened in our absence , about ten yards before the leading hounds ; a s o most terrible burst for thirty minutes , quick that no horse could live with them . Found a disturbed fox in Seal Wood , which got away twenty minutes before us , and ran him with a ’ stale scent down t o Barton ; J ack s horse so lame we were forced to leave him at Drakelow . Rode

Derby and Richmond ; J ack , Doctor ; Kit , Chest nut Horse . n — December 2 d . Burbage . Twenty couples tried all the Tooley and Normanton Coverts , but did not find . J ack coming with my second horse , viewed a fox go into a small Spinney near o n Kirkby , when we laid the hounds , and ran FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 7 1 a most terrible pace for fifty minutes through fo r Kirkby Wood and pointing Lindley , when the hounds ran from scent into view and killed Old - close to Stoke Golding , an bitch fox many o t Melton men u . Rode Houghton and Titus ;

Jack , Rocket ; Kit , Selim .

1 . December 7 th Shuttington Bridge . Twenty- three couples ; tried Amington Decoy and the Frith blank ; found in Hopwas rattled o r him once twice round the covert ; went away , and ran him a desperate pace up to Money Moor

Plantation , where he j ust beat the hounds to ground . Found a brace in the Brockhurst , o ne o f which we ran round by Canwell , and he laid down in a pit in a wheat field , j umped up in view , and we ran into him nicely , close to the garden wall at Middleton ; an hour and five

- minutes : a bitch fox . Rode Houghton and

Whittington J ack , Rocket ; Kit , Selim . l fi l — - Bi s e . December 1 9th . dd e d Twenty one couples drew the wood and Aston Furze

- found in Manley gorse , and chopped a bitch fox .

Another broke away at the same time , which we ran through Money Moor , Weeford Park , past

Canwell , and over the enclosures to Drayton , where we ran from scent into view , and killed in the middle o f Drayton Park . Striver and

- Traveller the t wo leading hounds an Old dog fox .

- A pretty run o f fi ft y eight minutes . It came on to rain very hard , but the gentlemen wished us t o o n t o try , and found close Middleton , but it poured s o with rain we could do nothing . Rode 1 7 2 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

Derby and Crown Prince J ack , Chestnut Horse

Kit , Charlotte .

— - December 2 oth . Twycross . Twenty t wo couples ; found at Go p sall ; ran through Coton t o Gorse and down Coton Village , where we lost him very unaccountably ; I think he got into

a drain . Drew Coton Gorse found a brace ran o ne very fast past Sibson over the brook in the Am b io n bottom , past Shenton to Sutton , where Kit viewed him ; lay down t wo o r three times while we changed upon a fresh fox stopped the hounds , o n t o and ran the hunted fox Bosworth , where

the scent quite died away , owing , I think , to a o n violent hailstorm which came very fast , and we gave him up — an exceeding good run o f o ne hour and twenty minutes . Rode Titus and

Contract ; J ack , Peter ; Kit , Chicken . % — 8 . 1 1 8 1 . J anuary 3th , Arbury Eighteen couples found directly in the Lodge covert went away with him at the best pace , pointing for

Nuneaton he then turned and came a wide ring , Co wle e s pointing for Wood , without a check ; o ur we there rather slackened pace , and came by t o degrees to slow hunting ; however , we got up him at Ansley , and ran him sharp into Bentley o n Park , where , unfortunately , we had several s o foot , and the wind high we could not keep the hounds together ; we therefore took them home

- fi v e t o Co wle e s it was thirty minutes Wood , and

- o n e fi v e . hour and twenty in all , a very good run

Rode Soldier and Cottager ; J ack , Peter ; Kit , % Charlotte .

1 7 4 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

h — 2 t . January 9 Bassets Pole . Nineteen couples found in Tric k le y Coppice ran very fast

past Canwell , through the Hints Coverts , and caught view o f him going o ut o f Mill Ditch ; he

then turned back from distress , came through him the Hints Coverts again , and finally killed in a pig- sty after a very nice run of fi fty- fo ur

- minutes a dog fox . Rode Lupus upon trial . Went t wo o r to Hopwas found three foxes , but the day altered for the worse , and after persevering there two hours , went home . Rode Lupus and Titus

J ack , Derby ; Kit , Charlotte . — J anuary 3 1 st . Drakelow . Eighteen couples ; the ground covered with snow , and tremendous m m ut s hailstorms every ten e . Some people had viewed a travelling fox as they came , and hoping he might stop we picked a scent nearly to Greasley

Wood , but could not come up to him . Found at fo r Seal Wood , and ran a tremendous pace thirty o n minutes towards Clifton , and were excellent o n e o f terms , when , unfortunately , the cursed o n o f hailstorms came , and every particle scent disappeared . Rode Soldier and Squire ; J ack ,

Midnight ; Kit , Chicken . h m l — n . s February 2 d C e ey . Eighteencouples ; s o the day was frosty , we stopped with the hounds at Shustoke and drew the S h awb e rry Wood at one ’ O clock ; found instantly . Ran him through

Packington Park , where he bore to the left , and drove him across the country through Meriden o n Tan Yard , and to Millison Wood , where we were j ust running into him when a fresh fox FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 7 5

j umped up ; came back through Meriden Shafts ,

and down to the woods where we first found , o n and had several foxes foot directly , and at last with great difficulty contrived to stop the o ur hounds , as horses were all tired and it was

nearly dark ; an excellent scent , and ran three

hours without a check . Rode Cottager Jack ,

Doctor ; Kit , Pomfret .

Just when they were having this excellent

sport , a sharp frost came and stopped hunting

1 till the 3th . On this day they were advertised i to meet at H gham ; it was barely fit to hunt ,

% o ff but being a club day , he threw at Wedding

% ton Wood Nobody o ut except Chetwode and

% Lloyd ; found , and ran past Stoke Gorse by

Am b io n Sutton to Bosworth , where hounds were

o n stopped account of the ground . Mention is made that Modesty got under the ice in crossing

the canal and was drowned .

February 1 7 th . Twycross . Eighteen couples ; drew both the coverts at Coton and Go s all Ods t o n e p blank ; trotted away to , where we found in the Gorse ; ran him very sharp by Nails t o n e Nails t o n e Village through Whigs , and

straight up for Barden Hill , over the hill and on

to Copt Oak Wood , where we got upon a brace o f fresh foxes , and kept changing so Often in the

forest that at the last we stopped the hounds .

Our first fox had lost half his brush . The thirty 1 7 6 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

minutes up to Barden Hill was very good .

Rode Houghton and Whittington ; J ack , Peter ;

Kit , Charlotte . ’ t h - February 2 4 . Fisher s Mill . Eighteen couples ; found o ur o ld fox in the Middleton Garden Spinney ; ran him very fast up t o North o ut Wood , through it and three miles farther up the country ; he then turned and came back at a racing pace through all those fine meadows o f in front Kingsbury , crossed the river Opposite ff Cli close to where the ladies were in the boat , ’

recrossed again below Fisher s Mill , and ran him to ground in a rabbit - hole inside the hedge of Tric k le y Coppice dug and killed a dog- fox an exceeding good run o f o n e hour and twenty- fi v e minutes . Rode Houghton and Lupus ; J ack ,

Peter ; Kit , Charlotte .

It seems as if he always liked t o dig when he

fo x ran a to ground , and evidently thought more o f o f o n t h his hounds than his field , as 5 March a fox having gone to ground j ust in front o f the

o f pack after a good run nearly three hours , he dug fo r three hours more and then failed to get his fox .

’ His own , and also his hunt servants horses ,

t o o ut o f seem have come frequently , in spite the

o f open weather and hard work . Four his own carried him o n nearly twenty days each during the season . He mentions , however , that J ack — his first whip had a heavy fall o n 1 1 t h March at

1 7 8 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o n D o t t s went with him past General y , and to

Long Green , where he was much beat and hung about the village . He , however , finally beat us L hfi l - ic e d . near , after an hour and three quarters

The hounds behaved well all day . Rode Cottager

and Richmond Sir J ames Musgrave , Lupus Mr . % Hodgson , Soldier J ack , Derby Kit , Chicken .

o f o n 1 The last day the season was 7 th April ,

and unfortunately , blank , owing , he says , and

% hopes , to the earths having only been put to in

the morning this , and the fact that some hounds

got caught in traps , proved an unlucky finish .

- Including cub hunting , hounds hunted ninety

o f two days , which three were blank , and killed

- forty o ne foxes . The Diary says Capital scent

ing all November, and till Christmas , generally

speaking , very good sport ; after that weather

was cold and stormy , with a good deal of frost ,

% but little snow to lay . Sir Bellingham had evidently greatly increased his kennel before starting o n his second Ather

o f stone season , as there is frequent mention over

o u t o ne forty couples being , and day the number

fi ft - o ne actually reached y couples . In the Diary there is a hound list giving names o f o ld hounds in the kennels at the end o f the

- last season ; total , thirty nine couples .

No t content with these and his young entry , he FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 7 9

’ Ne wn h am s bought , early in September, Mr . pack from Worcestershire o f these when he first took

o ut : them hunting , he says Having been fed

fo r up sale and uncommonly fat , they were by no

% means fit . All through the following season he used to divide the hounds into young and o ld

packs , with an occasional mixed pack .

- o n 2 t h 1 8 1 8 Cub hunting started 4 August , when

% he says : Having had no rain for some months the ground was in a worse state than in the hardest

% e v e n t u frost . However , they hunted , and ally marked to ground after digging for half an

% % - hour it proved to be an o ld so w badger . Some

rain fell , and then they had capital sport with

o f so so plenty blood , much that , to quote the Diary o n 2 6t h September

Part o f the hounds were running another so cub hard , and it was much blown that I was

fearful they would kill it . However , we contrived

to get them stopped .

— - 1 1 8 1 8 . . October oth , Kirkby Twenty eight

couples ; young pack . Found in the Willow bed ran him past the house and over the open very a fast for half an hour , when he went into a dr in

close to Desford ; bolted him , and ran him a o f terrible pace for a quarter an hour , when he went into another drain at the edge o f Firle y

- Brake bolted and killed , a cub dog fox . While the hounds were worrying him two more foxes came 1 80 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

o ut of the same drain . Out o f the first drain another fox bolted , and Jack got a third . Turned o f down the fox we had got , in front Kirkby ’ Fulsh aw s House , which we ran to ground in earth it had been scratched open by some other foxes . ’ A good scent and a very nice day s sport . Rode

Squire and Resin ; Jack , Bluebeard ; Kit , Galen . h — - October 2 oth . Ridge Heat Twenty two

o ld . o n couples ; pack Drew the Heath , and it

- killed a bitch fox with her leg in a trap . Found in ’ a little covert close to Mr . Boycott s ran him very fast over the Heath and some way towards

Apley ; he then turned , came back to Chesterton

Rocks from thence we viewed him away , and he went into a drain in the middle o f a grass field ; bolted and killed an o ld dog- fox o ne hour and

five minutes . Found three foxes in Snowden n f . o o Pool I was the wrong side the covert , and stopped five couples o f hounds running o ne l ’ o f the foxes . The body went by Mo yn e ux s

Gorse , past Badger , and nearly up to Apley ; he then turned , and in coming back I met them , and we ran him to ground in the banks by Wrighton o ne hour and three - quarters— in all a ’ good day s Sport . Rode Cottager J ack , Sophy ; % Kit , Pomfret .

2 t h : On October 4 , the Diary says Ran him

fo r very quick two miles towards Shifnal , but the gentlemen chose to override the hounds s o shamefully that they were soon brought to an

% irrecoverable check .

1 82 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

minutes in covert , killed the fox . Found in the wood and went away to Newnham for fi ft y-fi v e u minutes the most bea tiful thing possible , when j ust as we were killing h im a fresh fox j umped up in the plantations ; o f course I stopped the ’ hounds ; a very excellent day s sport . Rode Po m Titus and Squire ; J ack , Bluebeard ; Kit , ’ fre t f

1 A good gallop took place on oth November . Meeting at Twycross ; found in Nailst o ne Whigs and went away up to the Forest , leaving Barden

o n Hill the left ; straight over it , and down to Loughborough O at wo o ds ; there hounds were halloed on to a fresh fo x and stopped ; one hour

and ten minutes .

- 1 th . fi v e November 2 Canwell . Twenty

couples ; Y . P . Found in Weeford Park ; ran him a little about the house and then took him o ff with a moderate scent towards Sutton Park ,

where he beat us . Found again in Manley Gorse ,

- where we killed in covert a dog fox . Drew Mill

Ditch and the Brockhurst blank . Found again in Weeford Park at half- past three ; ran him

nearly to Manley Gorse , through Mill Ditch , the

Brockhurst , back by Canwell , and into a rabbit

- earth in Weeford Park dug and killed a dog fox . o f o ne A very nice run hour . Rode Houghton

and Resin ; J ack , Cumberland ; Kit , Selim .

— - 1 st . November 2 Merevale . Twenty three

couples Y . P . Found in Bentley Park , and ran very FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 83

quick over to Oldbury ; brought him back to the o r park , where we had three four foxes on foot and the hounds all divided ; got them together o ne o f and recovered the foxes , who went away

at the best pace for forty minutes , and we killed

in a farmyard between Kingsbury and Coventry .

Rode Cottager and Skylark ; J ack , Leicester ;

Kit , Cumberland . h e — November 2 7 t . Newbold Gat Twenty

. m couples ; O P . Found in the small gorse ; ran hi for fifteen minutes at the most bursting pace -f x o . possible , and killed him , a young dog Found directly in the large gorse ; ran him round by R atb Mac k fi e ld y Burrows , nearly to , back by

the gorse , where he nearly beat us by slipping short back but a farmer came and told me he had

j ust seen him go into a drain in a grass field . o ut — an o ld - Opened it , and got it bitch fox ; a

good run , though a ring , for two hours . Rode

Houghton and Squire ; J ack , Bluebeard ; Kit , % Pomfret .

Evidently he was o n very good terms with

Osbaldeston , and this is shown by a note in the

Diary Hunted him nicely down to Braunston , where I stopped the hounds , as Osbaldeston was

% to meet there next day . An excellent example . There was a very hard day for hounds and

o n 1 1 th horses December , when they whipped o ff after running for five hours , the last twenty minutes by moonlight . A day or two previous , 1 84 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS he complains bitterly o f a confounded farmer wh o gave him wrong information in order t o pre vent the field riding over the farm . This is the only mention made in the whole o f the Diaries o f o r any trouble with the farmers yeomen .

— 1 6 1 8 1 . . J anuary th , 9 Baxterley Twenty three couples; Y . P . Found in Bentley Park , o ne after rattle round the covert , went to ground in the main earth . Drew Merevale Gorse and the fo Grendon woods blank . Went and bolted a x o u t o f a drain close t o Grendon House ; ran him by

Warton , where he was headed , crossed the river , ’ past Lord Grey s House , and killed him near Ratcliffe after thirty - fi v e minutes without a

- check ; a dog fox . Rode Lupus and Skylark ; %

Kit , Chicken ; J ack , Doctor .

fo r The Diary this season ends here abruptly ,

but mentions that it was a very good season ,

o f - a great deal hunting , and killed thirty nine and

% o f a half brace foxes .

1 86 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

— 1 1 th August After drawing Pip e we ll Wood

o ld and Carlton Purlieus , and only finding one

O ff fox , he makes a note to leave hunting for a

o r week two , foxes not being so plentiful as I had

% o ut o n 6 h . 2 t imagined Hounds were again the ,

but he was j ustified in his remarks , as there were

t wo blank days shortly after .

o n th They had a hard day 7 October , running in Stanion Purlieus from eleven till past six ; five

o r six o n o ne foxes foot , but not left the covert , and

they did not get blood . The other pack had hard luck next day o n t h 9 October Found in Cranford Gorse , and ran very fast up to Grafton Park , through it , and to ground . Found in Geddington Chace ; ran quick through Boughton Wood , Grafton Park , to Cran ford Gorse turned back and to ground under the

% - cross ridings in Grafton Park . Contrary to his usual custom he did not attempt to dig out either fo x .

1 th After a blank day at Rushton on 9 October, in the course o f which he found Weekley Hall

% o f Woods full shooters , the hounds left Brigstock and went for a week to Fawsley Park , where Sir

Kn h Charles ig tley then lived .

— - October 3oth . Sywell Wood . Twenty three o ld couples pack . Found in Sywell Wood , where we had several foxes on foot ; ran them about FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 87

with a wretched scent for some time , till they all went over t o Wilmore Park ; go t up to one at

Orlingbury Wold , and ran him very quick a ring

back to Sywell Wood , where we killed a cub dog

fox . Found again in Overstone Park ran down to

Billing Lings , Ecton , and brought him back

dead beat into Overstone , where he went into a small sough under the road ; left him for future

- fi v e sport ; an hour and twenty minutes . Rode Yaffi l and Skylark ; Will , Charlotte ; Jack ,

Emperor .

- I . October 3 st . Sibbertoft Twenty four r h o r couples ; young pack . Found at No t p ran was him quick up to Marston Wood , where he

headed , turned back ; ran him all the line of No rth o r p Hills , sunk the valley , tried the earths , Harb o ro u h R o ad crossed the g , and ran him into Osb alde s a drain close to the canal , but as it was ’ a ton s country we left him . Found in spinney

close to the Woollies , three foxes ; came away o ne with , the best pace , through the Woollies ,

by the Reservoir , over the turnpike road , by

Cold Ashby, and up to Thurnby Grange without ’ a check— twenty- seven minutes best pace ; there came to a long check ; went o n with him past u Co t t e sb ro k e G ilsborough up to , where we got o f upon the line another fox , and he beat us at — ’ last a very fair day s sport . Rode Beeswax ;

Will , Cardinal ; Jack , Duchess .

The cub -hunting thus finished with two good 1 88 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

days . Although the Diary calls October the

% worst hunting month I ever recollect , sport does

n o t seem to have been s o bad .

- fi v e Hunted thirty days , but only killed fifteen foxes

th November 7 . Church Brampton .

- Twenty two couples ; Y . P . Drew Cank blank ; ’ found in Wright s Gorse ; went away very sharp past Ravensthorpe , and killed close to Coton

- — - twenty six minutes a cub bitch fox . Found a brace in the spinney close t o Blackthorn ; ran up t o Holdenby , then turned to the right and came down t o the corner o f Harleston Park— fi ft e e n minutes , best pace without a check ; ran him through the park and pheasantry , and into the

o n . heath , where we had several foxes foot

Rode Leopold and Weaver ; Will , Shepherd ;

J ack , Rainbow . — 1 . November oth . Stanford Hall Twenty

two couples ; young pack . Found in the first

gorse , but the people , both foot and horse , halloed and disturbed the hounds s o that they did not

settle however , we ran him nearly to Misterton , but the hounds were s o flashy and wild we soon Elk in lost him . Drew Yelvertoft Field Side and g ’ ton Bottoms blank ; found in Ne t h e rc o t e s ran Gorse him beautifully over Naseby Field , and j ust as he had nearly reached the end some cursed greyhounds picked her up — a cub bitch

fox . Rode Skylark and Wellington ; Will , f Ta fety J ack , Runner .

1 9 9 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS o f L a good run from Crick Osier Bed , past ong

Buckby and Whilton , to Brockhall .

Very fair sport continues , hounds running every day ; the following two seem about the best at this period

8t h - November 2 . Clipston . Twenty one couples ; o ld pack . Drew Marston Wood blank . Found at Ho th o rp ran him very quick the line o f hill ; back again away past Sibbertoft , close to ’ Ne th e rc o t e s Gorse , over Naseby Field , and killed her at the Woollies— a cub bitch- fox very nice

- fi . forty v e minutes . Drew Scotland Wood blank Found at the Engine Pond ; went away t o the o n Dales by Hazelbeach to Pursers Hills , and back again , and kept ringing round with several foxes till near dark . Rode Beeswax and Weaver ll Grav e ne . Will J ack , Lightning

h — - November 2 9t . Glendon . Twenty two

couples ; young pack . Drew Glen Gorse , Rush t o n Spinney , Gaultney Wood , and found in Alder Wood ; ran very fast through Gaultney t o Wood up Brampton Wood , through it very

quick , through Hermitage Wood down to Bray o ne o f brook , and ran into him in those large — fields near Arthingworth ; fifty minutes an o ld -fo x Y ffi l dog a very excellent run . Rode a and % Leopold ; Will , Sally ; Jack , Shepherd .

t o His field appears have been unruly at times . On the 1 st o f December at Kelmarsh their first fox

was headed in every direction and chopped . FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 9 1

Later in the day found in Rokeby Gorse , but the hounds were halloed so much and made so ungovernable by that and the field riding close

% upon them , that I stopped them . In spite

’ o f f these di ficulties they had a fair day s sport , and killed two foxes .

— th . December 7 Thurnby Lane . Twenty two couples ; O . P . Drew Stanford Hall blank .

Tried an osier bed close to Welford , where we s o found , but the hounds were close to him in coming away that he turned back , and the tail — an - hounds caught him old dog fox . Found ’ in Ne th e rc o t e s Gorse ; went away very quick near to Marston Wood ; turned to the right — almost to Farndon , up to Marston Wood very fast for forty minutes ; we then came to slow hunting , and we finished by running him into a drain at Farndon ; a very pretty run . Rode Sky lark and Richmond ; Will , Sally ; J ack , Duchess . r — December 2 2n d . A thingworth . Twenty four couples B . P . Found in the gorse , and went away the best pace past Kelmarsh Earths , through Scotland Wood , on to Maidwell Dales , where we had two o r three scents and got beat . ’ Drew Neth e rc o t e s Gorse and Kelmarsh Spinnies blank . Found in Faxton Corner went very fast to Short Wood , headed back , through the

Corner , over Harrington Dales , Rothwell Field , by Thorp Underwood , through Scotland Wood, and killed , about three fields on the other side 1 9 2 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS o f - o f it , a bitch fox ; an exceeding good run

- fi ft y nine minutes . Rode Thunderbolt and

Banbury Horse ; Will , Sledmere ; J ack , Tilton .

Hesperus went home early , lame .

- December 2 3rd . Badby . Twenty two couples ; D . P . Found a brace immediately ; went away quick o v er Fawsley Park ; he then o n t o turned to the left near to Newnham , Dodford t o Wold , past it and into a drain close the canal near Brockhall —a very pretty run for forty- fi v e minutes . After some trouble , bolted him ; ran him a terrible pace o f ten minutes and killed - s o him , a very old dog fox . We were long at n the drain I did o t draw again . Rode Wel lin t o n Grav e nell g and Victory ; Will , ; J ack , % Rummer .

1 0th Frost then stopped hunting till J anuary ,

o f when , although the grass land was a sheet ice ,

% su c and it was scarce possible to hunt , they

c e e de d in getting o ut .

The next day he was riding a new horse ,

Grimaldi , who refused every fence with him , and lost him a good gallop (he does not appear

to have ridden him again) , but in the afternoon they had an exceeding fine run o f o ne hour

and seventeen minutes from Wilmore Park ,

first a ring to Hardwick , and back through the

park , then away past Cransley , Thorpe , and

Broughton , to ground at Pytchley Earths .

1 94 FOX -HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

— - rington a do g fox that had been wired . Found in Arthingworth Gorse ; went away very quick Lan b o ro u h by g g , over the Turnpike road , then to the right nearly t o Oxendon ; turned again a Bra b ro o k over the road , long the y Grounds , and up through Hermitage Wood— thirty-nine ’ minutes capital ; ran him up on t o Brampton

Wood , brought him back over the Earths , and killed him in the Hermitage Wood— an o ld do g fox ; an exceeding good run . Rode Skylark % and Leopold .

Soon after this the Diary ceases , and it is only mentioned that hunting continued four days a week until the end of the month . Sport appears to have been quite excellent throughout , and the Pytchley was what he had long wished for ; but why Sir Bellingham left that splendid country after o ne brief season must for ever remain a mystery . Whatever the cause may have been , it was evidently not in order to

o f 1 82 1 retrench , as the following autumn he

o f was to be found Master the Quorn , with his

o n hunting establishment a larger scale than ever . THE QUORN

1 82 1 - 23

S IR BELLINGHAM this season started cub -hunting on 6th August at Lee Wood he appears to have

o ff o ut been well for hounds , as he twice brought

fifty couples in August .

Ground very hard and dry , but they made a good start , killing eleven foxes in the first nine

o n th days ; 5 September , although they did not

’ kill , hounds had a good day s sport after hunting two foxes in the morning at Swithland , found in a small gorse , and ran very fast by Woodhouse

% Be aum ano r and to Swithland and back , losing — him when they got on the fallow a good twenty

% five minutes . He says later o n : Dry and bad weather for

% hunting beyond what I ever recollect and a gain The hounds were running near eight hours under a burning sun at Widmerpool . One day in October he appears to have enj oyed himself

much , when hounds slipped away with a fox from

Whittington Rough , and they ran by Thornton 1 96 FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

Nails t o ne Rough and Bagworth into Whigs ,

Ods t o ne changed foxes there , and ran by House back into Odst o n e Gorse t o ground a very excellent run o f an hour and a quarter ; no o ne

% go t away but myself and Will .

’ - Forty days cub hunting , and killed twenty nine foxes . th The opening day was at Kirby Gate , 4

no t do November , but did much , eventually killing a fox in Somerby Village .

1 8 - November th . Quenby . Twenty two couples D . P . Found in Coplow and killed ; went Mare fi eld away with another by Tilton and , going

— - for Owston , and killed thirty one minutes . Ba rav e Found at gg ; ran two severe rings , then went away , and killed two fields from Ashby — ’ Pasture one hour thirteen minutes; capital day s sport . Rode Peter and Toby . I - November 2 s t . Kettleby . Twenty two ’ couples O . P . Found at Goodyear s Gorse ; went S t o ne it s into Saxilby by Wartnaby p , up the t o hill Grimston , then down into the vale; back h to Dalby Wood , Grimston , Frisby , Rot erby ,

Brooksby , and Hoby , two fields from which we — ran into him two hours ten minutes ; very good % day . Rode Beeswax and J ury .

o n 6 h They had a good thing 2 t November .

Found in Norton Gorse went away past Galby, — and killed close to Billesdon a very quick sixteen

1 98 FOX- HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS

. garton Found in Botany Bay ; ran like the wind , by Billesdon , towards Galby , then to the left by Lo seb Tilton , and killed him close to y thirty fi v e minutes very capital . Rode Peter . — rd 1 8 . B m n r 2 e au a o . J anuary 3 , 3 Twenty o u fo r nine couples Y . P . Went t exercise as the ground was very hard . Found in Macklin Wood ran by the Outwoods , Holywell Hall , over S h e st e d Garendon Park by p , and killed close — to Oakley VVo o d a very good run o f o ne hour and five minutes . Rode Leopold . h — - January 7 t . Oadby . Twenty one couples

O . P . Found in Glen Gorse ran a Sharp ring , and to ground at Stretton . Found again at Norton

Gorse ran fast to ground at Burton . Found again at Norton Spinney ; ran very fast by Glen , and o n — a for Houghton , where we lost bad foggy day

Rode Peter and Houghton .

- h . J anuary 8t . Kibworth Twenty four couples ; Y . P . Found at Gumley ran very fast up to Laughton Village , and killed . Found at Fleckney ; ran a wide ring by Bruntingthorpe and lost . Found at Laughton Hill ; ran ten minutes and killed . Went away with another fox by fo r Walton Holt and Misterton , pointing Stanford , and stopped the hounds at dark a capital straight fast run o f an hour and sixteen minutes .

Rode Baron and Norton .

— - 1 . J anuary 3 st . Braunston Twenty nine o t couples ; Y . P . Did not find till we g to Whet stone ; ran a ring back t o Whetstone and away Narb o ro u h down to g , very fast for twenty FOX - HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 1 99

minutes , but soon lost , as there was so much snow

o n . water the ground Drew Enderby blank . % Rode Oculist and Freemason . There appears to have been much snow and

. th anuar e xc e t frost this season After the 9 of J y, p

o ne fo r ing or two days , there was no hunting many weeks , and subsequently these notes were no t resumed ; but it is clear that after two apparently successful seasons with the Quorn ,

Sir Bellingham quitted Leicestershire for ever , though he continued as elsewhere fo r a f few more years . Owing to some o the old diaries being incomplete it has been difficult t o produce more than a general summary o f what

o f occurred , omitting mention doubtful days and

o f recording only periods the best sport .

This , indeed , has been my constant aim throughout the pages o f these rambling re c o lle c tions , and from first to last I have been much inclined towards the maxim o f those words o n the o ld sundial

L et others tell of storms and showers , % I only mark the sunny hours .

2 02 INDEX

L 8 1 . Coventry, ord , 3 , 4

i 2 . Cr mea, The,

M P 1 . Davenport, . . , Mr. Bromley, 5

Day, John , 7 . — 5 6 0 . De Cre pigny, Sir Claude, 9 7

Devon and Somerset Staghounds, The, V 2 Doneraile, iscount, 3 .

Mr. 0 Drake, , 3 .

E 1 8 . de, George, E ngland, General Sir Richard, 3, 5 .

F F I reeman, rank, 3 7 . 8 — F 86 . ricker, Jack , 3 , 9 9

F 1 6 . ritham , 7 , 7 2 2 8 F F. . S . 4 . oljambe, J , ,

f Mr . o L . Gilbert, ambs Corner, , 4 9

a 6 . Goddard, J ck, 5 3 , 7 - 1 0 1 1 . Graham , Sir Bellingham, 3 , 4 9 9 9

L 1 2 . Graham , ady, 3

H H 6 1 1 2—1 1 6 ambledon unt, The , , 4 9 , 5 5 3, 7 . H 1 arborough Market, . H 1 2—1 arriers, 4 4 7 . H wtin 2 2 2 2 — a 6 0 1 . , Charley, , 3, 4 , 33, 7 , 7 7 H 6 8 . ills, Tom , 3 , 3 H F 1 olland, red, 35 . H 2 1 0 1 - 1 2 urworth Country, The, 5 , 4 . H H ursley unt, The, 7 .

1 Jockey Club, The, 9 .

K A 8— emble, delaide, 9 . K F - 8 . emble, anny, 9 K 1 ingscote, Colonel, 5 .

L o f 1 0 1 —1 6 eeds, The Duke , 3 , 35 3 .

L E . eigh, Sir Chandos, 3 3 , 34 . INDEX 2 03

L e Marchant, General Sir Gaspard, 5 .

L 1 6 . ittle, Captain , L L 6 ondesborough, ord , 5 9 , 5 . L ong, Walter, 7 , 5 9 . L L 2 1 1 6 1 6 onsdale, ord, 4 , , 4 . o f Hinch e sl M L ea r. 8 ovell , , 4 7 , 4 .

A f 2 . Mandeville, l red , 7 , 7 3 1 2 —1 0 Milbank , Squire, 9 3 . 1 Miles, Colonel, 5 . M tt o n 1 60 1 6 1 1 6 y , John , , , 5 .

Ne th e rav o n H s 8 1 0 0 ou e, 3 , .

N Mr. . evill, , 7 Ne w F 2 6— 8 orest, The, 5 , 4 7 . N 2 0 ewmarket, . Nic o ll 1 1 6 , Will, . % % N - — — 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 8 1 6 1 6 . imrod , 9 , 54 , 5 7 5 , 4 5 N 2 1 2 1 2 —1 2 8 1 1 2—1 orton Conyers, , 3, 5 , 35 , 4 4 3,

— O 1 1 8 . Mr. 6 2 1 1 1 1 1 60 6 sbaldeston , , , 4 , 5 3, 5 9 , 4 , 3 O n 1 8 sborne, Joh , .

. A. 1 2 2 Park, Mr , . H 6 Paulet, Sir enry, 59 , 4 .

2 0 2 1 . Payne, George, , — Pitt, Rev. Joseph, 4 3 4 5 . 1 1 1 2 Poitou, , .

6 . Powell, Colonel Martin, 59 , 5 — — H 2 1 6 2 1 1 2 1 1 8 1 Pytchley unt, The, , , 3 7 1 5 53, 5 9 4

- - H 1 6 2 1 1 1 60 1 1 . Q uorn unt, The, 5 , , 7 9 , 4 9 , 5 3 , 9 5 9 9

— H 1 2 8 1 1 2 . Raby unt, The, , 3 7 4 1 1 Rokeby, 4 . A 2 0 Rous, dmiral, .

H o n . E 1 1 . Russell, dward,

2 Sandhurst, Royal Military College, . — E a 8 . Sartoris, dw rd, 9 2 04 INDEX

Mr. wa see a K a s E e . S rtori , d rd, Adel ide mble — s 1 1 6 2 1 6 . Shrop hire Hunt, The, 4 9 , 7 a Assh e to n —8 1 Smith, Thom s , 7 9 . e s 1 o f see L A e . a . Som r et, The 4 th Duke , ord lg rnon St M ur

. C. I 6 1 . Somerset, Q , Granville, , 7

Po ule tt 1 . Somerset, Colonel , 4 % A 8 . L . St Maur, ord lgernon, 5 9 , 9 , 94 1 1 Sutton, Sir Richard, 5 , 3 .

i b Mr 1 2 . Ta l . y, , 4 — 1 00 . Tedworth Country, The, 7 9 Trav e ss 0 , Charles, 39 , 4 . Tre c ro ft E w 6 d . , d ard, M Tre o nwe ll r. g , , 7 . 8 Tubb, John, .

V a - m s L 1 2 2—1 2 ne Te pe t, ord Henry, 3, h V ne T e . y Hunt, , 7

a . 0 . W rde, Mr John, 5 f 8 Warn ord Court, . f 86- 8 Webb, Mr . God rey, 7 . - 1 1 1 Whyte Melville, George, , 5 , 59 . % ’ % s N 1 0 1 Wilkin on, Matthew, imrod s account 0 1 9 .

T. 1 2 2 Wilkinson , Mr. , .

s 6 . Winche ter, f- 1 1 1 2 Wol hunting, ,

v e L 1 . Wol rton, ord, 5 1 Wootton , Will, 4 3 . L I I 1 Worcester, ord , , 4 , 5 7 . H n H 1 1 a o . . Wyndh m , enry, H 88 . o n . Wyndham , Percy, , 9 4 , 9 5

Y w 6 6 orkshire Hound Sho , .

Z 1 —1 2 L . etland, ord, 3 7 4

' BB d r lz Printed éy MORR IS ON GI LI MIT E D , E znéu g