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3 9090 014 537 324

Webster Family Cibrary of Veterinary Medicine
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at
J*- _■*' Tufts .University ' ■>'
200 Westboro' Road
' North Grafton; MA 01536

HISTORY

OF THE

BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

BY

William Scarth Dixon,

Author ok
''In the North Countree,"&c.

LEEDS:
RICHARD JACKSON.

I 8g8.

Contents.

List of Illustrations
Preface .....

I. The Bramhaxi Moor Country
II. Origin and Early History of the Hunt

III. Under the E.a.rls of Harewood .

IV. The Rule of Mr. George Lane Fox

V. Ditto from Stephen Goodall to

George Kingsbury

VI. Ditto with Tom Smith .

VII. The Hunt from 1885 to 1896

VIII. Mr. Fox as a Horseman and Coachman

IX. Bramham Moor Huntsmen .

X. Some well-known Supporters of the
Hunt . ...

XL On the Flags and in the Show Ring

XII. Puppy Walking and the Bramham Moor
Hound Show ....

XIII. Death of Mr. George Lane Fox .

Index ......

Vl.-VlU.

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146

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188

189-202

203-2 12
213-220

22 1-242

243--'5 4

255-262
263-264
265-267

This Edition is limited to Tiuo Hundred Copies.

List of Illustrations.

face

page

13

20

26

30

40

44

68

88

Portrait of Mr. George Lane Fox. —From a Photograph

BY Dickinson, of Bond Street . . . Frontispiece

Exterior View of the Kennei.s, with Hounds
at exercise ....

Interior View of the Kennels

Mr. James Lane Fox ....

Sir Thomas Gascoigne and Luke Freeman .

The Second Earl of Harewood

The Third Earl of Harewood

Mr. George Lane Fox, with "Courtier"

Charles Treadwell ....

The Meet. — From a Painting of the Bramham Moor

Hunt, by D.wid Dalby .... ,, 100

The Run. — From a Painting of the Bramham Moor

Hunt, by David Dalby . . . . „ 116

The Kill. — From a Painting of the Bramham Moor

Hunt, by David Dalby . . . . ,,124

Capt. J. R. Lane Fox, M.F.H. . . . . ,,132

Tom Smith . . . . . . ,,148

Mr. George Lowther . . . . . ,,156

"Redwing" ...... „ 188

Mr. George Lane Fox, Sir R. Graham, and

Mr. R. a. Oswald on Coach . . . ,, 202

The Edinburgh Mail ..... „ 208

^L\rtin Walkerley . . . . . ,,214

Captain Oliver ...... ,, 226

Mr. Lamplugh Wickham .... „ 228

Tom Smith with " Rambler," " Dramatist," and " Druid" „ 242

"Guider" AND "Helen " .... „ 244

"Gayman" ...... ,, 250

The Fourth Eari, of Harewood ... „ 260

PREFACE,

*T Y III HEN Sir Walter Scott reviewed Colonel Thornton's
^r\rV Sporting Tour in the Edinburgh Review, he took
occasion to handle the oallant colonel pretty severely for
going into such minute detail respecting his sporting
adventures. ' To stuff a quarto with his personal exploits
'of shooting and fishing,' says Sir Walter, 'all detailed with
' the most unmerciful prolixity, is a tyranny surpassing that
' of William Rufus, who, though he turned his liege subjects
'out of their houses to make a park, did not propose that
'they should pay ^i 15^". for the history of his hunting, —
'a proceeding which, in our opinion, would have justified an
'insurrection against Nimrod himself It is on the score
of want of detail that I would find fault with Colonel
Thornton. A Yorkshire Master of Foxhounds, whose
hounds were famous and who won many large bets by.
their prowess, might at any rate have left us something
more than the mere record of these bets ; and had he
done so, my task of writing the history of the Bramham
Moor Hunt would have been much easier. For though I
cannot say with certainty that Colonel Thornton hunted
the Bramham Moor country, there is little doubt but what
he occasionally, at any rate, hunted some of it.

This reticence on the part of Colonel Thornton was by
no means singular. Masters of Hounds all over the
country hunted and bred hounds, and talked of the sport

PREFACE. vii.

that they loved, loud and long, over their port ; they
showed the best of sport with the good wild foxes which
were then to be found in the unenclosed parts of the
country, but they never wrote about what they did, or only
rarely and to private friends. Even hunting diaries seem
to have been kept but seldom till the commencement of
the present century, and indeed it is only by a rare chance
that one comes across any reliable hunting history which
dates back more than a hundred years. That this is a
great loss to the present hunting community must be
admitted. The ways of our forefathers were often wise
ways, and it would be interesting to know how much we
are indebted to those good old sportsmen who, ' with their
' broad-lapped coats, top boots, black cap, and their pigtails
'sticking out,' roused the echoes in the early days of the
.Georges. This want of information with respect to the
Bramham Hunt is especially unfortunate, as it is one of
the oldest of the Yorkshire Hunts, nearly, if not quite,
co-existent with the Sinnington, which owes its existence to
the Duke of Buckinoham, who doubtless found his roueh
moorland country and the sport he enjoyed thereon a more
satisfactory way of spending his time than in ' Clievden's
' proud alcove,' or amidst the intrigues of corrupt politicians,
and a still more corrupt Court.

Anything like a continuous History of the Bramham
Moor I have found to be impossible, and the difficulty of
the task has been added to by the fact, that many papers
relating to the Hunt were lost when the house was burnt
down at Bramham Park in 1828. But then there is the
fact that for at any rate one hundred years they have only
been in the Lane Fox and Lascelles families, and this
certainly facilitates matters as regards the later history.

viii. PREFACE.

For a long time the Bramham Moor has occupied an
unique position amongst what are known as provincial
packs, and its high reputation dates a long way into the
last century, a reputation of which all Yorkshire sportsmen
are justly proud. P'or at Bramham the 'System of Meynell'
was early adopted ; and if that system was first adopted in
the Quorn country during the long Mastership of the great
Hugo Meynell, it is equally certain that it was adopted
about the same time in the kennels at Wothersome.

My task has been a difficult yet a pleasant one, and I
have to thank many gentlemen for the information they
have so kindly placed at my disposal. Foremost amongst
them is Captain Fox, who has spared no pains; Mr. Lascelles,
of Sion Hill, and Mr. Thomas Parrington have likewise
been of great assistance; whilst I am indebted to Dr. Todd,
of Selby, for the sight of some interesting manuscripts and
letters. The chapter about hounds is principally written
from data furnished by Tom Smith, who has been most
painstaking in giving me information about his favourites.

The publisher also desires to express his thanks to
Captain Fox, Sir Walter Gilbey, and Messrs. Dickinson and
Foster, of New Bond Street, for placing at his disposal the
original pictures, from which the Illustrations in the book
have been taken.

WILLIAM SCARTH DIXON.
York, April, 1898.

>" ,-

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XLbc Bvambam ni^oor Ibunt.

CHAPTER I.

The Bramham Moor Country.

" From Skipton-in-Craveii to Selby, and right up to the
walls of York." Such is a rough outline of the country
hunted over by the earlier Masters of the Bramham Moor,
and up the year 1816. What a glorious expanse of
country over which to hold rule ! Wide spreading moors
and unenclosed grass land, mingled here and there with
plough ; a sparsely-inhabited district ; no railways and no
big fields : what a paradise for a master of hounds to find
himself in ! Over the unenclosed land hounds would run
from morning till night, without a fox perhaps ever coming
across anything to head him all day. Not much jumping
to be done in a great deal of the country in those days,
though here and there a wide drain would try the mettle
of the men and horses of the brave days of old. There
would be plenty of 'boggy bottoms' to try them, too, for
it is by no means always plain sailing in an unenclosed

B

H

HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

country. Very different is the aspect of country now :
westward, factory chimneys and collieries have rendered
hunting impossible, or nearly so, and from being one of the
most thinly-populated districts in the country, the Bramham
Moor district has grown beyond the expectations of the
most sanguine. During the last sixty years the growth
has been immense, and in 1891 the population of the West
Riding was 2,464,415, whilst sixty years previous it had
been short of 800,000. This has naturally had its effect
upon hunting in more ways than one. The area of the
Hunt westward has been considerably circumscribed by
increased industrial operations. Then fields have become
larger and larger with each year, and sometimes they reach
almost unwieldy dimensions ; whilst in some parts of the
country, foot people, who were scarcely ever seen in the olden
time, crowd every coign of vantage, and carriages fill the
lanes ; both tending to make foxes run shorter than they
were wont to do, and to give the huntsman many an
anxious minute.

In 1 816, a deputation from the city of York waited
upon Mr. James Lane Fox, and asked him to cede a
portion of the country which had hitherto been hunted by
the Bramham Moor to the newly-formed York and Ainsty
pack. Mr. Fox, who had really more country than he
could hunt, and who, moreover, never thought it likely that
the country would undergo such great changes, conceded
that part of the Ainsty which lies to the east of the
Tadcaster road, there being some stipulation to the effect
that if the York hounds were ever given up, this country
should again revert to the Bramham Moor.

Shortened as it is on both sides, the Bramham Moor,
country can still afford plenty of room for four days a week.
Its extreme eastern boundary is the Tadcaster road above
mentioned, the country running northerly as far as Wilstrop

THE BRAMHAM MOOR COUNTRY. 15

Wood ; the nearest point to York being the Wild Man,
whence the Bilbrough coverts are hunted. This part of the
country is hunted on Fridays, the most southern part of
it being Tadcaster Bar, whilst Walshford Bridge and Skip
Bridge are the northern boundaries. The most western point
of the Friday country is Deighton Bar. The Friday country
is perhaps the best in the whole Hunt, although there are
some very pretty pieces of country on the Monday side,
of which more anon. The eastern side of this Friday
country is decidedly the best ; to the west are the big
woods and coverts of Ingmanthorpe, rare strongholds for
foxes, but rather too close together for the best of sport.
The Ingmanthorpe coverts are also not very good to get
away from ; there are two or three drains which it is
impossible to jump, and the wait for one's turn at a bridge
is not conducive to amiability of temper, especially when
hounds are running hard. So perhaps it is as well that
the Ingmanthorpe foxes should have acquired a habit of
ringing a little at first, for by so doing they enable the
field to ' take their places.' But it must not be supposed
that the Ingmanthorpe fo.xes always play at what is called
in the North Riding ' bosfa-le about stack.''' I have on
occasion seen an Ingmanthorpe fox make a good point,
and when one does set his head to a distant point, you
want to have the best hunter in your stable under you,
and your heart does not want to beat too loudly against
your waistcoat if you mean to hear Tom Smith's whoo-
whoop.

The Thorp Arch Woods are also large, but foxes do
not hang about so much there, and they are generally
stout and 'enterprising.' One of the best runs I ever saw
with the Bramham Moor, or for the matter of that with
any other pack, was from Thorp Arch Wood, an account of

* Anglice — running round and round.

1 6 HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT.

which shall be given in Its proper place. The other
principal coverts in this part of the Friday country are
Hall Parks, Champagne Gorse, Walton Wood, and Hat-
field's Plantation, — all of them notorious in the Bramham
hunt as the starting points of famous runs. Armitage's
Wood, which is generally the first draw from Deighton
Bar, should not be omitted. There is one formidable place
in this part of the Hunt, known as Boggart House Drain.
It is wide and it is deep, the approach to it is none of the
best, neither is the landing quite what may be wished when
you get to it. I say 'when you get to it' advisedly, for it
is easier to get into Boggart House Drain than over it, as
many an aspirant to fame has discovered ; and I doubt not
that there are hidden somewhere in its depths as many
stirrup-irons and leathers, and spurs and hunting-crops, as
would fit up a small saddler's shop. But that notwithstanding,
there is always a fair number of the Bramham field prepared
to have a try at it whenever it comes in their way.

Eastward lie the Wighill coverts and Shire Oaks, which
is generally the first draw when the meet is at Wighill
village, and farther east are the Catterton coverts and
Healaugh. These are in the middle of a piece of very fine
country, and although there is some heavy plough to be
encountered here and there, there is a nice proportion of
grass. The fences are big and the drains wide in this part
of the country, and a stout and clever horse is necessary
to get near hounds when there is a scent. Catterton Drain
may be said to be the bete noir of this part of the country,
and in some places it is not jumpable. Where this is the
case, a bridge is generally handy and useful, for Catterton
Drain is scarcely the sort of place one cares to tackle at
the end of a fast half-hour, with a horse that is more than
a little blown. Still it is only fair to say that it is generally
taken as it comes by the first flight when it comes in
their way.

THE BRAMHAM MOOR COUNTRY. ly

To the north lie the Tockwith, Bilton, Marston, and
Hutton coverts, all of them noted strongholds. Collier
Hagg, which is close to Hutton, is not the best place in
the world to get away from, for unless a man is pretty
handy to the bridge when a fox goes away, he may get
left. This part of the district extends to Wilstrop Wood
on the north, and Bilbrough on the east, and in it is some
of the strongest country to be found within the confines
of the Bramham Moor Hunt, or for the matter of that,
in England. A well-known sportsman, a man of wide
experience, and himself one of the hardest riders of his
time, always avers that the line between Hutton Thorns
and Wilstrop Wood is the stiffest he ever crossed. The
Bilbrough coverts are nicely situated, and generally hold
good stout foxes. There is a good deal of plough and
some good grass, and foxes not infrequently run over the
road into the York and Ainsty country, when a good gallop
is generally the result, as there is rather more grass on the
York and Ainsty side of the road.

The principal fixtures on the Friday side of the country
are The Wild Man, Tockwith, Bickerton Bar, Deighton
Bar, Wighill Park, Wighill village. Thorp Arch, Marston,
and Walton village.

Large as are the fields in the Friday country, when they
are usually swollen by a strong contingent from York, they
do not reach in numbers the fields which turn out on
Mondays, when hounds meet within easier distance of Leeds.
At some of the Monday fixtures there will be found at
least three hundred horsemen, whilst the roads will be lined
with carriages, and every hill covered with foot people,
many of whom never miss going out when hounds meet
within reasonable distance.

The extreme eastern boundary of this district may be
put down as a line drawn through Kirk Deighton, reaching

1 8 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

from the Nidd on the north to the Wharfe on the south,
and these two rivers may fairly be said to be the northern
and southern boundaries of the district. The western
boundary is Farnley Park. This part of the country is
more hilly than the Friday country, and there is not so
much plough in it. In the western part of it there are
big moors, and rough withal, and Lindley Moor, Almscliff,
and the High Moors recall to some extent the appearance
of most of the country in 'the brave days of old.' It is
a better scenting country than the Friday country, indeed
it is, I think, the best scenting country the Bramham Moor
have. The fencing is a little lighter than it is on the
Ainsty side, and though there are some big drains in places,
they are nothing like so numerous, nor as a rule so
formidable, as are those in the more eastern part of the
country. But there are two or three that take some doing,
notably the Crimple Beck, which indeed in some places is
unjumpable. In the western part of this district there are
some stone walls, but principally the obstacles are strong
hedges, and a ditch at one side or the other. A horse, to
have any chance to live with hounds here, must be a well-
bred one, for the benty grass of the intakes carries a rare
scent, and the hills take some climbing.

The principal fi.xtures are VVeeton, from which Rougemont
Carr, a fine covert on the banks of the Wharfe, is generally
drawn ; Stockeld Park, Wood Hall Bridge, Harewood
Bridge, Kirkby Overblow, Huby, and Clap Gate. The chief
coverts besides that already mentioned are Devonshire Whin,
a fine gorse close to Stockeld Park ; Swindon Wood,
Walton Head Whin, Riffa Wood, a rare stronghold for foxes,
and in the middle of a good country; Almscliff Whin, one
of the snuggest of gorse coverts, under the lee of Almscliff
Crag, the very look of which speaks eloquently to a foxhunter
of good gallops and of stout foxes. Cocked Hat Whin

THE BR AM HAM MOOR COUNTRY. 19

and The Punch Bowl are also favourite coverts which come
in handy for an afternoon draw from many places.

The remainder of the country is hunted as occasion
requires, and there is no hard and fast line drawn between
the Wednesday and the Saturday country. Taking first the
south-east corner, which extends to the river Ouse on the
east and the river Aire on the south, embracing the Selby
district. There is much fine sporting country in this district,
though it is not so well stocked with foxes as it was in the
early years of the Hunt, when many a notable run was
enjoyed over it. In some places, of course, foxes are still
well preserved, and good sport is frequent, but in some fine
coverts there is a scarcity. One of the strongest range of
coverts in the whole of the Bramham Moor Hunt is Byram
Park, which lies at the extreme west of this section of the
country. Interminable woods, with rectangular rides cut in
them, follow each other in rapid succession, and one covert
looks as like another as peas in a pod, so that a man may
ride miles, and unless he has a good eye to country, and
has been there a few times, he will scarcely know where he
is when he finishes. It is quite possible for hounds to be
running about Byram Woods for a fortnight without getting
away very far. Still, I have seen some fun in Byram Woods
once or twice, although it is a place I should not go to of
my own choice if there were hunting to get elsewhere.
As is generally the case where there are such big woods,
woods ranging for miles, the foxes of Byram have the
credit of not being very good ones, and they certainly show
a remarkable love of ' home, sweet home.' But sometimes,
when a fox of this character rises to a sense of what an
expectant country requires of him, he makes a good point
and beats hounds at the finish. There have been a few
good runs from Byram when scent has served.

The country about Birkin is of a very different character,

20 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

and Birkin Willows is as pretty a fox covert as a man >

need wish to put an eye on. A fine riding country is
on all sides of it, and many a good gallop has had its
starting point there. Farther to the east is a similar
country round Burn. Bishop Woods are a great strong-
hold, and foxes are generally plentiful there, and it is
questionable whether there is a better place for cub
hunting in the whole of the Hunt, and certainly there
is not on that side of it. Gateforth Common Wood,
though a big covert, is one from which foxes generally
go away smartly, at least such has been my experience
the few times I have been there ; and there is a bit of
very fair country towards Gateforth village, Hambleton,
and Thorpe Willoughby. The Boot and Shoe Woods
are also good coverts which always hold a fox, and in
the early days of the Hunt hounds used to stay at the
Boot and Shoe to hunt that part of the country. There
are some good coverts and nice country about Monk
Fryston, which lie in between the Boot and Shoe and
Gateforth ; the coverts and the country being very similar
to what they are in the latter locality. There is one big
drain that takes a litde getting across. The Towton and
Saxton coverts lie to the north of this division, close to
Stutton and Grimston Park. There is a good deal of
heavy plough in this part of the country, and when hounds
run fast over it, as they do sometimes, the long rises and
heavy clay soon make horses give up pulling. Renshaw
Wood is perhaps the best covert that is hunted from
Towton. It is a long wood on a hill side which slopes
down to the river Cock, and at the southern end of it is
a field which is known as the field of the White and Red
Roses. For it was close to Renshaw Wood that the
heaviest part of the fighting took place at the battle of
Towton, on that dreadful Palm Sunday, when no quarter was

THE BRAMHAM MOOR COUNTRY. 2 1

given or asked, and 38,000 of England's best and bravest
were slain. Renshaw Wood, which that day provided a
hiding-place for many a soldier of the defeated Lancastrian
army, is now famous for the many good runs which the
Bramham have had from it. Towton Spring is also a good
covert in this neighbourhood, as is Saxton Carr ; and
Grimston Willow Beds is another good covert within easy
distance of Towton.

Tadcaster and Stutton Willow Beds are the most
northerly coverts in the south-eastern district, the former
being close to the river Wharfe, and the south-western
extremity of the district is found at Peckfiekl Lodge,
where New Field Whin is a good covert, and whence
the Ledsham Woods are easily reachable. Hook Moor
is some two-and-a-half miles to the north of Peck field
Bar, and is a favourite meet at that side of the country.
Though there are some very big woods in the neighbourhood,
and a man requires to keep his eyes open if he wishes to
get a good start with hounds, it is a nice sporting country,
and foxes do not dwell so much as one would think.
Huddlestone Woods, Parlington, Micklefield, and Ringhay,
are the principal coverts, and there is a wood called Daniel
Hartley from which many a good run has been seen. The
only other fixture in the south-eastern district of the Hunt is
Becca Mill, from which some capital sport is generally seen.
Its woods lie to the north of Parlington, and as an instance
of how the face of the country has altered in compaiatively
recent years, I may mention that the late Mr. George Lane
Fox remembered the now enclosed and cultivated country
round Becca as open moor and pasture.

By far the worst country that the Bramham Moor

hounds hunt over is the south-western portion. Much of

this is on a light soil ; there is a large proportion of land

under plough, and it is plough of the worst scenting kind

c

2 2 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

that there is to be found, rivalHng the cold fallows of the
Craven country. Of course it is not all alike, and there is
here and there a bit of good country. Bramham Park and
Hare wood Park are great strongholds for foxes, and there
is some fair country round about those places ; but to the
west of Harewood the stone walls, as well as the heather
to be found in almost every field, tell what the country was
like not so very long ago. They go on as far as Poole, to
the south of Otley, and Otley Chevin is one of their
farthest fixtures west. There is a lot of good rough
country about here, though most of the hunting is confined
to woodland and moor. There is not a great deal of moor,
however, in the south-western district, but there is some
about Guiseley. Taken on the whole the south-western
portion of the country is easy to get over; there are very
few drains, and these not formidable when measured along-
side such places as Boggart House and Catterton, neither
are the fences very big. It is a part of the country, too,
in which a man who is fond of seeing hound-work will find
plenty of pleasure, for hounds almost always have to work
for their fox, and unless they have plenty of nose they are
of no use there.

The north-west portion of the country, that which lies
to the west of the Monday country proper, is a good
wild sporting country, and one in which great runs are
sometimes seen. It consists chiefly of moors, but they are
moors over which hounds can be ridden to. As in most
moorland countries the foxes are wild and stout, and take
some killing. At Blubberhouses the country is practically
all moor, and hounds do not very often go there. Indeed
there is a good deal of the Bramham country, or what is
known as the Bramham country, on this side, which is not
easy of access, and which is practically unhuntable, and very
few foxes are found west of Haverah Park and Swarcliffe,

THE BRAiMHAM MOOR COUNTRY.

23

where, by the way, is some nice grass country by the side
of the Nidd. Beckwithshaw Bar is one of the principal
fixtures in the north-west portion of the country, and stout
foxes are those which hail from Beckwithshaw Woods.

On the hills and the moors of the extreme west hounds
seldom get, and it may safely be said that they never meet
there. But occasionally a 'stout hill fox' will pay a visit
to the country where his legitimate enemies hold sway, and
then, if there should chance to be a scent, there is a run
worth talking about. Such a run was that which took
place on the fourteenth of March, i88r, an account of
which may perhaps as well be given here, as marking the
possibilities of the rougher portions of the country. The
account I give is from Tom Smith's Diary, which he has
kindly placed at my disposal.

'March 14th. Met at Buttersike Bar with seventeen couple
'of hounds. Trotted off to AlmsclifF Whin. Found and
'went away pointing for the moors, but turned to the left
' within a field of Riffa Wood, leaving it to his left, went
'up to Stainburn. Here he got headed and left the gill
'to his right; through the willow garth, and down to
' Leathley, where he crossed the Washburn into the lake
'plantation. Through there and away over Farnley Park
'into the Otley plantation; through it and away, leaving
'the Workhouse on his left, and on past Weston, leaving
' it on his left ; through Denton Park, and on over a fine
' country over the Bow Wood Gill, when thev pulled him
' down in the middle of a grass field on the Middleton
'estate. Time, i hour and 25 minutes; distance, gj miles,
'straight, 14 miles as hounds ran, — a fine run over a fine
' country. The dog hounds hunted their fox remarkably
• well, and killed him handsomely ; Viceroy making one
' good hit up the side of a ploughed field by Otlev
'Workhouse when the whole of the pack had overrun the
' line, and Musket and Viceroy again hitting it off cleverly
'under a wall shortly before they ran into him.'

24 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

One can almost hear Smith cheer Viceroy after reading
this graphic account of a famous run. It may be added
that in the reference which Brooksby makes to this good
run, he says, ' By good luck their fox took them along the
narrow valley of the river Wharfe, and kept them on
smooth meadows for miles, when a quarter of a mile on
either side would have put them on rough, almost imprac-
ticable ground.' Brooksby tells of another run over a
similar line which took place during the same season, of
which I may as well give an account here, again drawing
on Smith's Diary for particulars.

They met at Stockeld Park on February 9th, and after
killing their first fox, they went to Cocked Hat Whin for
their afternoon fox, and a good one he proved.

'Went to Cocked Hat Whin, found a brace of foxes there,
' and three or four couples went away with one towards
' Addlethorpe, the body going away with the other towards
' SpofiForth, but bore to the left over the Haggs up to
' Spaceyhouse Whin, which he left to the left^ and went
'over the railway and Crimple, pointing for Harrogate.
'Turned to the left through Haverah Park and Boar
' Hole, and away up to SwarclifFe, where he beat us. I
' think it quite possible we changed at Haverah Park. It
' was fast up to Haverah, and the frost not being out of
' the ground, the scent got worse as we got on to the high
' ground ; but it was a good fox and a good run : — a nine
'mile point, and fourteen as hounds ran. Most of the
' hounds got to us at Haverah, but Struggler and Gulliver
' never got up to us, and were left out.'

Brooksby omits to state the effect the weather had on
the scent, and adds that it was surmised that the fox had
got into the crags. Probably his account of the run is
from hearsay. He gives it as a \o\ mile point, but nine is
nearer the mark.

It only now remains for me to allude to the most

THE BRAMHAM MOOR COUNTRY.

25

southern part of the country, and about this there is not
much to say. It is a network of railways, and coal-pits
follow one another throughout the length and breadth of it.
Of course such a country is ill-adapted to fox hunting, at
any rate in its best aspects ; yet somehow there is a good
deal of fun in this part of the country at times. Indeed,
given a scent, a good fox, and a good pack of hounds, and
there will always be plenty of fun for the sportsman, no
matter what the country may be like or what difficulties
there may be to contend with. Amongst the coal-mines
there are any number of hunters on foot, but the miners
are rare good sportsmen, and as a rule are well behaved
and do what they are asked to do. They like to get hold
of a rabbit if one gets up within their reach ; but after all
that is only human nature, and I fancy most of us would
''eave 'arf a brick' at Lcpiis cuniciilus, if he came temptingly
near us, and the ' 'arf brick' were handy, and could be used
with precision.

Taken on the whole the Bramham Moor country must
be regarded as a good one, and though it has its drawbacks,
amongst which may be reckoned the multiplicity of the
coverts and their nearness to each other, factors which tend
at times to make foxes run short ; and though there is in
some portions of it a larger proportion of plough than is
fashionable or liked by many of the modern school, there
is no lack of sport with the Bramham Moor, and the
Bramham Moor hounds make as good an average as any
pack of hounds in the country. Indeed, difficulties only
seem to exist in order that they may be overcome, and
given anything like a scent, the Bramham Moor foxes are
not given to hanging about and running short. At any
rate, those that try the experiment on once seldom live
to repeat it.

't/^/-

CHAPTER II.

The Origin and Early History of the Hunt.

' A pack of such hounds, and a set of such men,
' 'Tis a shrewd chance if ever you meet with again;
' Had Nimrod, the mighti'st of hunters, been there,
' Foregad ! he had shook like an aspen for fear.' —

Killrnddei-y Fox Chase.

The origin of fox-hunting is one of those things over
which men may speculate, but about which httle will ever
be known. No doubt in the olden time a fox was looked
upon as vermin, and men went out to hunt him with nets
and other things which are enough to turn the hair of a
modern sportsman grey with horror. Sporting as were the
people of the country, hare-hunting and stag-hunting were
their favourite sports, and it was not till within the last two
hundred, or at most two hundred and fifty years, that fox-
hunting was carried on as a country gentleman's sport.
The Sinnington claims to be the oldest-established Hunt in
the kingdom, and boasts of a continuous history since the
time when the Duke of Buckingham retired from the Court
to spend his time in hunting on his Kirbymoorside and
Helmsley estates. But it is fair to presume that what the
Duke of Buckingham was doing in Ryedale, other gentlemen
were doing in other parts of the country, and that about

THE ORIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY. 27

the same time fox-hunting began to be looked upon with
favour by English country gentlemen, and foxes regarded
as likely to show more sport than hares. The earliest record
of fox-hunting on anything like the same lines as it is at
present conducted took place in Yorkshire, and within the
Royal Forest of Pickering, so early as the year 1495. In
December of that year, one Roger Hastings, a squire who
lived within the Manor of Pickering, and who seems to
have been a somewhat self-assertive gentleman, got into
trouble through slaying the king's deer. Squire Hastings,
who lived at Kingthorpe, had unmistakably slain his lord's
venison, but he seems to have got off pretty easily, and we
frequently hear of him afterwards. It seems that he went
out ostensibly to hunt foxes, and there is something quaint
and almost pathetic in the account of his misdemeanour in
the old records. ' Item idem Rogerus Hastynges, Armiger
xv]"" die Decembris anno clomini Regis nunc x™. In
Standall infra Forestam juxta Pykeryng venavit ad vulpes,
et sub colore illo venavit ad ferinas domini Regis.' A fine
subject for a painter would this turbulent sportsman and
his retainers make, and it is quite likely that he may have
been one of the first men to hunt the fox in what we
would now call the legitimate manner. The covert in
which he went to hunt foxes still exists in Capt. Johnstone's
hunt, and it forms an interesting link between the past and
present order of things in the fox-hunting world. What
seems of most importance in connection with the raid of
Roger Hastings was that his going out to hunt the king's
deer, under the colour of going fox-hunting, marks the fact that
in his day fox-hunting was becoming recognised as a country
gentleman's recreation, though many years were to elapse
before it came to the front as the one winter sport preferred
above all others. Had Roger Hastinos grone with nets as
fox-hunters in the earlier days were wont to, he would not

28 HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT.

have caught the king's deer; his success in this matter being
due, doubtless, to the staunchness of his hounds.

When the Duke of Buckingham hunted the wild moors
of Bilsdale, Farndale, and the neighbourhood, and by so
doing practically founded the Sinnington Hunt, we may well
imagine that it was rather a rough-and-ready establishment.
Tradition in the dales tells us that he hunted fox and stag
as they might chance to turn up, but in all probability there
was not much choice in the matter, for deer had become
very scarce in the Royal Forest of Pickering many years
before that, and it was disafforested in the early days of
Charles I. because of the scarcity of the deer. Hunting would
doubtless suffer during the wars of King and Parliament,
and the sport, as well as the material advancement of the
nation, would feel the effects ot the internecine struggle.
But the spirit of sport always has, and it is to be hoped
it always will, overcome all difficulties, and when the country
once more was settled, hounds bci^an to be kept all over
the country. That there was something of the modern
style about the Duke of Buckingham's hunting is pretty
evident from the fact that his death was the result of a
chill incurred whilst digging out a fox.

Whilst the Duke of Buckingham was hunting the wild
foxes of north-east Yorkshire, there were other noblemen
and gentlemen who recognised the value of ' the little red
rover' in a sporting sense. The Charlton Hunt, at Good-
wood, of which the unfortunate Duke of Monmouth was a
member, was the fashionable Hunt of the day. The master
was Mr. Roper, who cast in his lot with the duke, but made
his escape to Holland, whence he returned with William HI.,
once more to resume the mastership of the pack with which
his name is so closely associated.*

* It is, I believe, a fact that Mr. Roper lived to the extreme old age of
eighty-two, and he died in the hunting-field, though, I believe, it was not from

THE ORIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY. 29

The pages of Fielding tell us how fox-hunting became
a part of the life of our country gentlemen during the half-
century which succeeded the accession of William III.,
and there can be no doubt but that in the days of Queen
Anne the sport of fox-hunting in its modern development
had its origin. But I must protest against Squire Western
being taken as a type of the fox-hunter, even of those days.
There were doubtless plenty of sportsmen of his type
throughout the country, as there were many rough-and-ready
sportsmen at a later period, when refinement had become
more general. But in the days of Queen Anne, noblemen
and gentlemen and statesmen followed hounds as noblemen
and gentlemen and statesmen do now ; and I believe it is
on record that the great Lord Bolingbroke amused himself
by hunting the fox when, on his return from exile, he was
no longer permitted to enter the political arena. About
this time, country gentlemen of position mostly kept hounds,
and though their hunting would scarcely be considered as
orthodox by their successors of the present day, it cannot
be denied that to them we owe a great deal. The best of
our hunting literature comes from the earlier Hanoverian
period, and with all our modern improvements we have had
none who have written more learnedly or with greater charm
about our field sports than William Somervile, who was born
before Queen Anne ascended the throne. Beckford's Book,
which came somewhat later, must still be looked upon as
the hunting classic*

the result of a fall. Some few years ago the Duke of Richmond revived the
Hunt, and the Goodwood hounds were carried on in first-class style, and showed
e.xcellent sport. But the country is ill-adapted for fox-hunting in its modern
development, and after a time the hounds were given up. It seems a pity that
a country with so historic a record should not be hunted ; but when the
Duke of Richmond, who had hunted the country at his own expense, gave up,
there was no one forthcoming to take them on under similar conditions, and
a subscription could not be raised sufficient to cover the expense.

* Peter Beckford's Thoughts upon Hunting was published in 1781, thirty-
nine years after the death of Somervile.

D

^O HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT.

And it is to the time of Queen Anne that we must look
back for the origin of the Bramham Moor Hunt, and as it
seems fitting- to us of a later generation, it was a Lane
Fox who was the first to hunt over that wide and sporting-
district which has achieved such a high position in the
annals of the chase, and which is known as the Bramham
Moor. That Lord Bingley owned hounds and hunted the
fox, dragging him to his kennel in the early morning", as
was then imperative, and that he showed good sport to his
friends and neighbours, we have every reason to believe ;
but history, as might be expected, has little to say about his
doings, or the doings of any of his contemporaries in the way
of sport, and the silence of history is much to be regretted.
But though the Bramham Moor Hunt undoubtedly had
its origin when Anne was queen, and when Lord Bingley,
who was a friend and contemporary of Bolingbroke's, ruled
at Bramham Park, the real history of the Hunt may be
said to have begun when he was succeeded by his nephew,
Mr. James Lane Fox, one of the foremost sportsmen of his
time, though history records it of him that he was not a
'thruster.' But Mr. James Lane Fox, — 'Jemmy Fox of
Bramham ' as he was called by his contemporaries and
friends, — did not succeed as M. F. H. when he succeeded to
the estates of his uncle, and it was some few years before
he took up his abode on his Yorkshire estate. During tho.se
few years, .Sir Thomas Gascoigne, of Parlington, hunted the
country, or rather part of it, and Sir Walter Vavasour, of
Hazlewood, succeeded him ; but about the limits of the
country they hunted, or what kind o{ establishment they
kept up, or what sport they showed, history is provokingly
silent.

.Sir Thomas Gascoigne, however, was a capital sportsman,
and was the first master of the country which is now-
hunted over by Lord Middleton, his rule over that country

THE ORIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY. x\

beginning in 1764, whilst for many years the Vavasours have
hekl a high reputation as sportsmen in sporting Yorl<:shire,
so that there is every reason to believe that things would
be managed in the then a[)proved fashion, and that sport
would be good.

But it is equally certain that they would be, regarded
from a modern standpoint, a funny lot of hounds that
Mr. James Lane Fox took hold of when he commenced to
hunt the country. For in those days, especially in the
provinces, there was not much care taken in breeding
hounds, and even at a comparatively recent date many men
neither knew nor cared whether a hound was 'straight' or
not. In the middle of the last century, however, hunting
was to undergo a great change. To begin with, the features
of the country were gradually but surely changing ; wide
commons were enclosed and cultivated, and many big woods
were, for one reason or another, cut down. Consequently,
the gorse covert came more and more into request, though
it was long before it prevailed to any great e.xtent. That
a change was imminent in the hunting world was certain,
but it perhaps became an accomplished fact sooner than
would have been the case, owing to the ability with which
Mr. Hugo Meynell, polished gentleman and keen fo.x-hunter,
ruled over the destinies of the Ouorn. Mr. Husj:o Meynell
was certainly the father of modern fox-hunting. He was
the keenest of the keen about hound-breeding, and a great
authority on the subject, and to him was due not only the
improvement in breeding and kennel management, which
has been celebrated as ' The System of Meynell,' but he
was the man who introduced that straightforward ridintr
which adds such a charm to the sport when not indulged
in to an undue extent. Fortunately for Mr. James Lane Fox
he was a great personal friend of Mr. Meynell's, and he
qujckly saw that the system which his Leicestershire friend

32 HISTORY OF THE BRA M HAM MOOR HUNT.

had adopted, was the only one by which a kennel of
foxhounds could be managed with satisfaction to everyone.
So he at once followed the lead given him. It was also his
good fortune to be very intimate with Mr. Peter Beckford,
than whom no one, either before or since, had a greater
knowledge of all appertaining to the hunting and manage-
ment of a pack of hounds, whether foxhounds or harriers.
Mr. Fox, as I have already intimated, was not a hard rider,
but as a breeder of hounds he was one of the foremost
men of his day, and it is a matter for regret that his
hound lists have not been preserved. Fortunately I am
able to give a couple of good runs which took place during
his mastership, and I would that there were a few more
records of similar runs.

Here is the first one, which took place in 1806.

' Mr. Lane Fox's hounds,' says the record, ' have had likewise
' good sport throughout the season, but on Saturday they
'had one of the most splendid days ever remembered.
'Meeting at Red Hall, near Gledhow, they tried all the
' neighbouring coverts without a challenge, when crossing
'over Blackmoor to Hell Wood they immediately found.
'The fox instantly broke covert, going away in a most
' gallant style over the country. Crossing West Woods
' to the right, over Rigton Hills and the brook in the
' bottom, skirted CoUingham town, and from thence down
' to Keswick Ox Close, where, crossing the river, he passed
' through Mr. Scott's park and pleasure grounds at Wood
' Hall, where he was viewed. Thence ran on direct to
' Stockeld, where, without hanging a moment, he broke
' away over the finest country in the world — Leicestershire
' not excepted — in a direct line for Harrogate. Then
' turning to the left, passed near Spofforth village, and
' running from thence to Kirkby Overblow, went to ground
' in a crag, the whole pack being within a few yards of
' his brush. This run, whether considered for the extent
' of ground reynard went over, the straight line he took,

THE ORIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY.

33

' or the fineness of the country he chose, will not often
' be equalled in the annals of sporting. The field was
' unusually small, perhaps from the unpromising appearance
' of the morning, it being a hard frost ; but small as the
' field was, it was considerably lessened by the country
' riding deep, and the severity of the fences. It may
' truly be said

' A chosen few alone the sport enjoy.'

A capital run, this, and over a fine line, but unfortunately
no record has been kept of the time it occupied. The
account I give of it was copied from the 'Sporting Magazine'
of 1807, and at the foot of the run are MS. notes to the
effect that Sir Walter Vavasour died November 2nd, 1802,
and Sir Thomas died in 1826.

Good a run as this was, the following was a better. It
took place on December 19th, 1807, and is certainly to be
looked upon as a typical Bramham Moor day. The account
I give is copied from an old letter, and I am unable to say
whether it has ever appeared in print : —

' Mr. Fox's hounds had a remarkable run on Saturday last,' so
runs the record, ' though the frost was hardly out of the
' ground. They met at Dog Kennel Whin, which they
' drew without success. Then proceeded to try Hetchel
'Spring and School House Whin without a single challenge,
' but on putting into Hell Wood a fox. immediately stole
' away, and facing the strong enclosures towards Thorner,
' turned to the left, passing over Rigton Hills nearly to
' Keswick Ox Close, and thence to the right by Collingham
' town, over the open fields to Cliffbrd jMoor. Crossed the
' north road and Mr. Thompson's Park at Wetherby Grange,
' whence, finding the pack close at his brush, he boldly
' dashed into the River Wharfe, and running through Horn
' Bank over Walton open fields, by the Whin up to Walton
' Wood. Thence by Mr. Stapleton's plantations to Bilton,
' by Healaugh town, leaving Shireoaks to the right, over
' those enclosures and deep severe country up to Bilbrough.

34 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' Over the moor, crossed the road at Streethouses, down
'to Bolton Percy, turned to the left to Stub Wood, into
' which covert reynard was viewed not above a field before
'the pack. Here they unluckily changed, and going away
' with a fresh fox were with difficulty stopped running in
' a direct line for the river below Sir William Milner's
'Park at Nun Appleton. In a direct line from point to
' point it exceeded twenty miles ; the ground they went
'over above five- and -twenty, in two hours and eighteen
' minutes, and what is remarkable, this game fox hardly
'owned a covert and never tried an earth. The scent laid
' very well, and they always kept going, though :certainly
' not their best pace. Mr. Hawke, on King Cole, Mr. Jadisj
' on Speculation, and Mr. Clough, on Conqueror, deserve
'honourable mention, nor should Capt.Sotheran, on Rocket,
' be omitted, who showed what wonders a heavy weight can
' perform when possessed of a good eye to country.'

. This was a wonderftil run indeed, the finish beins^' over
quite the cream of the Ainsty. It will be noticed that it
is stated that hounds crossed Bilbrout;-h Moor, and anyone
who takes the trouble to follow the run on the map, and
who knows the country, will recognise how the face of it
is changed since this good run took place. What was then
common and moor is now under cultivation, and where there
was heavy plough there is now a larger j^roportion of grass,
a proportion which seems to be gradually increasing. I
have not been able to learn any further partictilars respecting
Capt. Sotheran, but I may remark that the Bramham Hunt
has always been remarkable for its hard -riding welters.
Several of the huntsmen have been heavy men, and in
recent days there have been heavy men fotmd who cotild
always get through a run.

What his contemporaries thought of Mr. James Lane
Fo.x's establishment niay' be gathered from the following
extract frpm the ' Statesman,' a daily paper ol some sixteen

THE ORIGTN AND EARLY HISTORY. 35

short columns, which was published in the early part of
the century. It is curious to note that three parts of a
column on the front page of the issue of Monday, April
6th, 1807, is devoted to fox-hunting; — Lord Darlington's,
Sir Mark Masterman Sykes', the Bramham, Lord Fitz-
william's. Lord Vernon's, and the Belvoir, all coming in
for brief notice. This is what is said about the Bramham
Moor:—

' Mr. Fox Lane, fake him for all in all, may bid defiance to
' all his neighbours. Hounds as high mettled as the riders
'who follow them, fly over the Wolds with a speed not to
' be exceeded, while in their cold Jiuiifing may be found
' the most perfect system which the sagacity of the animal
' can furnish. Every keen sportsman will find, in point of
' riding, such playmates in this Hunt as will not leave
'them idle.'

High praise, this, and well merited, as the runs above
given amply prove ; and the remarks that applied to the
Bramham Moor in 1807 apply to them equally at the end
of ninety years.

Mr. James Lane Fox hunted the country for many
years, and when his health began to fail he retired, giving
the hounds up to the second Earl of Harewood, than whom
no keener sportsman ever followed the Bramham Moor, or
for the matter of that, any other pack. A friend of mine
professes his admiration of ' a good lang clay,' and the Earl
of Harewood would have been a master after his own heart,
for, like Lord Darlington, he would hunt till dark, and was
no believer in going home to luncheon. It was a stipulation
with Mr. James Lane Fox that the hounds should not leave
Bramham during his lifetime. His son, a very heavy man.
hunted as a matter of course, but he did not care much
for hounds, preferring Newmarket and racing to hound-
breeding. Hence on his father's death the hounds went to

36 HISTOHY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HVST.

Harewood, and with them went ten servants' horses, saddles,
bridles, and rugs, all complete ; the stipulation being that
they were to return to Rramham as they went, if required.

As Colonel Thornton, of Thornville Royal (now known
as Allerton Park), was a contemporary of the Squire of
Bramham, and as he kept hounds, this may perhaps be the
best place to give a short notice of his hunting exploits.
That his hounds hunted over some portion of what is now
the Bramham Moor country is certain, though whether
special permission was given, or whether he ever had a
regularly-defined country, is more than I am able to state.*
There is little record left of his hunting, though we hear
plenty of his fishing and shooting. Falconry, however,
seems to have been his favourite sport ; and when the
country about Thornville Royal became more cultivated, he
sold it to Lord Stourton, and went to live in Wiltshire.
This was in 1808, and serves to mark the date of the
alteration which was taking place in the Bramham Moor
country. Notoriety was what Colonel Thornton loved, and
though he raced, and hunted, and shot, and was no doubt
an accomplished falconer, he seems to have done everything
more for the love of being talked about than for the love
of sport itself. Always ready to back himself or any of
his belongings, and a shrewd hand at making a match, it
is throuofh the bets he made about his hounds or his foxes
that his hunting is now remembered. And even the record
of what his hounds did when he won bets over them is all
too scanty, and we should like to have some history of the
undoubtedly excellent sport which he showed. The first
item of interest is in connection with a bet made with
Sir Harry Featherstone.

" Col. Thornton seems to have gone pretty much where he hked during
the few years he kept hounds, and he probably kept hounds more for the sake
of display than for any real love of the sport.

THE ORIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY.

Z7

Colonel Thornton, we read, received a piece of plate
from Sir Harry Featherstone and Sir John Ramsden, Barts.,
as a compromise to a bet made in honour of a Hambleton
fox. Colonel Thornton, by his original bet, enoaged for
three hundred guineas p.p. to find a fox at Hunt's Whin,
or in the Easingwold country, that, after Christmas, 1779,
should run twenty miles ; the day to be fixed and the
niorning to be approved by Colonel Thornton, and to
be determined h\ Sir [ohn Ramsden and .Sir Harrv
Featherstone, or the company.

Certificate.

' We, the undersigned, do declare that on the day appointed
'for the decision of a bet, made by Colonel Thornton with
' Sir John Ramsden and .Sir Harry Featherstone, that a
'fox broke off in view of hounds and the compan}-, which
'fox was killed after a continuous burst (there not being"
'one check), by the different watches, for two hours and
' thirty-eight minutes ; and we, being the only gentlemen
' present, do believe the said fox to have run at least
' twentv-eight miles. Colonel Thornton being a party
'concerned, gave no vote.

' Lascelles Lascelles. Val. Kitchingman.
' Henry Kitchingman. Wm. Dawson.
' Randolph Marriott.

' There were only eight horsemen out of seventy up.'

Of far more interest to us than the mere record of
Colonel Thornton's bet, would have been an account of the
run it.self Where that stout fox was found, the country he
crossed, and the incidents of the run, are, however, all buried
in oblivion. There can be no doubt about this having been
a good run, and the bona fides of the arbitrators is not
to be disputed ; but I fancy they must have rather over-
estimated the distance, or their time must have been

E

-58 EISTOKY OF THE BKAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

incorrectly stated in the printed record. It is allowed that
hounds run much faster now than they did a hundred years
ago, and an average rate of a mile in something like five
minutes and a half would take some doing now. It is a
little over ten miles an hour, and a ten miles run within the
hour, though it has been exceeded, is something to talk about,
even in these days of highly-conditioned hounds. Colonel
Thornton, at the time this bet was made, was only a young-
man, .some twenty-three or twenty-four years of age.

The next that we hear of Colonel Thornton and his
hounds is in connection with another bet. It was, during
the last century and until far into the present one, a custom
for hounds to join. That is, two neighbouring packs would
bring so many couples each out, and the lot would hunt
together, or rather in lots, for it seems needless to say that
hounds that are strangers to each other never pack properly.
But that was a matter of small importance, and sportsmen
of a bygone day were very keen about such meetings, and
would talk about 'our Trouncer' being first up with great
glee. The record in question bears date March 15th, 1783,
and is dated from Thornville. It runs to this effect: —

' The Earl of Effingham and Colonel Thornton agreed to each
' produce twelve couples of hounds to run a match for
' five hundred guineas. The Earl of Effingham to produce
' twelve couples of Confederate hounds ; Colonel Thornton
' to produce twelve couples of his hounds ; to run down a
'fox near Wetherby on the 19th of March, 1783. Whichever
' hounds appeared b}' the arbitrators to have the superiority
' shall receive a forfeit.

{ The Hon. Fredk. Lumley.
'Arbitrators - Mr. Thomas Lloyd.
\ Mr. Bagley.

' The run being very short, and not less than three hundred
' people present, it could not be determined.'

THE BRAMHAM MOOR COUNTRY. 39

But the match was not to end in a draw ; the Earl and
the Colonel went to Wetherby that same afternoon, and
drew up articles for a fresh match, which ran as follows: —

'Wetherby, March 19th, 1783.
'The Earl of Effingham engaged to produce twelve and a
' half couples of Confederate hounds to run against the
' same number of Colonel Thornton's, for a cup to be
'purchased at their joint expense. To meet at Borough-
' bridge, and try the Hunt's Whin or Hambleton country.

Arb. Id.

Certificate.

'We, the undermentioned, do declare that having met in order
' to see a match run between the Earl of Effingham's and
' Colonel Thornton's hounds, on the Confederate hounds
'not appearing, the tryers declared the cup forfeited.
' We also further declare that the hounds found at twenty-
' seven minutes past nine, and except for the space of
'half-an-hour, taken in bolting the fox from a rabbit-hole,
'had a continuous run till five o'clock, when we had an
' entope; and after repeated views, we killed him at fourteen
' minutes past five by the different watches.

A. Walker. G. Davison.

W. Vavasour. John Fawcett.

W. Mills. J. Wrightsox.

— . Farside. John Brook.

— . Milton. A. Wilkinson.
Lascelles Lascelles. J. Bagley.

William Tate. Robert Rovds.'

The cjuestion naturally arises when one reads these runs,
and considers the country over which they took place,
whether Colonel Thornton is entitled to a place amongst
the masters who have ruled over the Bramham. He certainly

40

HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

seems to have hunted a good deal of what has always been
recognised as part of the Bramham country, but whether
there was special leave given for his day at Wetherby there
is now no means to determine. Hunt's Whin would seem
to have been in what is known as the York and Ainsty
Monday country, a good deal of which was afterwards
hunted by the Duke of Cleveland. It must therefore be
left an open question whether Colonel Thornton is entitled
to the distinction of being a master of the Bramham Moor ;
for one or two runs, and the fact that he kept hounds in
the country, are scarcely sufficient data to go upon, and
it must be remembered that the clear definition of the
boundaries of hunts came at a later date, and when hunting
began to be conducted nn more regular lines.

— ^^jA'Tfc'Wj:

CHAPTER III.

Under the Earls of Harewood.

Ir is much to be regretted that the materials for a history
of the Bramham Moor Hunt during the period the hounds
were under the mastership of the Earls of Harewood are
of so meagre a description. Searching through the old
Sporting magazines and newspapers has not resulted in the
bringing of very many facts to light, and some of these
are of the vaguest. Here and there I have been able to
pick up a little information, but some of it has no date, and
in other instances the lack of particulars is most tantalising.
Then, for some occult reason, one who could have thrown a
little light on the subject has refused to do so, so that I am
unable to devote as much space as I should wish to that
very interesting part of the history of the pack when it was
kennelled at Harewood.

It is a curious circumstance that Nimrod twice set out
to see Lord Harewood's hounds ; once when Payne was
huntsman, and once when Treadwell carried the horn ; but
he never got to see them either time. Of the first time he
writes : ' I was disappointed in not seeing Lord Harewood's
'hounds. It is an old-established pack, and of course there

42 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' is no want of the means to do the thing well ; and money
' is almost a sine qua non in fox-hunting. A strange thing
' happened last season with these hounds. The huntsman
' imprudently capped them into a very rapid mill stream,
' and three or four couples were drowned. A young gentle-
' man named Markham gallantly plunged in to their assistance,
' and very narrowly escaped their fate. He succeeded in
'saving one of them.'

The Mr. Markham would be the man who afterwards
distinguished himself so much in India, and who died just as
he reached the Crimea. This occurrence seems to have
taken place during the earlier years of the mastership of the
second Lord Harewood, and I have found some record of
a run which belongs to the same period. It is a very
interesting one, as it shows that long good runs into the
York and Ainsty country were not peculiar to a later date.

On Monday, November 25th, 1822, they met at Tadcaster
Bar, and after drawing a covert or two blank, they went to
Shire Oaks, where they found a ' traveller.' They drove
him out at the Healaugh side, and past the Hall, and
then the)- ran along the riverside nearly to Tadcaster,
and back to Shire Oaks. They did not, however, enter the
covert, but leaving it on the left pointed for Catterton, and
turned left-handed to Duce Wood. Thence they ran to
Nova Scotia, which they left on the left ; and next they
made Bilton village, passing between it and the wood, with
the former on the right hand. They crossed and re-crossed
the York road, the time up to this point being a trifle over
forty minutes, and 'with never a check from the find.' The
crowd of h(jrses on the road brought hounds to their noses,
but they hunted through them, and leaving Bickerton village
on the right, pointing for Wetherby, and keeping to the left
f the Wetherby road for some distance. Then crossing
the road they ran down to Sugden Wood, and crossing the

o

UNDER THE EARLS OF HARE WOOD.

43

North Road, pointed for the river Nidd. Bearin^^" left-
handed, however, they crossed the Crimple Beck, and
running over RilDston Moor crossed the Nidd at Ribston
Bridge, running straight for Goldsborough Wood. Through
Goldsborough Wood they ran, and over Goldsborough Moor,
nearly to Flaxby village, but turning to the right, they
ran through Flaxby plantation. After passing through the
plantation, the fox was viewed bearing" back for Goldsborough
Moor, over which hounds ran him, and through Goldsborough
Wood again, pointing for Plompton. He was beginning to
ring now, and swung round by Goldsborough Hall, and
through the pleasure-grounds, pointing for Knaresborough ;
and finally they rolled him over in Hay Park, after a capital
run of three hours.

The record of such a run as this makes one wish that
there were more like it to follow.

Will Bamford, who succeeded Payne, showed some
excellent sport, and in another place it will be told of the
confidence he had in his hounds, and how well they repaid
him for that confidence. He had two excellent whippers-in
to assist him, in Stephen Shepherd and Will Scott, both
of them good horsemen, active and clever, but neither of
them, I believe, having the slightest ambition to become a
huntsman.

Of Stephen Shepherd, who was father of the Stephen
Shepherd who hunted the Bedale during the mastership
of the present Earl of Feversham, a good story is told.
Bamford unfortunately broke his thigh, and Stephen had to
hunt hounds. He showed excellent sport, indeed such sport
as had never been known in the country for years, and he
said nothing about it. But at last it began to be a subject
of enquiry, and then the mystery was solved. Some of the
hounds were seen to be very lusty after a few weeks, and it
was then admitted by Stephen that he had only taken out

44 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

the very best hounds, and that ten couples had never been
hunted at all. Well mip;ht the best hounds work rather light.

Wednesday, November 24th, 1842, was a sad day in the
annals of the Hunt. On that day hounds met at the Cross
Roads, Clifford Moor, and had a long, hard da\ , running to
ground at Grimston Hill. They dug their fox out, and set
off for home late in the afternoon. After some talk with
Bamford, Lord Hare wood trotted on in front of hounds, and
when they got to Bramham village they found him leaning
against a gate, dead. Lord Harewood was a keen sportsnian,
like most memliers ot his family, and he came forward at a
very opportune moment to carry on the hounds. He was
not a scientific hound-breeder, indeed for that part of the
business he cared little, but he was very painstaking in
hunting the country thoroughly, and no day was too long
for him, whilst he would always dig for a fo.x if he thought
hounds deserved him, and under these circumstances he
stayed to the end.

Lord Harewood was succeeded by his son as master,
and in the beginning of the next season Treadwell carried
the horn.

One run which took place about his time I am able to
give, though I cannot name the exact date of it. 1 hey met
at Beilby Grange, and found in Dog Kennel Whin ; and
after running by Peckfield and Scarthingwell, they lost in
the dark at Nun Appleton. It was a severe run over a big
country, and a lot of horses gave out; but Mr. George E.
Lascelles, of Sion Hill, got to the end on the kennel-pony,
and declining all the offers of hospitality at Chestnut Grove,
he rode on home, where, with huntsman and hounds, he
arrived late at night ; as may well be imagined, when it is
taken into consideration that it was quite dark when they
stopped hounds at Nun Appleton.

In 1842 Nimrod wrote, 'I much regret I am unable to

UNDER THE EARLS OF HAREWOOD. 45

' say much of Lord Harewood as a master, inasmuch as I
' shall adhere to the determination with which I set out, and
' only speak of those with whose hounds I have hunted.
' One half-hour would have qiven me the opportunity here,
' when on my Yorkshire tour. I got within a few miles of
' Lord Harewood's fixture for the day, but was, with almost
' the entire field, driven back by a snowstorm. From all
' I have heard, I must endeavour to see his lordship's
' establishment.'

But Nimrod's visit was never paid, and singularly enough,
there seems to have been no one else to write a word about
Lord Harewood's hounds. I came across a brief account
of a day's sport, in BclTs Life, for January 27th, 1822, in
which it states that Lord Harewood's hounds had a good
day on the preceding Wednesday, running their first fox for
an hour and twenty minutes, and killing him ; and marking
their second fox to ground, after a severe run of two hours
and twenty-five minutes, but where they met, or found, or
killed, are impenetrable mysteries.

This makes up the sum of what I have been able to
gather about the history of the country during a very
interesting period, and I have only given the past extract to
show how little satisfied people in the shape of hunting
intelligence not so very many years ago.

The mention of a pleasant function must close this
chapter. The Bramham Hunt Ball, which took place at
Wetherby in January following Mr. George Lane Fox's
acceptance of the mastership of the hounds, was the place
selected to present Lord Harewood with an equestrian
portrait of himself, in recognition of the service his father
and he had rendered to the country during the twenty-six
years of their mastership. The presentation was made, on
behalf of the subscribers, by Mr. George Lane Fox, and it

46 HISTORY OF 171 E PKAAr/Unr MOOR HUNT.

is needless to say that hunting men turned up in strong
force to cheer the recipient.*

In the portrait Lord Harewood is mounted on George,
who was supposed to be the best hunter in the country
in his day. The terrier was a present from Sir Walter
Scott, and was a pure - bred Dandie Dinmont, rejoicing
in the historic name of Pepper. He was a famous dog,
and went all distances with hounds ; and when he could
not travel home, he would quarter himself on some farmer
for the night, and return in the morning. Pepper is buried
in the east garden at Harewood.

* Writino- to a friend a few years ago, Mr. Fox says: 'This morning a
' very old friend, the Rev. Jacob Marsham, formerly curate to his father at
' Kirkby Overblow, and a quick man after hounds once a week, sent me a pin
' made of a fox's tooth given to him by the old Lord Harewood in 1837. They
' found at Birk Crag, and killed on Blubberhouse Moor — one hour and ten
' minutes.'

%

^1 , ^^ I

CHAPTER IV.

Thk Rule of Mr. Gi':orge Lank Fox.

'Of dur l''ox and our Hunt let us sing, —
Our Fox of all foxes is king.' —

Hmifing Sung.

' Fox shall in Britain's future annals shine.' —

Byron.

In the spring' i)t 1848, Charles Treadwell removed with
the hounds to Bramham Park, where Mr. George Lane
Fox, senr., had I)uilt kennels for his son — kennels which the
Bramham Moor have occupied ever since, and which it is
to be hoped they will occupy tor many years to come.
With the hounds came the ten servants' horses, with saddles,
bridles, &c., as they had been sent to Harewood twenty-six
years before. The new master was keen, and from the first
he was fond of hounds, and in Treadwell he had an admirable
mentor. The hounds had gone back a good deal dtiring
the few years which preceded Treadwell's arrival at Hare-
wood, for scientific hound-breeding was not much in his
predecessor's line, and the Earl of Harewood, though a very
keen sportsman, was not an enthusiast for houndd^reeding.
So that when Treadwell took hold of the pack, he found
them, to use his own expressive words, 'all uncles, and

48 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

aunts, and cousins.' A keen judge of a hound, and one of
the most scientific breeders of his time, he soon set to work
to improve matters. Shortly after his arrival at Bramham,
a capital opportunity occurred of gettino- some fresh blood.
Mr. Wyndham, who had bought the famous John Warde's
hounds, was giving up keeping hounds, and his pack was
sold at Tattersall's. Treadwell, who, when he hunted the
South Wilts, country, had got to appreciate the value of
this blood, was eager to have some ot it, and so was his
master, and the result was that four couples ot the best of
them came to Bramham. These were the seven-year-
old hounds: — Beggarman, by Mr. Wyndham's Selim — his
Boundless ; Fearnought, by Mr. Smith's Saffron — Mr.
Wyndham's Fairy; and Trinket, by Mr. Smith's Traveller —
Mr. Wyndham's Harmony. The two-year olds: — Brusher,
by Mr. Wyndham's Corsican — his Buxom ; Cautious, by
Mr. Wyndham's Corsican — his Harmony; Corsican, by
Mr. Wyndham's Corsican — his Rhapsody; and the unentered
Dashwood, by Mr. Wyndham's Sa.xon — his Dimity; and
Singwell, by Mr. Wyndham's Saxon — his Beeswing. This
was a purchase which made a great mark in the kennel,
and many of the best of the Bramham hounds trace their
descent from the blood of old John Warde.

If Mr. George Lane Fox had an excellent mentor in
Treadwell, it is equally certain that the latter had an apt
pupil, and he came to be one of the finest judges of a
hound, and one of the most successful breeders of his own or
any time. Backs, and shoulders, and ribs, were indispensable
at Bramham, but there was not any prejudice about colour,
and a well-shaped and well-bred hound would not be drafted
because he was not of ' the bright Belvoir tan,' which is a
sine qua non in some kennels. In one particular only were
the Bramham Moor of those days, after master and huntsman
had got them into .shape, deficient, and that was that they

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 49

were somewhat lacking in cry. In their hatred of a noisy
houncl, b(Uh Treadwell and his master carried their principles
rather too far, and Treadwell has been heard to say that
he hated a hound that spoke twice where once would do.
A pack that does not ' say ' much, and a huntsman who is
not constantly hallooing and blowing his horn, soon teach
a field to be quick, and to dash for a start ; and perhaps it
was the seventeen years of Treadwell's method that so surely
confirmed that quickness for which the Bramham field became
proverbial.

But to return to the season of 1848-49. It was on the
morning of the fourth of September that Mr. Fox and
Treadwell commenced their first campaign together against
the Bramham foxes, and began a connection which was only
terminated by the death of Treadwell — a connection which
it is scarcely necessary to say had a remarkable effect, not
only on hunting in Yorkshire, but on the hunting world at
large, for there is not an important kennel in England
where some of the old Bramham blood is not to be found.

The first day of the cub-hunting season seems to have
been a satisfactory one, though the account of it in Mr. Fox's
diary is brief: —

' Sept. 4th. Parlington. Ran in covert for three hours. Cub
'got to ground in the quarry in the park, bolted and
'killed him. Rode Gift.'

The opening clay of the regular season was on October
30th, when the fixture was at Bramham kennels. It was
a rather inauspicious opening, for Jupiter Pluvius was in
the ascendant, and a pouring rain fell all the day. Mr. Fox's
account of the day is of the briefest, and the probability is
that under the circumstances there was not much to record.
We read that they 'found foxes in Blackfen,' that there was
' no scent,' and that thev found at Pot-terton.

50 HISTORY OF THE B RAM HAM MOOR HUNT.

The heavy rain of Monday had improved the scent, for
on the following- day they had a cai)ital run : —

'Oct. 31st. Boot and Shoe. Found in one of the I.edsham
' plantations ; a quick run in the woods, ran to ground on
' the railroad near Micklefield, dug, killed. Found in Billy
' Bell Whin ; away over the road, across Ledsham Park
' up to Newfield, to the left across the Ferrybridge road,
' and ran into a drain on the Monk Frvston road. Very
'quick thirty minutes; bolted, ran a mile, and killed.
' Rode black horse.'

There is, unfortunately, very little account left of Mr. Fox's
first season as master, and his diary ends with November
1 3th. There are accoimts of two days which are so typical
of what has often taken place on a moderate or bad-
scenting day in the Bramham country, that I give them in
full, knowing that they will prove interesting to those who
love hounds and their work under difficulties : —

'Nov. 3rd. Towton. Found at Scarthingwell ; ran to Renshaw,
' and lost near Hazlewood. Second fox at Hazlewood ; ran
' by Aberford, Ringhay, Huddlestone, nearly to Sherburn,
' to the right into Micklefield Wood, to Hook Moor, and
' after a long hunt with no scent, came up to him in a
' turnip field near the Parlington Park wall. Had him
' dead beat in the field, but not light enough to kill.
' Rode Wynyard.'

'Nov. loth. Tadcaster Bar. An excellent show of foxes, but
' no scent ; after persevering all day, ivalkcd a fox to dcafli.
' Rode grey horse.'

The italics are mine, and I need not remind those who
follow the Bramham Moor what an artistic piece of work
'walking a fox to death' has always been in that country
when scent has been bad, antl how the maxim that there is
always a chance of killing x'our fo.x if you persevere,
has been faithfully adopted as the rule in life of successive

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LAi\E FOX. 5,

Bramham huntsmen. The last entry in Mr. Fox's diarv for
this season is a characteristic one : —

' Beilby Grange. Bad scent. Good show of bad foxes.'

The season of 1849-50 was a long- one, and was distin-
guished by some excellent sport. A late start was made, at
any rate the first entry in the diary is dated October 22nd,
when it is stated that they met at Harewood, found a good
show of foxes, and killed one. The opening day would seem
to have been Monday, October 29th, when they met at
Rudding Park, though it is not exactly specified in the diary
that it was the opening day. Hounds, however, at that
time would seem to have commenced their season on the
last Monday in October. If this were the case it is likely
that the cub-hunting commenced fully a month sooner than
there is account of They had a fair day's sport at Rudding
Park, and a good show of foxes. At Rudding Park,
however, the foxes would not leave, but a smart burst of
eighteen minutes from the New Whin at Spofiforth Hagg
t(j Swindon Wood, and other thirty minutes' hard running
in covert, ending with blood, made up a good day for the
time of the year. The third week in November seems to
have been a remarkable one in the annals of Yorkshire
hunting in more ways than one, and Mr. Fox's experience
of two clays in it must be told in his own words : —

'November 19th. Stockeld Park. Found a bad fox, could not
'kill him. Second fox from Cocked Hat Whin; away
'leaving Kirkby Overblow to the right, across the Punch
' Bowl, through Swindon Wood, over the river below
' Harewood Bridge. Left Rawdon Hill on the right,
'Harewood Woods on the left, pointed for Bramhope.
' Turned to the right down to Otley Wood, came back
'along the valley, leaving Arthington Whin to his right;
' turned over the hill straight to Eccup, ran by the reservoir,
'skirted Wigton Knowl, kept outside the woods nearly to

52 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' the Leeds road, turned in at the door in the wall ; came
'up to him in Grey Stone Whin, forced him out, and raced
' him round the Park nearly to the lodges, and killed him.
' Two hours and thirty minutes ; the first hour and forty
' minutes made an example of all the horses. No fault
' could be found with the working or lasting and condition
'of the hounds.'

This was indeed a wonderful run, over a bio" country
that takes some yetting over, and small wonder is it that
'the first hour and forty minutes made an e.xample of all
the horses.' The other run is worthy of mention here,
though it took place with the York and Ainsty, which pack
Mr. Fox frequently visited when they were within reach,
and his own hounds were not out. On Thursday, the 22nd,
they met at Copgrove, and this is what Mr. Fox had to say
about what took place : —

'Curious day of bad luck. Hounds all away running well.
' Field wrong side of the covert at Copgrove ; having found
'in Farnham Mires, checked; five couple slipped away
' unobserved by the huntsman, and were not caught for
' some time. Did not kill.'

This run will probably call to the recollection of some
of my readers a similar occurrence which took place not
far from Crayke a season or two ago, when hounds slipped
short back after a smart burst from North Skeugh Whin,
and each of the two divisions which were riding parallel to
each other thought that the other had the hounds, and we
had a stern chase till we came up with them near Hawk
Hills. December seems to have been a capital month for
sport, and on the i 2th and 26th excellent runs took place : —

'Dec. 1 2th. Church Fenton. Found in Meek Wood ; ran very
' fast in the direction of Aberford Woods, turned by Little
'Fenton, back of Church Fenton, nearly to the river;
' turned to the left through Ulleskelf. Long check, cold

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. r.

JO

' hunting through Grimston Park, viewed him at the back
'of the road near the turnpike, and killed him at the back
'of Towton village. One hour and twenty minutes, first
'forty minutes fast. Second fox found at Tadcaster Willow
'Garth; ran him by Renshaw, Heyton Wood, Becca,
' Potterton ; left Saw Woods on the right, Morwick on the
' left, lost at Killingbeck. A fine hunting run, two hours
' and ten minutes.'
'Dec. 26th. Milford. Fox away from the wood before hounds
' came. Found in Brex AVood ; away to Gateforth and
' Birkin, down to the river. Turned to tlie right to Byram,
' got on a fresh fox ; hung about the park for a time, then
'went away for Buttress Hill, Milford, to Sherburn station,
'and lost. Good day's hunting.'

This run took place just before a storm, when there is
often a holding scent such as there seems to have been on
this occasion. It will be noted that this run took place
over part of the Selby country, which was, in the earlier
days of the Bramham Moor Hunt, so famous for a fine
show of stout foxes, but which of late years has been rather
short of what an old friend used to call the 'raw material.'
There does not seem to be anything of much importance
to record in connection with the Bramham during the month
of January, 1850, but Mr. Fox relates a curious Incident which
took place when he met the York and Ainsty at Acaster.
They had a fair day's .sport, running their second fox from
Pallethorpe Whin to Healaugh, over the river to Blackfen.
During the run, the whipper-in, Stephen, was suddenly seized
with a curious illness, and lost his senses, and when he came
to himself, he found himself at Riccall village, far enough
from the line of the run. Whether he ever had any return
of the attack, or what was the cause of it, I have not been
able to discover.

February seems to have been a good month. On the
4th, they had a good day from Garforth Bridge. They had

54 HISTORY OF TUP. BRAMIIAM MOOR HUNT.

a lot of knocking about with an ' unenterprising ' fox to
begin with, and finally lost him in the park at Temple
Newsam. Then came a sharp scurry trom Preston Pits
to Kippax, ending with a kill, and then followed the run of
the day, which I give in Mr. Fox's words : —

' Another fox away, got a long start of us ; hunted through
'Preston Pits, up the valley, leaving Garforth Bridge
'on the right, by Barrowby, Parlington, Hollins, nearly up
'to IMicklefield, through Ledsham Park, back to Kippax;
' through the park, and to ground in Preston Pits. Two
' hours, twenty-five minutes.'

(3n the 9th, they had a very good forty-three minutes
from Bland's covert, which is, or was, close to the Micklefield
coal-pits, losing their fox between Huddlestone and Renshaw,
probably owing to the high wind which prevailed. On the
following Friday, they had a great run again from the
Milford country: —

' Milford. Found two foxes in the wood ; went away with one,
' a small fox, to Monk Fryston, Micklefield Wood, Ringhaj^
'Led Mill, Castle Hill, and Saxton Carr. Left Church
' Fenton to the left, skirted Rither Woods, lost him between
'Bishop Woods and Cawood. Three hours and ten minutes,
'fine hunting run.'

March was a wild, stormy month, with severe frosts, and
consequently sport only moderate. Mr. Fox's comment on
the weather was — 'The ground very hard from constant dry
weather, the frost every night most severe, the thermometer
being as low as twenty-two in the night ; a bright sun all
day.' Hounds do not seem to have been much stopped,
but scent was bad, and at times they had to go home, or
could only make a late start. On the 27th, we learn that
there was 'very hard frost, snow, and thunder; went home,'
and on the following day they could not hunt till noon, and

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 55

then did no good. The season was brought to a close on
Saturday, April 13th, at Dobb Park, when they had a fairly
satisfactory clay : —

'A fox viewed away from Bolton Crag, did nothing with him.
' Second fox found on the Rigton Moor ; ran very sharp
'towards Birk Crag, turned to the right by Little Almscliff
' into Lindley Wood, ran him to ground, bolted and killed.'

1850-51. A very early start was made this season, for
on Saturday, Aug. loth, at Parlington, 'by particular desire,'
they killed a cub. They were not out again till Sept. 2nd,
when they again met at Parlington, and ' found a good lot
of cubs, and killed one.' Nov. 1st found them at Deighton
P)ar, where a moderate day was redeemed by a good gallop
with an afternoon fox. The account given, however, is of
the briefest : —

'Found at the back of the house at Ingmanthorpe, lost. Found
* another at Cowthorpe, lost. Found at Wilstrop Wood,
' went away to within two fields of Red House Wood,
'turned to the left, and killed him. Forty-five minutes.'

On November 23rd, Sir Richard Sutton, then master of
the Ouorn, came out to have a look of the Bramham ; but
as is usual when anyone pays a visit to a pack of hounds
at a distance, there was nothing done worthy of record, and
the ominous words, 'no scent,' close the account of the
day's proceedings. It is wcorth recording that the meet was
at Monk Fryston, and that there were plenty of foxes in
Milford Woods, Bishop W'oods, and at Byram. There was
a lot of frost in December, but on the 28th they had a
typical Bramham Moor run : —

'December 28th. Scarthingwell Park. Found in Patefield,
' ringing about, no scent. Second fox in Renshaw ; ran
' twice up and down the wood, hunted the fox down the
' lane, through the back of IMr. Kendall'.s, Towton Spring,

56 HISTORY OF THE BRAAIHAM MOOR HUNT.

' Patefield, Saxton Carr. Nearly caught him on the island
' in Scarthingwell Park, went away a great pace to Ulleskelf,
' crossed the river, hunted with a cold scent nearly to
' Copmanthorpe.'

January was a capital month, one orood run followino-
another. From Grey Stone Whin, on the 4th, they had a
sportino' run of three hours, losing a stout and game fox
on the banks of the river at Arthington ; and on the 6th,
a clipping hour and forty minutes from the Punch Bowl, over
Spoftorth Hagg, by Bramham and Birkham, and across the
river opposite Goldsborough, and over the river again, and
by Plompton Rocks, ending with a kill on the Knaresborough
road. Gave the hard riders something to talk about, as up
to Birkham Wood, for the first forty minutes, the pace had
been a cracker. On the nth, they had a good day, the
cream of which was a gallop from a hedgerow, near the
Tadcaster and Leeds road, through Tadcaster town, where
they crossed the river above Brooksbank's Bridge, and by
Shire Oaks, killing in Angram bottoms, just below Healaugh.

The month wound up well, as it had begun well, and
perhaps the best day was the following one : —

'January 29th. Cross Roads, Bramham. Found in lleyton
' Wood ; ran some time in covert, and killed. .Second fox.
' at Becca ; ran a very sharp burst by Kiddal Lane,
' Whittle Car, Bramham Park, skirted Blackfen and the
' open Raikes, away over the north road tunnel ; turned
' to the right into Hazlewood, and lost in Heyton Wood.
' Twenty-three minutes. Found third fox at Renshaw ;
' went away to Towton village, turned to the right, nearly
' back to Renshaw, back to the left to Scarthingwell
' Park, out towards .Sherburn ; round by Saxton, Renshaw,
' Grimston Hills, and killed near Towton Spring. An hour
'and twenty minutes' hard and good work.'

On the I 2th of the following month, thc\' had a wonderful

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

57

huiitino run, of which Mr. Fox speaks with the (,freatest
enthusiasm, as well he mio-ht : —

'February 12th. Bishop Woods. Found in the middle of the
' wood ; went away near Jackson's, through Lawn and
' Paradise Woods to within a field or two of the river ;
' turned to the left across Ulleskelf Common, leaving the
' railroad and windmill on the right, by Church Fenton
' village, back to Bishop Woods ; through the wood, out
' at Scalmer, over the dam opposite Hamilton's, through
' Brayton Barff, across the canal. Through Byrne Whin
' to Staines Wood, gave him a turn in the wood, forced
' him out, and killed in a field between the wood and the
' river. Two hours and ten minutes, a first-rate performance.'

The season ended at the Cross Roads, Bramham Moor,
on March 29th ; but there was no sport worth recording,
scent being very bad. There was, however, a capital show
of foxes, as they found at Becca, Parlington, Hook Moor,
and Patefield ; a capital show for the last day, which is
worth referring to as showing how they preserved foxes in
the early fifties.

Though Mr. Fox was busily engaged at home with his
own hounds, he found time to visit the packs of his
neighbours ; and during the season in question he had a
day or two with the Badsworth, as well as with the York
and Ainsty. He also paid a visit to Sir Tatton Sykes, who
then hunted the country over which Lord Middleton now
presides. It was on March 5th that Mr. Fox paid his visit
to Sir Tatton's hounds, and at this time old Tom Carter,
who, it is said, could n(jt or would not blow a horn, was his
huntsman. Carter was getting into years, and Sir Tatton
Sykes was then fast approaching his eightieth year. Where
hounds met, Mr. Fox does not say ; but I have heard the
tale told that Sir Tatton rode up to the fixture, gave his
h(jrsc for some one to hold, and went into the farmhouse.

58 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

where he had a glass of ale and some apple pie, to both of
which he was very partial. After he had refreshed himself,
he came out, and Carter proceeded to draw. They drew
till about one o'clock, and then Sir Tatton, turning to
Mr. Fox, said, 'There are very few of your namesakes
'about, Mr. Fo.x,' and gave the order for home. Some one,
I am not sure whether it was not Mr. Reynard, of Sunder-
landwick, remarked to Sir Tatton that the day was still
young, and that as Mr. Fox had ridden a long distance to
see the hounds, it was a pity for him to have to go home
after a blank day. Sir Tatton, who was courtesy itself at
once took the hint, and told Carter to draw on ; and they
soon found, and ' had a pretty thirty-five minutes to ground
' in .Sutton Wood :' that being all that Mr. Fox has to say
about it in his diary.

There is no account ol the cub-hunting season of 1S51-
52, the first day of which an account is given being
November ist: —

'North Deighton. Found, went away to Stockeld, came back
'to the covert (Deighton Spring). Several cubs, no scent
' to force them out. At last an old fox went away, crossed
' the river, through the garden at Ribston, touched upon
' Goldsborough Wood, turned into the open on the Ribston
' side, and they pulled him down. Thirty minutes. Found
' again in the Cocked Hat Whin, hunted witli a cold scent
' nearly to Spacey Houses.'

On the twelfth of the month they had a moderate day in
the Gateforth country, the only incident of note being that they
lost a good young hound on the road home, in Anguish, b\'
Albion, a son of Mr. Foljambe's Albion. December was a
better month than November, and there was not so much
frost as there had been in the previous month, which was
a very broken one. They had a hard day on the 8th, when
they met at Deighton Bar, and after running their first fox

THE RULE OE Mr. GEORGE LANE EOX. 39

from Deighton Spring to \\'alton village, where the run
practically ended, they found again in Cocked Hat Whin,
and ran on to Plompton Rocks, where they changed, and
hunted till dark without getting hold of a fox. On the iith
they had another hunt till dark, of which the following is
the account : —

'December iith. Stockeld Lodges. Stockeld and Woodhall
' blank. Found at Swindon Wood, went away up the hill
' to Kirkby, down into the Punch Bowl, up again across
' Spofforth Hagg, through Stockeld Park to Linton village.
' Fifty-five minutes ; very pretty. Fox doubled under the
'river bank, causing a long check. Hit him off to Wood-
' hall, Devonshire Whin ; left off in the dark.'

On the 13th they met at Arthington, and after a couple
of bursts, in both of which they killed their fox, they found
in the Pleasure Grounds, and were again beaten by the
dark. Two days later they met at Stutton Mill, where they
' killed a fox in the garden at Grimston, to please Lord
' Londesborough.'

The run of the season, certainly the best run that the
early part of it could boast, took place on Christmas Eve : — ■

' December J4th. Gateforth. Found on the Common, ran a
'pretty thing near to Selby town. Our second fox was a
' glorious fellow. Went away from Rrex Wood to Milford
' Woods, skirting the covert, ran nearly to the back of the
' village, crossed the railroad, went very near Rither Woods,
' turned to the left up to Church Fenton, to Ulleskelf, along
' the meadows to Grimston Park, through the shrubbery
' at the back of the stables, down into the meadows, and
' crossed the river ; went through Oxton, and killed him
' near the side bar from the turnpike road. One hour and
'forty-five minutes; a splendid run.'

What a line and what a run that was ! And it does not
require a very vivid imagination, after reading the Squire's

6o HTSTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

account of it, to picture the delight of master and man as
they returned home, or to guess at what their conversation
and mutual congratulations would be like.

Five days later they again ran till dark, this being the
fourth time within three weeks hounds had been stopped
when darkness came on.

On January 7th they had what was then happily of Isut
rare occurrence in any part of the country — a blank day.
It took place at Byrne, and is one of the very few blank
days of which I find mention in Mr. Fox's diaries. On the
iSth, when they met at the Boot and Shoe, they had 'one
' of those remarkable long days, proving the condition of
'hounds, and tiring all the horses. Found at Newfield, and
' ran for five hours,' changing foxes several times, and ending
without a kill. They had a good day at Stutton Mill on
the 28th, the afternoon run being one of those for which the
Bramham have ever been famous. A fox had stolen away,
and got a good start irom somewhere in the neighbourhood
of Heyton Wood, but Mr. Fox is not \ery explicit as to
where he went away from. They hunted up to him in
Renshaw Wood, and getting on good terms with him there,
they rattled him along over a good country, and finally rolled
him over in the garden at Hazlewood. On the following
day, when Mr. Fox hunted with the York and Ainsty at
Nidd Rock House, after a fair morning's sport they found
a third fox at .Scriven, and 'a boy knocked him on the head
' with a stick, — inglorious end ! '

The following run, which, it will be noticed, took place
on St. Valentine's Day, was a great run, though perhaps it
scarcely takes rank with the run with that ' glorious fellow '
from Brex Wood on Christmas E\'e. The reader may
judge for himself: —

'February 14th. Beilby Grange. Found in Hetchell, ran
'towards Saw Woods, no scent. Second fox at Westwoods,

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 6 1

' Went away very fast, through Lady Wood, Lunn Wood,
'Dog- Kennel Whin, Norwood Bottoms, and Whittle Carr
'to Becca. The}' had a slight check, hit him off to Heyton
'Wood, just skirting it and Bullen Wood, through Renshaw,
'skirting Towton Spring and Patefield, and crossed the
' railroad, leaving Church Fenton just at the right-hand.
' Left Rither Woods on the right, ran to the river near
' Cawood, turned up the bank, crossed to Nun Appleton,
' and lost him in the dark at the back of the house. Two
'hours and fifteen minutes; fine run.'

March was cold and dry, and productive of little sport,
and the season came to a close on April loth, when hounds
met at Pool ; the only note of the last day which the diary
contains.

Shortly after Mr. George Lane Fox took hold of the
Bramham Moor hounds, it became advisable to turn them
into a subscription pack. Subscriptions Htjwed in liberally,
and the subscription list is a wonderful one, when it is taken
into consideration that the country was then not .so thickly
populated ; and with fewer people huntintr, it certainly com-
pares favourably with the subscription lists of many Hunts
in the present day. I give a list of the subscriptions for
the season 1852-3, that my readers may form their own
opinions on the matter.

Bramham

RIoo

R Hunt, 1 85 2-3.

Lord Harewood

_

£
500

s.
0

0

A. Montague -

£
50

0

0

G. L. Fox -

-

500

0

0

R. S. Oliver -

50

0

0

E. Lascelles -

-

50

0

0

R. E. Payne -

50

0

0

W. Beckett -

-

50

0

0

L. W. Wickham -

50

0

0

T. D. Bland -

-

50

0

0

E. York -

50

0

0

T. G. Clayton-

-

50

0

0

T. Fairfax

50

0

0

D. Cooper

-

50

0

0

James Brown

50

0

0

J. Cooper

-

50

0

0

Sir John Ramsden

100

0

0

T. C. T. Gascoig

ne-

50

0

0

W. Ramsden -

50

0

0

H

HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

Lord Londesborough

£.
50

s.
0

0

H. E. Harrison

L
10

s.

0

0

E. Ackroj'd -

-

30

0

0

J. J. Harrison

10

ID

0

J. R.Atkinson

-

30

0

0

0. Milne

10

0

0

J. D. Holdsworth

-

25

0

0

J. Shaw

10

0

0

R. Hatfield -

-

25

0

0

J. Simon

ID

0

0

H. Hood

-

25

0

0

J. Gr. Uppleby

10

0

0

J. Kendall -

-

25

0

0

B. Wainman -

10

0

0

W. T. Markham

-

25

0

0

C. W. Wheeler

ID

0

0

Sir J. RadclifFe

-

25

0

0

H. Richardson

ID

0

0

J. Starkey

-

25

0

0

W. S. Atkinson

1

10

0

0

J. A. Ikin

-

25

0

0

J. Brook

10

0

0

C. W. Wilkinson

-

25

0

0

Col. Lane

- 5

0

0

P. Wormald -

-

25

0

0

Jo. Wilkinson

- 5

5

0

Ch. Middelton

-

25

0

0

T. T. Wharton

- 5

0

0

Jo. Benyon -

-

25
10

ID

0
0
0

0

0
0

H. Chorley -

- 5

0

0

Lord W. Thynne
J. M. Dawson

;62,395

15

0

There was ;^I25 unpaid, but which was good, and some
of which was made up of increased subscriptions, promised
by those who had already paid their original subscriptions ;
so that altogether the subscription amounted to the substantia]
sum of .1^2,520: a very large one, when the difference in the
expense of hunting a country then and now is taken into
consideration.

The season of 1852-3 commenced on November ist, at
Kiddal Lane, there being nothing exceptional in the way of
sport ; and it is again noticeable that the cub-hunting season
is not mentioned. On the 8th they had a good old-fashioned
run from Scarthingwell. They had met at Stutton Mill, and
done nothing ; but in the afternoon they had some fun,
hunting by Grimston, Church Fenton, and nearly to Rither
and back again, and killing on the island at .Scarthingwell,
after a run of three hours and forty minutes. On the 12th
they had a clipper.

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. ,

63

' 1 2th. Wighill Park. Found at Walton Wood, ran hard in
' the wood for fifteen minutes, went away to the river,
' crossed at Newton Kyme, went by Tolston Wood, the
'bottom of the Raikes, by the lodges in Blackfen, through
' Potterton, and killed him in the open between Barwick
' and Scarcroft. One hour and fifteen minutes. Very fine
'run; most of the field were thrown out by the river.'

Fair sport seems to have been enjoyed during November
and December, day after day there being good average runs.
A couple of these may be given as examples : —

'November 17th. Cross Roads, Bramham Moor. Found at
' Becca ]\Ioor, away through Hazlewood, Headley Bar,
'killed him by the Tadcaster and Bramham road, pointing
'for Oglethorpe. Thirty minutes; fast, .Second fox in
' Hallowell Lees, ran to ground. Found again in Blackfen.
' Gave him a turn round the wood, came away to Lindrick
' Hills, skirted Westwoods, pointing for Rigton, turned to
' the left by Ruler to Scarcroft, to ground in Mr. Worde-
' sallow's plantation. Forty-three minutes. Very good.'

'December 17th. Church Fenton. Found in Rither Woods,
' went away towards Bishop Woods, turned to the left,
'skirted Patefield, checked on the rail near Towton Spring.
'Thirty-five minutes. Hunted a ring round Patefield,
'Towton, Grimston, crossed the river at the railroad bridge,
'hit him into Bolton Percy village, lost. Two hours, thirty
' minutes.'

'December i8th. Woodhall. Found, ran a ring to Linton,
'Devonshire Whin, crossed the river at Cardvvick, ran to
' Harewood, out towards Eccup, turned to Alwoodley, and
'killed at the Grey Stone Whin. The river very high.
' Ned Johnson and B. Atkinson the only people that forded
' it and got with hounds. Treadwell and others rode by
' Harewood Bridge. Came back, found again at Woodhall,
' ran a smart forty minutes' ringing, and killed. Good scent.'

On December 21st they had a singular experience.
They met at Burn, and tried all day without hndin;^ : an

64 HISTORY OF THE BRA iM HAM MOOR HUNT.

occurrence much commoner in these days than is desirable ;
and as they were going home at four o'clock, a fox was
viewed at the corner of Stainer Wood. Late as was the
hour, and notwithstanding that it was shortest day, hounds
were laid on, and away they went at a clipping pace, over
Barlow Moor, and by Gambleforth to Drax. By this time
it was dark, and everyone lost hounds, which were stopped
by some farmers ; Treadwell getting them home all right.

Two days later, Treadwell had the misfortune to sprain
his leg, and had to go home, and his misfortune kept him
out of the saddle for some days. Nor was this the only
misfortune which befell the establishment, for on January i ith,
as he was riding one of the kennel hacks to meet the York
and Ainsty, at Ribston, Captain Fox's horse fell, and hurt
his knee so badly that he had to return home in Lord
Lascelles' carriage.

January seems to have provided a fair average of sport,
and February was ushered in with some excellent runs : —

'February 5th. Woodhall. Found directly; killed. Found
' again at Stockeld Park ; ran to Woodhall, Woolley Head,
' across the Punch Bowl to Swindon Wood, left Weeton
'on the left, and killed by the river, close to the railroad
* opposite Pool .Station. One hour ; very good.

Frost put a stop to hunting after the tenth of the month,
and it was not till March ist that they were able to take
the field again ; then the country was in an unfit state for
riding, and as often happens immediately after the break up
of a frost, there was only poor sport. Next clay, howe\er,
they did better : —

' March 2nd. Cross Roads, Bramham Moor. .Still bad riding.
' Found ; ran some time with a bad .scent, snowing at
' times. Found second fox at Hook Moor ; ran him
'through the woods away at the Micklefield end to
' .Stourton Grange, through Garforth village, pointed back

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

65

' to the Boot and Shoe, and killed him by the side of the
' road between Peckfield Bar and the plantations. He had
' laid down quite beat. One hour, thirty minutes.

On the 1 2th, we read that they had a beautiful find in
a tree near \\^eeton, and lost their fox after a fair gallop ;
and on the 1 8th, when a very severe frost prevented them
starting' till noon, they found a very white fox in Fairy
Cars, and lost him. They found the same white fox again
at Hutton Thorns on the 30th of the month, and again
he beat them, and then he disappears from history. He
does not appear to have given any very great run, and on
the two occasions on which he is mentioned, it is noted that
there was no scent. They finished the season on April
iith, when they had a fair day; but on the two preceding
days they were out, sport was so good for the time of the
year that I give them in full : —

'April 8th. Ahvoodley Crag. Fox seen crossing the road;
' laid the hounds on, hunted to Wigton Knoll, through
' Harewood Woods, out by the big whin ; bad scent.
'Came up to him again in Alwoodley Crag; hunted him
' about .Scotland Wood, away nearly to Chapeltown, and
' killed. Tried Moseley, Cookridge, and Black Hill, but
'did not find.'

'April gth. Beckwithshaw. Found at Birk Crag; a quick scurry,
'ran to ground. Found again on Rigton Moor; ran very
' well at the back of Pannal to Harrog^ate Clump, left the
' Common on the left, crossed the Leeds and Thirsk line,
' through Spacey House Whin, pointed for .Spofforth Hagg,
' turned to the right over the Harrogate line, which caused
' a very long check. Hit the fox off, he having been seen
' to go over Rudding Park wall, came up to him at the
' back of the house ; after dodging about, he went out to
' the Bleaching Ground Whin, came out again, and they
' caught him as he tried to jump the wall back into the
' park. The first fifty-five minutes good ; altogether a good
' day's sport.

66 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

Well might Mr. Fox write at the end of his diary, —
'A very satisfactory winter;' and these were two famous
days' sport for the last week of the season.

There is now a hiatus in Mr. Fox's diary, and there
seems to be no record of the season of 1853-54. ^ have
searched the columns of old newspapers and old sporting-
magazines, for some records of the hunting during the period
which elapsed between the end of the season 1852-53 and
the middle of the season 1854-55, '^^t to no purpose. It
is curious to find how little was written of the Bramham
Moor Hunt in the earlier years of Mr. F"ox's mastership,
and had it not been for his carefully-kept diary, anything
like a history ot the doings of the pack would have been
impossible.

1854-55. The diary recommences on [anuarv ist, 1855,
and capital sport was enjoyed till frost put a stop to hunting
on the 29th, keeping hounds in the kennel for more than
a month. The best run in the month was just before the
frost, when, as I need not tell the initiated, there is grenerallv
a good holding scent : —

'January 26th. Bickerton Bar. Found in Cowthorpe Wood;
'ran a ringing fox tovvard.'s Ingmanthorpe, back over the
' river towards Cattal, back along the bank, and killed.
' Found second fox at Marston Whin ; went away through
' Wilstrop Wood straight to the river Nidd ; crossed, pointed
'for Thorpe Green, turned to the right through Nun
' Monkton, crossed the river again close to the ferry, left
' Red House on the right, the fox running the river bank.
'Came to a check at farm buildings about a mile from
' Red House, the first time hounds were spoken to for an
' hour. Hit him off, but the scent became worse and
' worse. We hunted by Hessay, left Marston on the right,
' and Hutton ; this gallant fox walking away from us after
'a capital run. The hounds, in consequence of the river,
' having the best of it.'

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 67

Tread well took hounds out on March ist, and killed a
fox in Micklefield Woods, and on the following day they
met at Bickerton Bar, and found in Marston Whin, losing-
their fox at Thorpe Green, in all probability the same that
had shown them such a good run on January 26th. March
was wild and stormy, and the ground soon got dry, but fair
sport was occasionally had, quite up to the average for the
month. The season concluded on the 14th of April, when
they met at Arthington, and had a fair day, of which 1
give the account :—

' Found in Bramhope ; ran a ring to ground in a drain ; bolted
'him, and hunted him very prettily by Arthington, through
' Harewood to Scarcroft. A very good fox ran away from
'us, scent not good enough to keep near him.'

1855-56. Good cub-hunting was experienced in this
season, though the ground was hard and dry ; and scent
was fairly good throughout. A commencement was made
on September 8th, and the hearts of master and huntsman
were gladdened by a great show of foxes all over the
country. Mr. Fox was laid up with a bad knee for four
weeks, and the first entry in his diary relates to November
9th, and fair sport seems to have been shown till the 30th,
when a run took place such as is not seen more than once
or twice in a man's lifetime, a run which I take leave to
think may rank with the famous Warwickshire run from
Pool Fields Osiers, the Waterloo run with the Pytchley, and
the Melbourne run with the York and Ainsty. No good ever
arises from comparing one good run with another, and it is
difficult to do so without some injustice. The kind of
country crossed, the day, and many things, have to be taken
into consideration, and so I do not intend to make any
comparison, leaving my reader to do that for himself But
I think he will allow that I am rioht in claiminof for this
run a place amongst the great historic runs of the century.

68 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

'Wighill Park. Found in Marston Whin; ran a smart burst
' to ground. Found again at Hutton Thorns, went away
'for Askham, turned for Grange Wood, pointed for York,
' bearing again to the left, crossed the Ouse opposite
' Fairfield, and the Foss at Huntington, and killed at Mr.
'Lloyd's house at Stockton.* One hour and forty -five
' minutes ; eleven and a half miles straight, seventeen the
' way hounds went. The fastest and best run that could
' be seen in this country. Horses : The Courtier, Workman ;
' the former carrying me through the run. C. Fox f rode
' Fusilier, and he died.'

They ran through the York and Ainsty and Lord
Middleton's countries ; and I am inclined to wonder if this
was the gallant fox that walked away from them on the
26th of January in the same year. F"or a man of Mr. Fox's
weight to get through such a run on one horse (and anyone
who knows the country does not require telling that there
was never a chance of a change, nor even of a nick) is
wonderful indeed, and shows him to have been a consummate
horseman, as indeed he was. And what a good horse the
Courtier must have been, for we find him out in his turn
again on the following F'riday !

There was good sport through January and February,
and in March they found a good fox, which again led them
into the York and Ainsty country.

'March loth. Harrogate. Found at Birk Crag, hunted up the
' Haver ah Park coverts to Boar Holes, turned to the right,
' ran very fast to Rennie Crag, on to Svvarcliffe, crossed the
' river, hunted into the corner of the wood at Ripley Castle,
' turned out to the left, leaving Thornton on the right, and
' ran to ground with the fox almost in their mouths at
' Sawley. Two hours and fifteen minutes; a splendid run.'

* Mr. Lloyd, who was master of the York and Ainsty, came running- out of
the house, exclaiming ' Whose hounds are these ? Whose hounds are these ?
' They are not mine ; where have they come from ? '

t C. Fo.x was a cousin, a light weight, and a good horseman.

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 69

This was indeed a splendid run, much of it over a fine
grass country, and as wild as man need wish to ride over.
The season ended on April 5th, at Bramham Park, where
they had a fair day's sport, killinL;' one fox and running
another to ground.

The year 1856 was remarkable for a very interesting
presentation which took place, the history of which is unique.
Farming" in the early fifties was very prosperous ; and
Mr. Fox's tenants approached him on the subject of their
rents, which they .said were too low, and which they were
willing should be raised. Mr. Fox, of course, could not
consent to such a course ; and they then commissioned
Sir Francis Grant to paint his portrait, which they presented
to Mrs. Fox. The horse is Courtier, — the horse he rode
through the famous run already related. He was a remarkably
high-couraged horse, such as many would not care to ride,
and was a purchase from the late Newcombe Mason. The
hound is General, by Streamer — Belvoir Guilty. The
inscription at the foot of the portrait runs as follows : —
'This portrait of George Lane Fox, Esq., was presented
' to Mrs. Lane Fox by the tenantry on the Bramham Park
'estate, as a memorial of their landlord's liberality.'

1856-57. The earliest record of the season is an
entry relating to October 27th : but they would probably
start cub-hunting earlier than that. The season was like its
predecessor, a very good one, and excellent runs seemed to
be the rule, and not the exception. Yet the season is a black
one in the annals of the Hunt, for it was during it that that
good sportsman, the third Earl of Harewood, met with the
accident which resulted in his death.

The entry which follows is an interesting one : —

'December 12th. Bickerton Bar. Unluckily for me, I was
' obliged to go to Oxford. Hounds found at Ingmanthorpe,
'ran a ring, then away to Walshford Bridge, Ribston,
I

yo niSTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' Goldsbro', Leylands, left Grafton village on the left, and
' lost their fox in some buildings in Boroughbridge. The
'first part of the run hunting, from Leylands the pace
'good. Everybody much pleased at the manner in which
' the dog pack did their work.'

Then on January 7th they had a real old-fashioned
Bramham Moor day with a stout Bramham Moor fox.

' Garforth Bridge. Hard frost ; doubtful hunting. Tried Kippax
' and Temple Ne\vsam,^blank. Found in Parlington Hollins,
' went away to Hook Moor, pointed for Lotherton, back to
'Parlington, away to Hawk's Nest, pointed for Micklefield,
'turned to the left back to Parlington. Away at Barwick
' end of the Hollins, along the brook side to Becca,
' Hazlewood, away by Headley, and lost in the little
'covert near Bramham Willow Garth, having hunted and
'run at times hard for two hours and twenty-five minutes.
' We found late, and were beat in the dark. Rather too
'hard for horses and hounds.'

They had another very hard day from Riffa on the loth.
After a sharp burst with their first fox, they had a capital
hour and five minutes with their second, which they found
in Rudding Park, and killed opposite Spofforth Castle.

'January 24th. Stockeld Park. Found in the patch of whin
'by the railroad, ran into Sicklinghall Wood, went away
' to the right, over Spofforth Haggs, nearly to Kirkby
' Overblow, partly down the hill, up again to Woolah Head,
' crossed the river, and he beat us, scent failing on Rigton
' Hill. Found our second fox at Woodhall, went away
' across the river at once, over Rigton Hill, Spring Wood,
' Norwood Bottoms, just touched upon Whittle Car, left
' Potterton on the left, through the old wood at Parlington,
'and the hounds snatched at him as he got through the
' wire fence at the back of the house. We had some delay
' on account of his artful dodging in the garden ; but the

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

?•

' hounds hunted him out, forced him into the park, and ran
'into him. The pace was firstrate, — one hour and ten
'minutes up to the garden at Parlington. Poor Lord
' Harewood was severely hurt by falling over a sheep-net
'at Stockeld.'

Lord Harewood died from the effects of this fall on the
22nd of the followin;4 month ; and it is needless for me to say
what a gloom his sad death cast over the country in which
he was so deservedly popular. Of course the hounds did
not hunt until after the funeral. When they resumed
operations, March had set in, and was a capital month too,
and there was also some excellent sport in April. Hounds
hunted till late, the last day being on the 20th, and Mr. Fox
briefly sums up the season as a good one.

1857-58. Cub-hunting began on September ist, and
went on merrily till October 28th, when the regular season
began at Becca Hall, where they had a great show of foxes,
and a lot of knocking about before getting hold of one.
Up to Christmas, sport was of the best, one good day
following another. Perhaps the best day up to the end of
the year was St. Stephen's day, when they met at Wetherby
Grange. It was at any rate a long one, and a hard one.

'Found in the old wood. An immense mob of foot people.
' Fox headed at every point, and at last killed in the park.
'Trotted off to Keswick Ox Close and HoUin Hall Whin —
'blank. A fox was viewed going into Wike Whin. We
' ran him through Scarcroft, over Birkby Hill, crossed the
' Leeds road, and ran to ground in a drain near Roundhay.
' Forty -five minutes. Found in Saw Woods, went out
' towards Bramham, back through the wood, away pointing
'for Scholes, left it on the right, pointed for Parlington,
' turned to the left, left Barwick on the left, Saw Woods on
'the left, and when running close to the fox, were brought
'to a check by a sheep-dog. Hit him off after a time.
'Through Whittle Carr, Blackfen, the Raikes, Hallowell

72 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' Lees, away to Headley Bar, crossed the road, and stopped
' in the dark, going into Hazlewood. An hour and fifty
' minutes ; fifty-five minutes to the long check.'

Another s^ood day in a fine country should not be omitted.
On [anuary i6th they met at Harewo(xl Bridge: —

'Found in Rougement Car Whin, went away pointing tor
' Swindon, turned to the left over the hill, down into the
' valley, running very fast to the railway tunnel on the
'road to Riffa ; hunted on, when the wind being very
'strong he turned back for Weeton, was viewed, ran him
' to ground in a drain on Barrett's farm, he bolted, killed.
' Found in Woolah Head, no scent. Found at Stockeld,
' ran to the railroad between Deighton and Stockeld,
'pointed for Wetherby, turned to the right for Woodhall,
' away again towards Sicklinghall, back to the left, down
' to the river, crossed above Woodhall Bridge, and killed in
' the lime-quarry. Fifty minutes ; very fast. Horses beat.'

The season finished on April 20th at Birk Cray, where
they had a very satisfactory day, killing one fox and running
a brace to ground. Mr. Fox's last entry for the season runs
as follows : — ' Hunted one hundred and twenty-seven days
' with foxhounds, from September i st to April 1 7th. A fair
'season.' Mr. Fox was unable to be out on the last day,
owing to indisposition.

1858-59. A successful cub-hunting season commenced
on August 28th, and concluded on October 20th, hounds
killing nine brace of cubs in the fourteen days they hunted,
and having an occasional good run in the open. They
commenced the season proper on October 25th at Garforth
Bridge, when they had a capital run from Kippax Park, to
ground in Renshaw. An hour and three minutes, and a nine-
mile point. Average sport was enjoyed up to Christmas, one
of the best runs taking place on December 13th, when they
met at Bardsey. They did not do much in the morning,

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 7^

but their afternoon fox led them a merry dance from Dog
Kennel Whin, by Hetchell, Bardsey, and Wike, and through
Harewood Wood to Alwoodley, where he saved his brush
by going to ground. It was a capital fifty-five minutes, and
without a check. On the 22nd they met at Garforth Bridge,
and ' found that good old fox in the whin at Kippax,' but
after running hard for a few minutes, scent began to fail,
and they ran the line out to nothing at Renshaw. A week
later [they had a hard day from the Boot and Shoe, finding
their fox in Parlington Old Wood at a quarter to three, and
racing him for fifty minutes, a ring back into the Hollins.
Then they hunted him on to Aberford, and finally had him
dead beat, but he managed to escape them.

The new year was ushered in with a good day, but
misfortune attended it ; and as is often the case, misfortune
did not come singly.

'January I St. Cross Roads, Bramham Moor. Found in Hazle-
' wood. A great number of foxes on foot. Hounds running
'very hard, at last went away through Bramham Park to
' Westwoods, back to the gardens, and killed. Hounds
' at work without ceasing an hour and forty-five minutes.
'Found at Oglethorpe Whin, ran prettily to Newton and
'Tadcaster, hunted on to Grimston, Renshaw, and Pate-
' field. One hour and a quarter, and lost. Unlucky day.
' W. Markham broke his leg ; W. Milner three ribs.'

There was that very unusual occurrence, — a blank day, on
March 12th, at Pool ; but it was easily accounted for by the
wild and stormy weather which prevailed about that time.
A few days later some distinguished visitors hunted with the
Bramham, and as is seldom the case when men come from
a distance to hunt, they were lucky enough to fall in for a
good run over a nice line. Here is what Mr. Fox has to
say about it : —

'March i8th. Marston. Found in Hutton Thorns, ran a bad
'ringing fox for an hour, lo.st. Found in J\larston Whin,

74 HISTORY OF THE B RAM HAM MOOR HUNT.

' ran a smart scurry, lost. Found at Collier Hagg, ran
'towards Angram, turned over Marston Hill, back by the
'village, left Hutton Thorns on the right, pointed for
' Calvert's Whin, turned to the left to Red House Wood, to
' ground. A very good forty minutes.'

The distinguished visitors were Mr. 'Jack' Thompson
and Capt. Percy Williams. The season ended on April 9th,
when they had an uneventful day from the Boot and Shoe.

1859-60. The season commenced auspiciously at Bram-
ham Park on August 29th, when, notwithstanding that the
morning was hot and dry, the young hounds got blood.
Rain fell shortly afterwards, and an exceptionally good cub-
hunting season took place, something like fifteen or sixteen
brace of foxes being killed. On October 29th a circumstance
occurred w'hich might have been attended with serious con-
sequences. Hounds met at Spacey Houses, and had not a
very great day's sport, but they killed a brace of cubs.
' Somewhere, ' says Mr. Fox, 'the hounds picked up poison;
' three couples began to reel about and tumble over. Old
' Bantling nearly died. Two couples more were taken ill on
' the way home. Treadwell got them home in a cart. They
'all recovered after medicine.' There is no more mention of
the mischance, nor is it accounted for in any way.

On December 3rd they had a clipper.

' Stutton Mill. Found in Tadcaster Willow-bed, a bad fox,
' ringing about Grimston Park. At last he went away,
' and we killed near Tolston. Laid the hounds on to
' another seen going towards the Willow Garth, hunted him
* away to Renshaw and back, and lost. Got on to another
' in Grimston Hills, went away down the park, came up to
' him in the fields near the Ulleskelf .Station. Ran him
' hard into the park, hunted him away to Jackdaw Crag,
' Hazlewood, and Hayton Wood. Here we changed, and
' ran a fresh fox hard by Becca and Potterton, and Tread-
' well stopped them with difficulty in the dark near .Scholes.
' Riot and Dorothy would not be stopped.'

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

75

They were a good deal bothered with frost in the latter
end of January, and all through February ; but Mr. Fox
was keen to steal a day whenever there was an opportunity,
and they had some capital runs when there was no chance
of making a start till noon. March came in well ; and taken
on the whole, the month was a good one, the following,
perhaps, being the best day's sport in it : —

' March 3rd. East Keswick. Found in Wike Clumps ; ran a
'smart burst towards Keswick, back to 11 are wood, across
' the park, back to the right through HoUin Hall Whin,
' down to Cardwick. Found in the willow bed ; went away
' to Cardwick, up to the right, skirted Hollin Hall Whin
' into Harewood Park, running fast to the Grey Stone, out
' at the end of the woods pointing for Eccup ; turned to
' the right for Arthington, up the hill again pointing for
' Cookridge, kept to the right, leaving Bramhope on the
' right, and caught him just before he reached the wall of
' the Chevin Park. One hour and fifteen minutes. A
' capital run ; horses all beat.'

Another day in March is worth recording, though there
is nothing very grand about the sport.

'March 26th. Harewood Bridge. Tried Riffa, Almscliflf Whin,
' Rigton j\Ioor, Thurtle's Whin, Walton Head : blank.
'Found in Spacey House Whin, a fox with his forelegs
' injured, having been in a trap. Found in Herbert's
' larches, ran to Spacey House Whin ; killed : a wretched
'fox without a single tooth. Found in the Cocked Hat
' Whin and killed a fox : skin and bones, no teeth, hair
' falling off him. The hounds refused to eat him. Some-
' thing curious : evident that the foxes were not right.'

The foxes to which Mr. Fox alludes were evidently
suffering from mange ; and the really curious part of the
thing is that it seems, so far as I can gather, to have been
an isolated case. The season, which ended on April 19th

76 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

with a fair day's sport at Bramham Park, was a good one,
though there was a lot of bad weather and frost, and Tread-
well had a score of fifty brace of foxes killed.

1 860-6 1. Those whose memory takes them back to the
year 1 860 do not need to be reminded of the sunless summer
for which it had such an ill reputation ; and as a natural
consequence of that sunless summer and consequent late
harvest, September was well advanced before the Bramham
Moor took the field. They had a short, but fairly prosperous
cub-hunting season. At the latter end of it Lord Palmerston
was a guest of Mr. Fox's, and would, he said, dearly have
liked a gallop, but he was obliged to go to London. The
regular season commenced on Monday, November 5th, when
they had a fair day's sport from Spacey Houses, the cream
of the clay being a very pretty forty minutes from Bathing-
House Whin to ground between Beckwithshaw and Rigton
Moor. On Friday following, when they met at Thorparch,
they foimd a fox in some standing oats, — sufficient proof of
the lateness of the season. Frost came early. On the 17th
hounds' feet were cut with it, and two days later they were
confined to the kennel. They were at work again in a couple
of days ; and then one good run followed another, till frost
put an end to hunting for upwards of a month. Nearly every
day is worthy of record, but I have only space for a couple
of these grand December runs.

'December 1. St. Harewood Bridge. Found in Swindon Wood ;
' hunted him very prettily to Almscliff, and killed. Fifty
'minutes. Found in Rougemont Carr; did not get well
' away with him, held on to Swindon Wood, away to
' Walton Head, hung in covert for some time, ran fast very
' nearly to Kirkby Overblow, back across part of the
' Haggs, skirted Spacey House Whin, along the back of
' Pannal to Harlow Carr. The hounds unfortunately
' divided in a cjuarry above Pannal, and did not catch the
' leading hounds till we got to Harlow Carr, Hunted

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 77

' through the plantation, leaving Birk Crag to the right,
' and carried him on about three miles, pointing for the
' Nidd. A good run, but getting late, and our horses not
' anxious to go on, we stopped. One hour and a half to
' Walton Head, one hour to Birk Crag. Very good and
' severe day.'

On the loth, they met at Cross Roads, Bramham, and
what they did that day is not Hkely to be forgotten, by
those who were out. There was not much scent, and as
usual under those circumstances, the fox hung about, and
they hunted him into Bramham village. He looked in at
the door of Miss Ledgard's house, and some hounds went
in and jumped through the drawing-room window. The
sport on the 1 5th is worthy of record for the curious
circumstance which took place : —

' Boot and .Shoe. Killed a lame fox from the small wood near
' Newfield. Found near the Boot and Shoe, and lost.
' Found in jMicklefield Wood, and ran a ring round the
' woods, then away by Led Mill to Bullen Wood, turned
' away from Heyton Wood, and killed a few fields below
'Jackdaw Crag. One hour, five minutes. A most curious
' occurrence, whilst the hounds were running into their fox,
'a fresh one jumped up, and was killed at the same moment.'

\^ery severe was the frost which set in two days later,
and on Christmas-day the thermometer was nine degrees
below zero. Sport was good when they got to work again,
but February was rather a broken month. March, however,
did well, and it opened with a glorious day's sport : —

'March ist. Tadcaster Bar. Found and killed in Catterton
' Wood. Found in Shire Oaks ; went away very fast
' towards Wighill, back towards Catterton, turned to the
' left to Healaugh village, came to a check at the gravel
' pits ; very fast, twenty-five minutes. Hunted slowly on
' towards Wighill, turned to the left to Healaugh House,

y8 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' through the policies, viewed the fox over Brooksbank's
' Bridge. A tremendous storm of wind and rain came
' on, still the bitches kept their noses down. Treadwell
' persevering, hunted through Tadcaster town, and down
' the Ings, killing the fox on the banks of the river behind
' Grimston. Two hours, ten minutes.'

This was indeed a remarkable run, and a triumph for
the huntsman, whose patience and perseverance under such
adverse circumstances are an example to all who carry the
horn ; and to their critics as well, for it is within the range
of possibility that there were some impatient gentlemen out
that day who dubbed Treadwell 'slow' when he was carefully
stickine to his hunted fox. Both huntsman and hounds
thoroughly deserved their fox. The season ended with a
good day's sport at Alwoodley Gates ; and the long frost
and late start notwithstanding, a rare good season had it
been, one good day following another from the beginning
to the end of it. They killed forty -nine brace during
the season.

1861-62. .September 2nd saw them at work again amongst
the cubs, and they accounted for fifteen brace of them before
commencement of the regular season. They commenced
the reqular season this year at Byram, — it will have already
been noticed that the Bramham Moor did not open at any
place regularly — and they had a good hunting run from
Huddlestone Wood, killing their fox at the end of an hour
and fifteen minutes, near Aberford Bar.

Fair sport was had through the month of November,
and at one time foxes seemed to run pretty constantly into
the Ainsty country. Indeed, on the 15th, when they met at
the Wild Man, they spent a great portion of the day in
their neighbours' country, for they lost their first fox at
Askham Bogs, and their second fox led them a ring by
Oxton and Palethorpe. A week later there happened a

THE RULE OE Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

79

curious series of misfortunes. Hounds met at Bickerton
Bar. It was a stormy day, there was not sufficient scent to
press a fox, and there was no sport worthy of record. Yet
on that uneventful day from a sporting standpoint, two horses
broke their backs, and another broke a leg. On F"riday,
December 20th, they had a typical Ingmanthorpe day,
which is worth recording. They did not, however, meet at
Ingmanthorpe.

'December 20th. Tadcaster Bar. Found in Shire Oaks; ran
'by Nova Scotia, Bilton village, to Bickerton Bar, nearly
'to Tockwith ; turned him, and pulled him down in a field
'on Skilbeck's farm. Forty minutes; fast. Found in Hall
'Park Spring; ran to Ingmanthorpe Willow Garth,
'Champagne Gorse, Hall Park Spring, round again a
'larger ring, into a hollow tree near Hall Park; bolted,
' ran him round the covert, forced him out, and killed.
' Two hours and twenty minutes ; first-rate hunting.'

The year ended uneventfully. Hounds, of course, were
kept in kennel on the day of the Prince Consort's funeral,
and after that there was a good deal of frost and fog.
The new year opened auspiciously, for though New Year's
Day was frosty, on the following day they had a good run,
of which a full account must be given : —

'January 2nd. North Deighton. Found in Deighton Spring;
'went away over the Crimple pointing for Spofforth, turned
'short to the left over the Crimple again; straight to
' Wetherby, leaving Stockeld Lodge two fields to the right,
'crossed the Wetherby road near the station, ran by
' Swinnow, by Ingmanthorpe Old Wood, and caught him
'below Geldart's plantation. Fifty minutes ; very fast ; no
' check. Found in Ribston Moor Whin ; came away
' along the Crimple bank, through Geldart's plantation,
'Ingmanthorpe Whin and Wood, to ground in a drain
' close to Cowthorpe village ; bolted, ran very quick to
'Wetherby, to ground in a rabbit-hole behind Mr. Ridsdale's
'wall. A capital day.'

So HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

There was a good deal of frost in [anuary, though
hounds were not stopped for many days together, but the
weather seems to have been very unsettled, and scent none
too good. On February 7th, a curious incident took place,
which I relate in Mr. Fox's own words: —

'February 7th. North Deighton. Found a fox in Ribston
' Whin ; went away to Armitage's plantation, down to the
' river, crossed, hunted towards Hunsingore, went to ground
'in a hedgerow near Walshford Bridge. Found at Stockeld,
' went away over Spofforth Haggs towards Rudding, down
' to the Crimple below Follifoot, changed foxes, leaving
* our run fox much beat, ran on to Rudding Park ; away
' again, bad scent. Jem came up with our run fox, the
'foot people having caught him. Turned him down, and
' killed.'

On the 28th they had a good hunting run, much of
which was over the York and Ainsty country.

'February 28th. Tadcaster Bar. Found in Catterton Wood;
' ran a ring, then away towards Oxton, leaving it on the
' right, ran down to the river and crossed ; the hounds
'racing him to Grimston Hills, turned him, and killed him
' by the roadside. Forty-five minutes. Found our second
' fox at Hutton Thorns ; ran at the back of Rufforth, left
'Swann's Whin on the left, crossed Angram bottoms, left
' Healaugh village on the left, ran on the right of Nova
'Scotia; and lost near Bilton church. An hour and twenty
' minutes ; good hunting run.'

They hunted on till late into April, the last day being
on the 2ist, when they met at Bishop Woods. They had
an hour and five minutes' hunting in the woods, and killed ;
then ended the day by drawing Brex and Milford Woods
blank. The season was only a middling one, scent being
indifferent on the whole, but they had some good sport in
December and January. They killed fifty-two brace of foxes.

THE RULE OF Mr! GEORGE LANE FOX. gi

1862-63. The harvest was a late one, and much corn
was uncut when the cub-hunting season started on September
20th, at Bramham Park. Although it was a short cubbing
season it was a fairly successful one, ten and a half brace of
cubs being accounted for. Fog and frost seem to have taken it
in turns to hinder and embarrass hunting men. The opening
day of the season was at Riffa, on November 3rd, and then
they had to wait a considerable time f<M- the fog to clear.
It only partially cleared, however, and hounds, who had found
in Riffa Wood, were soon lost. They ran straight to Boar
Holes, where they were found at an earth, having marked
their fox to ground. The day was a very moderate one,
and is only mentioned as an example of the troubles which
were to follow in November. They had one or two very
good runs, notably a hard day on the 15th, from Plompton
Bar. They were running hard all day, and finally killed
a fox near Compton. Mr. Pox characterises the day's sport
as 'excellent hunting.'

If November had brought store of disappointments,
December began well, and went on even better. The first
dav thev had in their Pridav countrv in P^ecember was a
forecast of what was to happen later.

'December 5th. Deighton Bar. Found in Ingmanthorpe
' Whin ; went away to Geldart's plantation, short back,
'crossed the Boroughbridge road, pointing for North
' Deighton ; straight to the river Nidd, crossed between
' Walshford and Ribston bridges, across Ribston Park,
' over the river again beyond the house, through Bramham
' Wood, left Plompton Rocks on the right up to Rudding
' Park, ran on the low side, came to a check on the bleach-
' ground. Fifty minutes; never cast. Hunted along the
' Crimple side, and by Mr. Redcliffe's farm towards Spacey
' House Whin. Here we were unfortunately hallooed away
'with a fresh fox, and were beat.'

82 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT

This was a good enough day, but beside that which took
place on the following Friday it shows but as an indifferent
one. It will be noticed that in both these good runs part
of the York and Ainsty country was crossed.

'December 12th. The Wild Man. Found at Catterton Wood ;
'hunted by Angram bottoms to Swann's Whin ; and at
'the back of Askham, lost. Found in Duce Wood; ran
' to Nova Scotia and Bilton Wood, headed back through
' Nova Scotia, set to work running very fast to Shire Oaks,
'round the wood; after being headed back once, went
' away, leaving Healaugh village on the left. Had a very
'long check at Hell Holes. The fox having pointed for
' -Swann's Whin, and headed short back on his line, hunted
'him slowly towards Bilbrough, viewed him going on
'beyond the Whin, left the Wild Man on the left, ran fast,
'leaving Colton Hagg on the left, Copmanthorpe station
'on the left, nearly to Bishopthorpe. Hunted through
'some gardens, crossed the Acaster road, down towards
' the river, came up to him, and ran into him near the
' palace. Two hours and forty minutes ; an excellent
' day's sport.'

Frost and fog had been troublesome in the early part
of the season, and with the new year there were floods to
contend with. Scent was bad on the whole, and the sport
was scarcely up to the average, but several foxes were
' walked to death,' of which the following is an instance : —

'January 31st. Towton. Found in Patefield Wood and
' Renshaw ; no scent. Found in the little covert by the
' Ulleskelf drain ; ivalked after him to Grimston, got near
'him, hunted into Renshaw; began to mend our pace, ran
' to Saxton Carr, left .Scarthingwell on the right, and
' Sherburn, and at Milford a sheep-dog killed him. The
' men on an engine picked him up, and threw him down
' to us when we came up, and hounds eat him. About
' fifty minutes.'

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 83

The sheep-dog had evidently only anticipated matters ;
and the incident of the men on the engine giving the dead
fox up on the hounds making their appearance, is only
another instance of that sporting spirit which pervades all
ranks of society in Yorkshire. A bad scenting season was
brought to an end at Bishop Woods on April 14th, where
they found and killed a three-legged fox.

1863-64. Harvest was early this year, and hounds were
enabled to make a start three weeks sooner than they had
done in the preceding season. Most of the corn was cut in
August ; and they commenced on the 31st at Bramham Park,
finding a rare show of cubs in Blackfen, and though the
morning was a hot one, and scent was wretched, they
managed to get hold of a cub. They got hold of a fair
number of cubs, and we find the remarks, ' No scent, but
'good hunting,' and 'No scent,' with frequency. Sport during
November continued to be indifferent ; but the month wound
up well, as the following extract from the diary proves : —

'November 30th. Scholes. Found in Temple Newsam, ran to
'ground. Found again, went away quick, leaving Garforth
' on the left, to the lime-pits, ran to ground in a rabbit-
'hole, dug, and killed. Bolted another fox out of the
'same place, hunted him slowly by Garforth, Borraby ; left
' Seacroft on the right, to Temple Newsam, across the park,
' through Belmont Wood, over by Halton, nearly to Killing-
' beck. Gave him up in the dark.'

Those whose hunting experience is a long one will have
found in the course of it that occasionally in a bad scenting
season, when one bad day's sport succeeds another, — when a
brilliant gallop is almost unknown, and when the best that we
can come across is a fair hunting run, — that one or two runs
of exceptional brilliancy, — runs which go to the making of
history, and which would even grace the best season on
record, — take place. They also occasionally take place on a

84 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

very unpromising morning, when sport is little expected.
Such was the case in the season under review, which, with
the exception of the one or two runs of which I proceed to
give an account, was the worst of the seventeen in which
Treadwell carried the horn at Bramham Park.

' December gth. Brayton Barf. The Barf, Hambleton Hough,
' Gateforth, and Birkin Spring, — blank. Found in Birkin
' Willow-bed, ran him, leaving Birkin village on the right,
' Byram on the left, over Buttress Hill, nearly to Mr. Paver's
' house, pointing for the Boot and Shoe. Turned to the
' right, left Lumley and South Milford on the right, nearly
' to Milford Woods, raced him a few fields towards the
' station, and killed handsomely. A fine run ; one hour
' and fifty minutes.'

A good enough run that, but nothing to what was to take
place on the following Wednesday, when it may be remarked
the weather was unpropitious, and the country in which they
met was not a very good one.

'December i6th. Harrogate. Rough morning. Found in the
' Bilton Banks, ran a ring towards Bilton, Harrogate, and
' back. Did the same ring again. Heavy showers ; not
' much chance of sport. Again the fox went out a few fields,
' the hounds got on good terms with him at the Bilton end
' of the banks, rattled him along down the banks, and
.'.crossed the river; ran him fast, away nearly to Nidd Hall.
'Treadwell and Johnson caught them after crossing the
' Scotton road. They went forward, leaving Cayton Gill on
'the right, by the house at Markington, over How Hill,
' into Studley. Ran by the abbey, out at the top of the
'park, back again across the park, again over the wall, and
' he dodged us somehow near the road between Studley
' and Bishopton. The park walls saved the life of this
'extraordinary fox. A wonderful fine run, and terrible day
'for hounds and horses. Twenty-seven miles home, arriving
' at the kennels at nine o'clock. Few people crossed the
'river, and therefore lost the run of the season.'

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 85

It will be noticed that part of this extraordinary run was
over the York and Ainsty Thursday country, and that it
finished in the Bedale country. It only wanted a kill at the
end of it to make it perfect ; and it does not require much
imagination to picture the scene in Studley Park as hounds
were scurrying their fox to and fro on that dark December
afternoon. Nor does it require much imagination to picture
the chagrin of those who did not cross the river, when they
met their more enterprising friends on Friday morning at
Marston village. How the latter would glow as they told
the story ! They would probably forget the stern chase they
had before they got on terms with hounds after crossing the
river ; but they would not forget to describe how hounds
had raced over the grass, nor to dilate on the merits of
that gallant fox, and the glories of the wonderful run he
had shown them.

They had another good run on the 30th, but sport was
indifferent on the whole, and the only other extract I shall
make refers to a good day in early February. There had
been frost in January, but February opened all right so far
as the weather was concerned.

' February 4th. Cross Roads, Clifford Moor. Found in Wetherby
' Grange Wood, went away by Compton to Lady Woods,
' away by Lund Wood, fast towards Rigton, by Jenison's
' Woods, to Langwith. Along the river bank towards
'Wetherby, back to Wetherby Grange, came away again
'by Compton, leaving it on the left, by Rigton, Hetchell,
'Dog Kennel Whin, Norwood bottoms, a good pace
' through Saw Woods to Mr. Skelton's house, came up to
' the fox, raced him towards Merrick, turned back to
'Thorner, to ground. Dug him out, and killed. A ct.pital
' run ; two hours.'

It was seldom that the spade was used under Mr. Fox's
rule ; but if ever hounds deserved a fox, it was after this

L

86 HISTORY OF THE PRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

capital run. The season was brought to a close on April 19th
at Harrogate, when they had a sharp scurry from Rigton
Moor to Boar Holes. Mr. Fox sums up the situation briefly
in the words : ' Bad scent most of the season.'

1S64-65. On September 3rd, at 5 a.m., they were
amongst the cubs again, meeting at Blackfen, where they
found plenty of cubs ; and after a hard morning's work, in
close weather and with a bad scent, they got blood. It is
not specified when the regular season commenced, and there
is no account of any hunting between Saturday, October 29th,
when they met at Harewood and had a fair good day, and
Friday, November 4th, when they met at Bickerton Bar, and
we read they had 'no scent' This is a curious omission, if
it is an omission, for Mr. Fox was always very particular in
chronicling any circumstance which prevented his being with
hounds, or which kept hounds out of the field. Stormy and
bad-scenting weather seems to have prevailed in November ;
but in early December they did better. On the 5th they had
a good day in their west country.

' December 5th. Arthington. Found in Darwin's covert at
' the bottom of the hill ; ran a ring, then to Briary Spring,
' back again, and killed by the viaduct over the river.
'Found in the whin on the top of the hill; ran quick
' to the Grey Stone Whin at Harewood, back towards
• Rawdon Hill ; lost. Found in Wike Clumps ; ran to
' Schoolhouse Whin, and killed. A fox viewed coming
' away from Hollin Hall, ran towards Keswick, by Bardsey,
' left Ruler on the right, Spring Wood on the right, and
' lost him below Keswick.'

Not a very great day when compared with some that
have been recorded in these pages, but still there was always
plenty to do. On the 9th, hounds met at Tockwith, and
had a fair day's hunting, which, however, was marred by an

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. g;

awkward accident which befell Captain F"ox. The diary-
records how ' Dick had a very bad fall over timber, and
' was taken home in a carriage. No bones broken, but much
' crushed.' There was a typical Thorp Arch day on the i6th : —

'December i6th. Thorp Arch. Found in Hall Park Springs,
' went away to Bickerton Spring, crossed the York road,
'pointed for Cowthorpe Woods. Scent failed. We got
' upon a fox, certainly the same, ran him to the river, nearly
'to Cattal Bridge, turned up towards Bickerton, back by
' Cowthorpe Wood, to the river side, came up again, left
'Bickerton on the left, by Hall Park Springs to Walton
' Wood ; gave him a turn in covert, and killed outside the
' wood. Good hunting. Two hours and fifteen minutes.
' Found at Champagne Gorse ; no scent.'

Frost and snow bothered them no little in December and
January, but they had one or two very good gallops when
they were out, one of which I give ;^

'January iith. Stutton jMill. Found in Grimston Hill; lost.
' Found in Renshaw, and after ringing about, ran him
' towards Ulleskelf, back into Grimston Park, and killed at
' the gates. Found in Heyton Wood, ran away towards
'Aberford, through Hazlewood, away to Jackdaw Crag,
'.Stutton, Renshaw, away along the Cock side, nearly to
' Led Mill. Turned right back to Hazlewood, away again,
' and ran into a drain just as they were catching him,
'under the turnpike road beyond Headley Bar. One hour,
' twenty minutes. Good day.'

Again came frost and snow in the latter part of the
month, to be continued in early February ; but a day was
stolen, and a good day it proved to be, between the storms,
which Mr. Fox missed, much to his disappointment, as may
be imagined.

'February 3rd. Tadcaster Bar. Was in London myself, and
' a stupid mistake about sending a telegram for me,

88 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

'prevented my knowing that in Yorkshire snow had gone,
'whilst the jMidland counties were covered. They found
'in Catterton, and could do nothing. Found late, after
' drawing miles of country, at Cowthorpe ; went away for
' Tockwith, crossed the Nidd, went by Scathemoor and
' Hopperton, crossed the Boroughbridge road, through
' Ribston plantations nearly to the house at Ribston,
'turned him in the park, and killed him at the corner of
'the covert. An hour and ten minutes; a first-rate run.'

It was this year that the Grand National Hunt Meeting
was held at Wetherl^y, and on March 31st, which was the
day after the concluding day of the meeting, hounds met
at Walton, and no doubt there would be a many strangers
out on that day. There was nothing very brilliant in the
way of a gallop, but visitors had a chance of seeing how
the Bramham hounds could hunt under difficulties.

'March 31st. Walton. Day after the Grand National Hunt
' Steeplechases at Wetherby. Tried all Ingmanthorpe,
' Cowthorpe, and Wighill, — blank. Found at Catterton ;
'went away over the York road towards Appleton, back
'by Colton, Bilbrough, towards Askham, back to Catterton.
' Very dry ; cold hunting. Two hours and thirty minutes.'

The season terminated on April iSth.

'April 1 8th. Micklefield ; 8 a.m. Very hot ; thunder showers.
' Found in Huddlestone Wood ; very bad scent ; could not
' kill. A bad scenting season. All November and December
'very dry. A good deal of frost and snow in the middle
' of the winter, then dry north-east winds. By constant
'perseverance, Treadwell managed to kill fifty-five brace
' of foxes.'

This was Treadwell's last season, and perhaps when the
extraordinary difficulties which a succession of such awkward
weather brings about are taken into consideration, it was his
most successful one. He died suddenly on a .Sunday evening

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

89

in June, when apparently in the enjoyment of robust health.
Mr. Fox alludes to him in the following words : ' On the
'iSth of June, Sunday evening, poor Treadwell died suddenly.
' He hunted these hounds in my service seventeen years,
' and six seasons before that with the Earl of Harewood,
'making twenty-three years with this pack. He was sixty-
' two years of age, and appeared a very strong man.'

/■A'ga.r'V//.

'(^

, '^

CHAPTER V.

The Rule of Mr. George Lane Fox {contiinied).

THE IIISTOKV OF THE HUNT FROM STEPHEN GOODALI, TO
GEORGE KINGSBURY.

After a long and uninterrupted period during which little
change has taken place, it not infrequently happens that
changes come with rapidity, and that one break leads to a
series. Such was the case with the Bramham Moor Hunt.
With the death of Treadwell' ended the first of the three
periods into which Mr. Fox's mastership may be fitly divided,
and now comes a time when changes, if not exactly frequent,
were yet frequent for the Bramham Moor Hunt. During
the twelve seasons of which this second period is comprised,
four huntsmen carried the horn, namely : Stephen Goodall,
Fred Turpin, Goddard Morgan (the brother of hard-riding
Ben, by whom the Yorkshire woldsmen still swear), and
George Kingsbury.

Stephen Goodall came over from Ireland, and assumed
the command on August ist, 1865, and he commenced his
first season's cub-hunting on September 2nd, with Ned
Johnson still occupying the place of first whipper-in.

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. gj

1865-66. There is not much record of Goodall's first
day's hunting in his new country, but it seems to have been
a satisfactory one. They met at Blackfen at five a.m.,
'found cubs, and Icilled a brace after work.' On the 8th,
they had a 'screaming scent,' and when there is a really
good scent in September, hounds run as they never do till
the season gets well advanced, especially in the woodlands.
The morning was a very hot one, and as they met at
Stockeld Park, they did not throw off till six o'clock.
'They ran hard for thirty-five minutes, and killed. Again
'in Devonshire Whin, twenty - five minutes, and killed.'
Twice does Mr. Fox allude to the good scent, which indeed
seems to have been exceptional.* They had another good
morning on September 22nd, when Mr. Fox remarks that
scent was not bad. They were at Harewood, where they
found a capital show of foxes, and after a very hard morning,
in which hounds seem to have given every satisfaction, they
killed a leash. The cub-hunting was very successful, and
the early days of November produced good sport. The
first advertised day is not specially mentioned, but it would
probably be Monday, October 30th, when they met at
Alwoodley Gates, and had an uneventful day's sport.
The first run out of the common took place about a
fortnight later : — ■

'November 15th. Boot and Shoe. Found at the wood below
' Paver's house ; lost him after a ring. Found in Fairburn
' Willow Bed ; went away to Brotherton Willow Beds ;
' two or three foxes, came away with one over the road,
' pointed for Buttress Hill, passed Lumley, nearly to
' Mr. Paver's, by Ledsham, pointed for Fairburn ; again
'went to the left, and killed at Buttress Hill. Capital
' hunting run ; two hours and four minutes.'

* Speaking of a good scent in Septembei', I once saw hounds get away with
a good old fox in a moorland country, and they gave him such a dusting up
before they killed him that horses had had more than enough. Moreover, they
had not such another good run till well into November.

92 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

Ten days after there was a run in the western division
of the country, which is worth recording for more reasons
than one : —

' November 25th. Spacey House Whin. Very wet ; found in
' the whin ; hunted towards Rudding and back, away by
' Pannal ; no scent ; gave him up. Came back towards
' Bathing House, saw a fox crossing the road, ran to the
' covert near the Rudding' Farm ; lost. Found in the
' park ; ran round the house, away over the Follifoot road
' and railroad, turned to the right, went over the Crimplej
' leaving the viaduct on the left, straight to the Harrogate
' Gazeboo ; forward, leaving Birk Crag on the left, and
'ran to a house on the Skipton and Harrogate road. No
'doubt the fox went into the house, but we could not find
'him. A good run; one hour and twenty minutes.'

Most men who have hunted for a long time can relate
a somewhat similar experience, and foxes take to houses
and outbuildings when hard pressed much more frequently
than is supposed. Hounds continued to have good sport
throughout December, the two following runs being nearly
typical ones, and they certainly cannot be said to stand out
as very superior to the many good runs which took place
during the month : —

' December 20tli. Boot and Shoe. Found in Peckfield
' Plantation ; hunted into the Ledsham Plantations,
' Micklefield Woods, and Huddlestone Wood, then ran to
' ground. Found another, and after ringing in covert
'for some time, killed. Found in Wheat Wood; ran
' through Ringhay, by the fox coverts to Huddlestone
' Wood and Micklefield Wood ; away, leaving the village
' on the left, towards Stourton Grove, left it on the right,
'turned back, leaving Peckfield Bar on the right, ran him
'back to the woods, and killed. One hour and twenty
' minutes ; a good day.'

'Pecember 2 3nd. Tadcaster Bar. Found in Shire Oaks; lost.

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 93

'Found in Duce Wood; ran over Fairy Cars, turned to
' the left to Bilton, Nova Scotia, away again across Fairy
' Cars down to Hutton, left it on the left, and hunted
' to Wilstrop ; came up to our fox, and gave him a turn
' round the wood, then away by the Rasli up to Marston
'village, crossed the Wetherby road and back, pulling him
'down in the middle of a field next to Marston Whin.
'Two hours and fourteen minutes: good run.'

On January 29th there was one of those instances of
the difticLihy which exists in forecasting sport. They met
at Riffa ; the wind blowing a gale. They found at once,
and raced their fox for twenty -five minutes up wind to
Lindley Wood ; here they turned down wind, and hunted back
for a couple of miles, running their fox into a drain, into
which he was followed by a hound, who bolted him, and
he was killed. Mr. Fox calls this a brilliant run.

Good sport continued through January and February, and
scarcely ever do the ominous words ' bad scenting ' appear.
Even when March came in, the good sport continued, and
up to the end of the season good run followed good run.
Indeed, to do justice to this season, I ought almost to give
a history of every day, for the moderate days are very
rare indeed.

' February 8th. Wetherby Grange. Found in the wood ; wild
' and windy ; fox headed, &c. Found in Ray Wood ; away
' on the river side, left Chestnut Grove on the right,
' crossed Clifford Moor to Westwoods, turned away to
' Compton, back to Wetherby Grange ; crossed the river
' below the Flint ]\Iill, hounds racing the fox on the side
' of the river to Thorp Arch. He went into the river,
' swam down the middle of the stream, and, unfortunately,
'a hound (Riot) seeing him land, seized him; Ned Johnson
' tried to get hold of him, but he got away ; two hounds
' caught him in the water, and he sank. Good run ; an
' hour and twenty minutes.'

94

HISTORY OF THE BRAAJHAM MOOR HUNT.

'February i6th. Thorp Arch. Found, and after hanging a
' little, went away to the station and down to the river ;
'ran the Ings, crossed the road to Shire Oaks, left
' Catterton on the right, along Angram bottoms, nearly to
'Angram village; turned to the left to Fairy Cars, Nova
' Scotia, left Wighill on the left, passing Hall Park
' Springs, close by Walton village, back to the left to the
'field next Walton Wood. Here we had a long check in
'consequence of listening to a man. At last recovered
'the line, hunted slowly away, pointing for Wighill village;
'came up to him in a small spinney on Stephenson's
'farm, ran him by Duce Wood, left Healaugh Church on
' the right, close to Angram, turned to the right, left
' Bilbrough Whin on the left to Catterton Whin, and
'caught him. Three hourSj twenty minutes. A first-rate
' run ; parts of it fast.'

I have two or three accounts of this run, but preferred
to give Mr. Fox's ' plain unvarnished tale.' There was a
short check close to Angram villatje, hounds having: run
about eight miles straight without a check, and it should
be added that they got a very good start with their fox,
and nearly chopped him at first. After they turned to the
left over Fairy Cars, the fox never touched one of the
coverts named, and it was slow hunting all the way to
Walton Wood. Here a rustic informed Goodall that his
fox had gone on, and anxious to get on better terms with
him, he cast hounds round the wood, and of course failed
to hit off the line. He then went back to where hounds
had last owned it. They picked up a line. Lexicon, Flasher,
and Sportsman, particularly distinguishing themselves, and
at little more than walking pace they hunted on to Wighill
village. After that, the pace improved, and was as fast as
anyone wanted, and faster than suited many, till the end
came. Amongst those who had had enough was Goodall,
and in his absence Mr. Fox took hold of hounds himself,

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 95

and made a good cast at a critical part of the run.
Mr. Tom Fairfax, Captain Fairfax, Mr. E. Robinson, Lord
Wenlock, Col. Markham, Mr. Ledgard, Mr. Brady Nicholson,
Mr. Kendall, Mr. Wicklow (query, is this name meant for
Mr. Wickham.''), and Captain Lane Fox : all went well. It
should be added that it is computed by one historian of the
run that the distance covered was twenty-three miles.

'March 16th. j\Iarston. Hutton Thorns, blank; ditto Nova
' Scotia. Found at Duce Wood ; went away, and unluckily
'killed a vixen. Found at Catterton Spring; ran, leaving
' Shire Oaks on the left, Duce Wood on the right, over
' Marston .Sand Hill, back to Hutton Hall, Collier Hagg";
' left Angram on the left, Healaugh on the left, Duce Wood
'on the right. Shire Oaks on the right, to Healaugh Hall,
'into the park, out again towards Tadcaster, and though
' we saw the fox, we could not catch him. Scent bad ;
' pretty hunting ; lost him at Catterton Wood. Three
' hours and ten minutes.'

'March 23rd. Thorp Arch. Found in Hall Park Springs;
' away towards Champagne Gorse, turned to the right to
'Walton Whin, and killed. Found in Champagne Gorse;
'lost. Found in Ingmanthorpe Woods; away to Horn
'Bank, down the railway by Thorp Arch to the river, back
'by the village to Champagne Gorse. Came up to a fox
' at Geldart's plantation ; hunted him into Ingmanthorpe
'Wood, to the whin, to Sandbeck Wood; changed foxes,
' ran quick to Horn Bank, back to a drain under the
'Walton road, bolted, and killed at Horn Bank. Hard day.'

'April 7th. Alwoodley Crag. Found (after drawing Wheat
'Wood, Ireland Wood, Mosley Wood, &c., blank) at
' Cookridge ; ran to Black Hills, back again, away to
'the rough stones on the Bramhope Tunnel, to ground.
' Another fox was viewed at the same time, and we got on
' him, and ran back by Cookridge, skirted Black Hills,
' fast to Alwoodley Crag, on to Scotland Wood, left
' Meanwood on the right, close to Chapeltown, pointed for

96 HISTORY OF THE B RAM HAM MOOR HUNT.

' Roundhay, turned to the right, and killed at Gledhow.
' Good run ; one hour and five minutes.'

This excellent season was brought to a close on April
1 8th, at Bramham Park, where they had a good day's sport
for the time of year. It was a broiling hot morning, and
there was a great Leeds crowd out. They found a fox at
Blackfen, and ran him towards Becca, but he was headed,
and killed near the Lodge. Then they had a smart little
scurry from Westwoods, by Wetherby Grange, and over the
river, marking their fox to ground at Thorp Arch. 'A very
'good season, constant sport, and hunted foxes well, killing
'seventy brace,' is the master's summary of the season.

1866-67. Next season commenced on .September 8th,
when they met at Bramham Park, at five o'clock in the
morning. It was a very backward season, and most of the
corn was uncut and sprouting. The very wet weather was,
however, favourable for scent, and a capital cub-hunting
season was brought to a close on October 27th, with a total
of fifteen brace killed. The regular season opened on
October 29th, at Beckwithshaw Bar, but nothing was done,
the day being very wild and windy. The opening week of
the season was, however, productive of good sport, and on
Friday, at the Wild Man, they had a lively day, killing two
brace of foxes. The first they chopped ; but the second they
killed in the open, after a burst of twenty-five minutes ; the
third they ran thirty minutes, and killed in the open ; and
the fourth, which they found in Walton Wood, — which, by
the way, was full of foxes, — was killed after forty minutes'
good work in covert. On the following day, they had
forty-five minutes from Riffa without a check, killing their
fox in Dog Kennel Wood,^ — a first-rate run.

On Wednesday, November 7th, Captain Lane Fox met
with a serious accident which laid him up for a long time.
The morning was a wild one, and so terrible was the gale

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 97

that they gave up hunting. On the road home, the mare
he was riding took fright at Wetherby Grange Lodge when
he was opening a gate, and whipping round suddenly, she
began to plunge violently, and Captain Fox being taken by
surprise, was unseated, falling on to his head with great
violence. He had a severe concussion of the brain, but
the doctors were hopeful after the first few days, and on
Monday he was so far out of danger that Mr. Fox was
once more able to get out with hounds. There was a touch
of frost in November, and hounds were stopped a few times;
but December was an open month, and during both months
the average of sport was high. Three December days may
be given as a sample of what took place nearly every day: — •

' December Sth. Kiddal Lane. Drew Barnbow Wood, blank.
' Found at Parlington HoUins ; away through the garden,
' across the park, over Hook Moor to Payne Hall Wood,
' Wheat Wood, Daniel Hartley, the fox coverts, pointing for
' Led Mill ; back by Lotherton to Payne Hall Wood and
' Ringhay, hunted slowly to Huddlestone Wood, and ran
' a fox to ground in Castle Hill, near the Boot and Shoe.
' Two hours ; dug, and killed.'

' December 26th. Boot and Shoe. Found at once ; went away
' towards Micklefield coal-pit, turned to the left by Peck-
' field Bar to Kippax. Twenty minutes; very fast. He
'ran two or three times up and down the garden, then
' away for a few fields, pointing back, and was run into
' very smart. Found in Newfield ; away towards the
' North Road, turned to the left, crossed Ledsham Park to
'Peckfield Bar, turned to the left, left Sheep Carr Wood
' on the left, to Plaster Pit. Here he laid down, and we
' killed. Forty minutes ; top pace. Found in Micklefield
' Wood ; away through Huddlestone Wood, straight over
'the open, leaving Huddlestone Hall and the fox coverts
' on the left, to Saxton village. Thirty minutes ; came to
' a long check ; hunted to ground at Castle Hill : good
'day's sport.'

98 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT

'December 2gth. Harewood Bridge. Found in Rougemont
'Carr; a\\ay towards Swindon, turned over the hill and
' down into Weeton bottoms, and caught him. Seventeen
' minutes. Found in Swindon Wood ; ran ten minutes in
' covert, then away, leaving Kirkby Overblow on the right
'to Herbert's Larches, down into the Haggs, pointing for
' Spofforth, crossed the Spofforth road and railroad, left
' Follifoot on the left, crossed the Crimple, left Braham
'Wood on the right, and ran straight to the Nidd, crossing
'and running to ground on the opposite bank of the river.
' One hour and five minutes out of covert : a famous run.'

What a bold fox this must have been to have crossed the
Nidd after such a dressing as he had got !

After Christinas, or to be more correct, after the new year
set in, eood runs were few and far between. Here is one,
however, which is worth recording : —

'March i6th. Bardsey. Found in Hetchell, went away to
' Scarcroft, left Thorner on the left, Mr. Skelton's house on
'the left, to the coverts behind Scarcroft; here a long
'check. Hit him off towards Merrick, hunted him nearly
' to Barwick, turned to the left to Saw Wood, straight
' through the wood, left Thorner on the left to Hetchell,
' Rigton, left Bardsey on the left, through Scarcroft
' plantations, by Eltofts, and ran into a drain in the bottom
'close to Thorner; bolted and killed. A capital run; two
' hours, fifty minutes.'

The last day of the season took place on April 15th at
Parlington, where they found plenty of foxes, but there was
no scent ; and they did not kill, though they hunted up to
seven o'clock. It was a good season up to Christmas ; after
that, there was not much sport. Sixty-three brace of foxes
were killed.

There was a good deal of frost early in the year, and in
relation to the frost an amusing incident took pUtce. Captain
Fairfax, afterwards the master of the York and Ainsty, had

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

99

qot together a pack of harriers some time in 1866, and these
he hunted from Newton Kyme. Tired of the long enforced
idleness, one afternoon in January Captain Fairfax got his
hounds out, and proceeded to try for a hare in the pleasure-
grounds at Newton Kyme. He thought that he could easily
keep within touch of his harriers in the snow, for jumping
was of course quite out of the question. But he was in for
something bigger than he anticipated. Instead of a hare it
was a fox they found in the pleasure-grounds, and at a rare
pace the little hounds rattled him along straight to Bramham
Park. There Captain Fairfax happened to get to them, and
managed to get them stopped. Mr. Fox heard them running,
and went out to see what it was ; and he afterwards wrote
an account of what had occurred to the Hon. ' Bob' Grimston.
This was an opportunity not to be missed ; and that gentle-
man wrote to Nevvcome Mason, — ' George Lane Fox has
' been out ivith the harriers on foot. What a come down ! '
Goodall left at the end of this season, going to the
V.W. H., whilst Turpin, who had been in that country, came
northward. In the sporting magazines and newspapers of
the day we read that ' Goodall continues to delight his field
'by his energy and perseverance'; but he had rather too
much energy for Mr. Fox, who did not care to see his
hounds galloped for miles without a line. He was thoroughly
miserable at times when he saw the methods of Goodall,
who did not settle down with time.

1867-68. Fred Turpin made a rare start amongst the
cubs, Blackfen being the place where the start was made.
They had a rare morning's work, killing a leash. It was an
exceptionally good cub-hunting season, hounds getting hold
of twenty-one brace of foxes. The first open day was on
Monday, November 4th, at Riffa ; and a very good day it
was, Turpin killing a leash of foxes, as he had done on his
first morning's cub-hunting : —

lOO HISTORY OF THE BRA M HAM MOOR HUNT.

' November 4th. RitFa. Found in the wood, killed. Went
' away to Stainburn Gill to ground. Found in Swindon
' Wood, ran a ring, then away to Walton Head Whin to
' ground. Found in Cocked Hat Whin, ran a ring, then
' away towards Kirkby Overblow, down into the Punch
'Bowl, straight to the river, turned to the left up the hill,
' skirted Clap Wood, left Cocked Hat on the right, turned
' again to the Punch Bowl, crossed it pointing for Harewood
' Bridge, left Swindon Wood on the right straight to
' Rougemont Carr, and killed. The last time away from
' the whin, an hour and forty minutes. Many horses tired.'

On the iith, though they had not a very great day,
Mr. Fo.x's remarks thereon are worth quoting, as showing
how his huntsman and hounds had pleased him : —

' November i ith. North Deighton. Found, went away, a ring, —
' no scent. Found at Stockeld, lost. Found at Woodhall,
' hunted a ring, crossed the river, ran by Compton to
' Wetherby Grange, and killed. Good ivork, — ivcll done.'

During Turpin's temporary absence, owing to illness, the
hounds were hunted by Ned Johnson, who still continued to
hold the first whipper-in's situation. One of Ned Johnson's
days is worth giving : — -

'November 29th. Marston. Found in Hutton Thorns, ran to
' Collier Hagg, back by Rufforth to Wilstrop, then a ring
' out towards Tockvvith, back to the wood, and lost. First
' forty minutes, good. Found in Marston Whin, ran to
' Wilstrop, Skip Bridge, back through the wood, left
' Hutton Thorns on the right, Angram on the left, by
' Bilbrough, Colton Hagg, and stopped the hounds near
' vStub Wood. Two hours and twenty-five minutes' good
'hunting.'

Turpin was soon at work again, and he had a capital day
the first time he was out after his illness. A few days after-
wards he showed famous sport, though it was in some respects
a disappointing day : —

1

^

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LAI\E FOX. iqi

'December i6th. Harewood Bridge. Found in Rougemont
' Carr, went away straight over the Punch Bowl to within a
'field of the Cocked Hat Whin. Thirty-six. minutes ; very
'fast. Few horses could live with the hounds. A long
' check ; then, unfortunately, a fresh fox was hallooed, and
' we lost. Found in Walton Head, killed beyond Spacey
' House Whin. Found at Swindon Wood, ran into Weeton
' bottoms. Two couples and a half went back by Walton
' Head, and killed their fox; the body of the pack lost theirs.'

On Christmas Eve they had a good gallop, though it had
disappointing finish for huntsman and hounds : —

' December 24th. Church Fenton. Tried most of the Ryther
' woods, blank. Found in a little covert below Ryther,
' ran to ground in the village. Found in the willow bed
' opposite Nun Appleton, went away very fast to Ulleskelf
' Common, crossed the railway, ran to the back of the
' paddocks at Grimston, turned to the right, crossed the
' river near the railway bridge, ran up to Oxton village,
' turned to Pallethorpe, back to the willow bed near Bolton
' station, close to him, ran to the little wood near Steeton
'Whin. Fifty minutes. Here we had several foxes on
' foot, and lost him.'

'January 13th. Stutton Mill. Found in Tadcaster Willow Bed,
' away through Grimston Hills, Renshaw to Towton, and
' killed. Found in Patefield Woods, ran twice round the
' covert, and killed. Found in Renshaw, ran to ground.
' Found in Heyton Wood, away by Bullen Wood, pointed
' for Renshaw, back to the left, through Hazlewood, Hayton
' Wood, Bullen Wood, Renshaw, Towton, back to Renshaw,
' came up to him. Away again to Towton Spring, Patefield
'Wood, nearly to Church Fenton station, back to the right
' to Scarthingwell, crossed the water, through the park,
' away pointing for Saxton, turned back, and pulled him
' down as he tried to jump the park wall. Two hours'
' good work.'

'January 20th. Boot and Shoe. Found our first fox at Plaster

N

#

I02 HISTORY OF THE PRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' Pit Wood, and killed near Burton Salmon. Thirty-five
'minutes. Second fox, Micklefield Wood. A smoking
' twenty-five minutes, and killed. Our third fox we saw
'going into Daniel Hartley's, ran to Lotherton, Aberford,
' back to Payne Hall Wood nearly to Micklefield, back to
' Parlington by Scholes, left Merrick Hall on the right,
' across Whin Moor to Eltofts and Scarcroft, whipped off in
' the dark. Two hours and thirty minutes. Rare good day.'

'February 17th. Sicklinghall. Found in Devonshire Whin,
' crossed the river at Woodhall, ran to ground. Found at
' Woolah Head, hunted him by Sicklinghall village, nearly
' to the Cocked Hat Whin. Turned to the left, got on
'better terms, ran to Clap Wood, across the Punch Bowl,
' over Wescoe Hill, across Weeton bottoms to the railway.
'Turned back over the hill to Rougemont Carr, by Hare-
' wood Bridge, back to the left again, over Wescoe Hill
' into Weeton bottoms, and lost. An hour and thirty-five
' minutes to Rougemont Carr. No doubt we changed at
' Harewood Brick-kiln. Two hours, five minutes, altogether.
' Good run.'

The season ended at Bramham Park on April 17th,
where they killed a brace of foxes, but had not much sport.
'The early part of the season was very good, the end of
' February wild and stormy, March and April very dry and
'hot. No rain. Killed 66g brace of foxes. A fair good
' season's sport. Stopped by frost twelve days.

1868-69. The hot, dry summer of 1868, which was
almost without rain, caused the earliest harvest that had
been known for many years. The land was dried up, and
cracks both wide and deep appeared on the clay lands.
Harvest, excepting in backward districts, was pretty well
out of the way by grouse-shooting came in, and masters
of hounds might have started hunting in July, had it not
been for the excessive heat. They waited for rain, but no
rain came, and on August 29th Mr. Fox and the Bramham

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 103

Moor took it as it was. They went to Westwoods, meeting
at 4-45 a.m., and fell in for a heavy morning's work and a
rattling scent. They had forty-four couples out, and these
orot on the line of an old fox to becjin with, and raced him at
a merry pace over Lindrick Hills, where they managed to get
them stopped. Then they had forty-five minutes with a cub,
and killed him ; and after a very good morning's work, they
got hold of another at 11-45 a.m.

The regular season opened at Woodhall Bridge on

Monday, November 2nd. It was a very wild morning,

with a bright sun, so it is not to be wondered at that

they had nothing very great in the way of sport, though

a couple of sharp bursts, one ending with a kill, gave a

foretaste of what might be expected on a more favourable

day. Scent was not good during November, and, indeed,

there were no great runs before Christmas, though in

December there were one or two pretty gallops : —

' December gth. Buttersike Bar. Found in the plantation

' above Riffa, ran very fast round the wood, going down

'the brook-side, then away to AlmscHfF, took a wide ring

'on the moor, back, leaving Almscliff on the left, away

' towards Beckwithshaw, again back over the moor, below

'Almscliif to the railway, on to Buttersike Bar, Thurtle's

' Whin, up the valley to Almscliff, and got to ground. One

'hour and thirty minutes: a good run.'

'December 12th. Towton. A pretty ring from Saxton Carr
'over Scarthingwell Park, pointing for Cole Hill, back to
' the right, and lost below Barkston Ash. Found in
'Renshaw, ran to ground. Found in Heyton Wood, away
'towards Aberford, ran to ground. Found in Hazlewood,
' gave him a turn in the wood, away across Becca, by
' Barwick to Saw Woods, and killed at 4-55 p.m. A capital
' run ; one hour.'

January began better ; enough rain had fallen to sadden
the ground, and all over the country sport improved with

104 niSTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

the new year. The Bramham had a good day on the 6th,
perhaps the best day they had had up to that tune.

'January 6th. Bramham Park. Found in the gardens, went
' away to Westwoods, back to Lindrick Hills, &c., gave
' him up, and went to Saw Woods. Found, came away to
' Blackfen and Becca Moor, changed foxes, went away
'towards Hazlewood, turned to the left, went by Headley
'Hall to Jackdaw Crag, nearly to Renshaw. Back by
' Headley Hall to Becca and Blackfen, into the gardens,
' round the gardens, away by the cascades, and killed in
'the bottom at Lamb Garth. Three hours' good hunting.'

The runs on the i8th are worth noticing, not for any
merit that they possess, but because they show how curiously
foxes are sometimes affected by foggy weather : —

'January i8th. Peckfield Bar. Thick fog. Went to Kippax,
'and waited till 1 1-30, then moved off to Micklefield Woods.
' Found in Daniel Hartley's, hunted a large ring, and killed
' in Ringhay. One hour and five minutes. Found in Payne
' Hall Wood, and ran to ground. Went away with another
' fox towards Aberford, left Parlington on the left, Becca
' Mill on the right, by Potterton, and killed by the side of
' the Leeds road before reaching Blackfen. Very slow
' hunting, and curious how the foxes tired.'

'January 23rd. Bardsey. Found in School House Whin, ran
'to ground in a quarry near Keswick Ox Close. Twenty
' minutes. Found in Bardsey Bank, ran two rings, snow
' falling ; then away to Langwith, back by Jerrison's Wood
' to Westwoods. Hunted up and down the wood several
'times, then at last got away with a tired fox, and just as
' we were getting up to him near Chestnut Grove a fresh
'fox jumped up, and away they went back to Westwoods:
' very unlucky. They were four hours and fifty minutes
' running.'

'January 30th. Hook Moor. Found at Stourton Grove, ran,
' leaving Parlington on the right, to ground in some

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 105

' broken-in coalpits near Orsthorpe. Forty minutes. Tried
' Barnbow, Partington, and Becca, — blank. Found in Saw
' Woods, went away to Thorner, turned to the right, left
' Kiddal Lane on the left, to Potterton, Becca, Blackfen,
' left Whittle Carr to the right, to Norwood Bottoms,
' Ragdale, and Dog Kennel Whin. Here we had him
' before us dead beat. The hounds were hallooed away to
'a fresh fox, and ran two rings, getting to ground in a
'quarry at the end of Norwood bottom. Two hours and
'fifteen minutes; an hour and five minutes to Dog Kennel
' Whin : very good.'

Here was hard luck indeed on two occasions, and liad
either of these runs ended with blood, they would have
been satisfactory in every respect. They only show how
careful men should be in hallooing.

The dreadful accident at Newby Ferry, when Sir Charles
Slingsby, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Lloyd, Orvis, and the two
boatmen were drowned, cast a gloom over the whole of
Yorkshire, and the Bramham Moor were kept in the kennel
till February 1 2th, when they had a very good run of three
hours and ten minutes from Catterton Wood : —

'February 15th. Spacey House Whin. Found the short-tailed
' fox ; away towards Rudding, left the railway on the left,
' across the Haggs, turned to Walton Head, Swindon
'Wood, pointed west, but turned below the hill, back to
' Buttersike Bar and Walton Head. Forty minutes; pretty;
' and lost. Found in the Cocked Hat Whin, lost in
' Stockeld Park. Found in Limekiln Wood, ran into the
' garden, and killed behind the house at Woodall. Another
' fox viewed away fi"om Limekiln Wood ; we laid on the
'hounds, hunted to Linton Quarry, back to Devonshire
'Whin, came up to him, away to Linton Quarry, straight
'to Ingmanthorpe Whin, through the old wood, left Cow-
' thorpe Woods on the left, Tockwith on the left, and lost
'near Marston village, at 5-15 p.m. Two hours and fifteen
'minutes' good run.'

io6 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT

In March they went into the York and Ainsty country
by invitation, and had a fairly good day's sport : —

' March 9th. Buckle's Inn. Found in Askham Bog, ran forty
' minutes in covert, at last went away as if for Grange Wood,
' and caught him. Found at Colton Hagg, ran to Catterton,
'lost. Found in Steeton Whin, ran a very smart burst,
'and killed near Oxton.'

The last day of the season was April 9th, the fixture
being- Bramham Park. A fair day's sport was enjoyed,
though they failed to kill. They found their first fox in
Lindrick Hills, and ran hard in Westwoods, but when they
got on to the fallows, scent failed. A second fo.x jumped
up in a field near Spring Wood, and with him they had a
nice fifty minutes by Hetchell, Dog Kennel Whin, Blackfen,
Becca, Potterton, and nearly to Saw Woods. The season
had been a very open one, but scent as a rule had been
indifferent. Some good hunting runs had taken place, and
one or two very fast ones, so that, on the whole, sport had
been fair. The season's record was 69^ brace of foxes.

Fred Turpin came to an untimely end just as he was
beginning to get known in the country. How it happened
is not known, but he had a fall from his horse as he was
returning home from York one evening, and the fall was a
fatal one.* He was succeeded by Goddard Morgan, a
brother of Ben and Jack, and one of that family of huntsmen
whose names have been famous for generations.

1869-70. Morgan's first day was not a promising one,
for the weather was hot and the ground like adamant, when,
on the ninth of September, he took twenty-eight couples
of bitches, ten couples of which were young ones, to the
Brick-kiln end of Westwoods, at five a.m. He had good
reason to be pleased with his start, however, for he found a
good litter of cubs, scent was better than could have been
* It is gener.illy supposed that he took a fit of some kind.

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 107

expected on such a morning, and they got hold of a cub
by 8-30. The cub-hunting went on merrily. Cubs were
plentiful, and hounds accounted for them well, and by
October iith they had killed fourteen and a half brace. On
that day Morgan had a nasty fall, his horse rolling on to
his ankle, and he was not able to go out for a week,
during which time hounds were kept in kennel. When they
got to work again they made up for lost time, for before
the first of November they had added seven and a half
brace to the score. It is not often that frost and snow
have to be chronicled in the cub-hunting season, but in
1869 there was much wild weather, and things looked
badly at times, though hounds were never really stopped.
The last day's cubbing was a good one. They met at
Fairburn, and had a lot of fun from Byrani and Newfield,
scent serving well. They killed two brace of foxes, and
had one or two fast bursts.

The regular season opened at B ram ham Park on Monday,
November ist, and there was a capital show of foxes, hounds
killing a brace, but there does not seem to have been any-
thing very particular about the sport. On the Saturday,
Morgan again hurt his ankle, this time so badly that he was
some time before he could get into the saddle. So Mr. Fox
hunted his own hounds, and excellent sport he showed. His
first day was a good one. It was on Monday, November 8th ;
the fixture, Riffa. He began with a quick forty minutes from
Almscliff Whin, running by Thurtell's Whin and Pannal,
and to ground in a drain near Beckwithshaw. A fast, if
rather ringing, thirty-five minutes from Walton Head Whin,
ending with a kill, made up a very good day. The weather
still continued unsettled, and on the Wednesday they were
driven home by a snowstorm. The storm did not last,
however, and hounds were never kept in kennel ; and though
the weather was wild and unsettled, there was a fair averao-e

I08 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

of sport. But on the 19th the fun began in earnest, and
Mr. Fox had a succession of fine runs such as must have
delighted the heart of any huntsman : —

'November 19th. The Wild Man. Found in Catterton Wood,
' and ran from the wood to the .spring and back several
' times. At the end of thirty-five minutes, got away close
' to a fox, pointing for Mr. Brooksbank's. Bearing to the
' right, left Shire Oaks, Duce Wood, and Healaugh village
' on the right. Came to the first check between Hutton
' and Angram, hit him off to the right, left Swan's Whin
' and Askham village on the right, and ran to ground in
' an earth in a field near the York kennels. A capital run ;
' one hour and thirty minutes out of covert.'

' November 20th. Wike. Went to the whin at Harewood
' (Swan Bushes), found, away towards Eccup, turned to
' Wigton Knowl, left Wike village on the left, straight to
' Keswick, left Rigton on the right, to Westwoods. Hunted
' him through the wood to Dalton lane ; here the body of
' the pack turned back with a fresh fox, and four couples
' of hounds crossed the lane and killed their fox. One hour
' and ten minutes. Found again at Hollin Hall Whin, and
' ran to School House Whin and Scarcroft, and gave it up.'

'November 22nd. Harewood Bridge. Found in the Punch
' Bowl, ran up the hill towards the Haggs, back by Kirkby
' Overblow, across the Punch Bowl into Swindon Wood ;
'very quick. Several foxes on foot. Came away into the
' Punch Bowl, up the hill and over the Haggs, leaving the
' Cocked Hat to the right ; lost. Found in Swindon Wood
'again, away to Walton Head, back to Swindon, away
' again over the Punch Bowl, ringing about nearly to
'Woolah Head, back to Swindon, away to Walton Head,
' back to Swindon, and after a good rally in the wood, killed
' an old fox. A very hard and good day.'

'November 27th. Kiddal Lane. Found at Potterton, ran very
'fast through Becca, Blackfen, Bramham Park, to West-
' woods. Away, leaving Beilby's on the left, to Lindrick
' Hills, the Raikes, Blackfen. Away, leaving the Cross

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 109

' roads on the right, to Headley Hall. Left Jackdaw Crag
' on the left, and came to a check near the spinney on the
' side of the Cock, opposite Renshaw. One hour, thirty -five
' minutes ; very good pace. Hit him off at last, and hunted
'to Castle Hill, turned to the right, and marked a line
' pointing for Lotherton, but he had beat us. Got on a fox
' at Heyton Wood, and hunted away to Aberford ; back
' again, away towards Renshaw, and on pointing for Jack-
' daw Crag gave it up. A very hard day.'

'November 2gth. Kirkby Overblow. Frosty. Got on the line
' of a disturbed fox near Spacey House Whin, marked him
'into Rudding Park. Found on Spofforth Haggs, ran him
' a smart burst to Rudding, across the park, nearly to
' Bathing House Whin, turned up towards Spacey House
' Whin, and caught him before he reached it. Twenty-eight
' minutes. Found in the Cocked Hat Whin ; scent very bad.'

' Hunted my own hounds (Morgan laid upi fourteen days ; killed
' seventeen foxes, and had capital sport.'

The frost came in earnest now, and they were not out
again till December 6th, when Morgan made his reappearance
in the saddle ; but at the end of a week he was obliged to
lay up again, and Mr. Fox again carried the horn. And
some rare sport he had, as the following two extracts from
the diary show : —

'December 17th. Wighill Park. Found and killed in Nova
' .Scotia. Went away with another towards Clay Field
'earths, back to the left, and lost near Marston Whin.
'Found in the whin, away, leaving jMarston on the left,
'pointing for Angram, turned to Hutton, and lost. Found
' in Hutton Thorns, ran a few fields and back, and killed.
' Another fox in the covert, got away with liiin, going very
'fast, pointing for Swann's Whin. Turned to the left,
'leaving Grange Wood and Knapton Whin on the left,
'came to a long check near Poppleton, hunted on to the
' railroad, back nearly to Grange Wood, pointing for
' Hessay, turned to the right over the railroad and York
0

no HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT.

' road to the side of the drain, came up to him, raced him
'back to Hessay village, and pulled him down. One hour
'and twenty minutes: capital run. Wanton and Cheerful
' seized him.'

This was a really good run ; and it will be remarked that
Mr. Fox knew which hounds killed their fox, which is more
than some amateur huntsmen do. It was evidently the bitch
pack that gave this good run.

' December 20th. Riffa, blank. Almscliff, ditto. Found in
' Swindon Wood, hunted towards Walton Head and
' Herbert's Larches, lost. Tried Spacey House Whin and
' Rudding Farm, blank. Went to the Cocked Hat. Found
' at once, and away towards Kirkby Overblow, turned to
'the right to the Haggs, a long check in consequence of
' a sheep-dog. Hunted very slowly towards Spofforth,
' pointed for Stockeld, back to the right, and walking
' slowly on the line came up to him a field from Clap
' Wood. Raced him over the Haggs to Spofforth Castle,
' left Follifoot on the left, crossed the Crimple, pointing for
' Bramham Wood, turned him, and killed at the bottom of
'old Plompton Whin. Twenty-five minutes: very fast.' *

Moroan was able to oet out again on the 2^rd of
December, and he was not long at work before he had one
of those long, hard days which were so frequent with the
Bramham Moor : —

'Januarjr 3rd. Church P'enton. Found and killed in Paradise
' Wood. Drew the other Ryther coverts blank. Found in
'Towton Spring, ran to Grimston Hill, back to the left over
' the turnpike road, across Grimston Park to the river.
' Through Tadcaster Willow Garths, by Shann's house to
' Oglethorpe Whin, ran hard in covert for an hour and
'fifteen minutes, and killed at 5-15 p.m. in the dark. An
'hour and five minutes up to Oglethorpe; two hours and
'twenty minutes from find to kill.'

* I take this to mean ' twenty-five minutes, very fast,' from Clap Wood. The
run from Cocked Hat Whin, with all the time spent in the check, would last
much lonMr.

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. m

' January 7th. Bickerton Bar. Found in Marston Whin, ran
' a sharp burst to ground in Clayfield earths. Found in
' Wilstrop several foxes ; after ringing for ten minutes, got
' away and hunted towards Hutton Thorns, getting on good
'terms before reaching the covert. Running by Marston,
'pointing for Angram, turned to the right by Clayfield
' earths to the Loft, nearly to Hall Park Springs, back in
'front of the house at Wighill, by the corner of the Loft.
'I think we changed our fox, and ran one by Duce
' Wood to Bilbrough to ground. One hour, fifty minutes :
' capital run.'

'January igth. Deighton Bar. Found in Smiler's Gorse, came
'away at once, pointing for Kirk Deighton, hunted slowly
' through CJeldart's plantation to Ingmanthorpe, turned to
' Wetherby town. Here we had two foxes ; got close to
'one, and ran on fast to Champagne Gorse, through without
' stopping, left Hall Park Springs on the left, skirting the
' corner of Walton Wood, leaving it to the left^ on to
' Wighill Ings, left Shireoaks on the left to Oxton, and a
' field from Pallethorpe viewed our fox. Ran back through
' Oxton, and lost in a severe snowstorm near Shireoaks.
'A capital run: two hours.'

They were not much bothered with frost after this,
and the game went merrily on, one good run following
another, and scarcely a week passing by without some-
thing good taking place. LInder the entry for March 5th
we find the characteristic remark : ' Found, and killed two
'tame foxes in Stockeld Park'; but as a rule foxes were
'enterprising,' and the words 'a capital fox' are of frequent
occurrence. A famous season for sport was brought to a
close on April 20th, the fixture being, as usual, Bramham
Park. It was a broiling hot day, but hounds had fair sport,
killing one fox, and running a brace to ground. Mr. Fox
sums up the season in the following words : —

' This has been an excellent season. November, December, and
'January, particularly good sport; Februarv, rough and

1 1 2 HISTOR y OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' frosty ; March, rough and dry ; April, very dry. Hounds
'hunted iii days, and killed 117 foxes.'

1870-71. Hot and dry weather characterised the first
weeks of the next cub-hunting season ; but, nevertheless,
hounds got hold of a fair lot of cubs. A start was made on
August 31st, and it was not till the first week in October
that rain fell in any quantity to soften the ground.

' October 8th. Walton Wood. At la.st, after an extraordinary
' dry and hot time, a heavy rain. Found, and ran for fifty-
' six minutes hard, and killed. Found in Hall Park Springs.
'After running hard for thirty minutes, left the covert, and
'ran into a short drain ; got him out at once. Then got on
' another fox in the wood, and after an hour and ten minutes'
'good work, killed. A first-rate morning's work.'

The first advertised day was Monday, October 31st,
when they met at Riffa, and had a fair day's sport, finding
plenty of foxes. They ran their first fox from Riffa, marking"
him to ground under the road near the railway at the far
side of Rigton village, and afterwards they killed a leash of
cubs, one in Riffa, anci the other brace at Swindon Wood.
On November 25th occurred one of those curious incidents
which only take place now and then : —

'November 25th. Tockwith. Found in Wilstrop Wood, away
'towards Marston, bearing to the left, pointed for Marston
'station, the country very wet. Marston drain a bumper,
' pounded the field. On galloping round, they thought the
'hounds had turned back to the right when they had
' turned to the left, and gone to Skip Bridge, back to
'Wilstrop, Marston village, and Marston Whin. A curious
'scene, — a large field, all lost. Having collected together
' again, drew Hutton Thorns blank. Found in Marston
' Whin, went away to Bilton, turned to the left, pointed for
'Askham, hunted into the gardens at Hutton Hall, and
'killed. Another fox went away from the gardens. We
' hunted him by Hutton Thorns, nearly to Wilstrop, and
' gave it up.'

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. i j ^^

A tlay in December must be given, as it was perhaps the
best they had before Christmas : —

'December i6th. Wighill village. Sharp frost, hard on the
' roads. Found in Shireoaks, ran a rinaf, hunted to Tadcaster
' town end, into Brooksbank's park, and lost by the river.
' Found in Catterton Wood, went away to Oxton village,
' Tadcaster, and lost, pointing for Wighill. Found at 3-5
'in Duce Wood, away through Healaugh village, pointed
'for Hutton, turned to Nova Scotia, back through Catterton
' Spring, left Oxton on the riglit, turned at the river, and
' stopped hounds at dark between Catterton and Shireoaks,
' having unluckily changed our fox by the river-side.
' The pace for an hour and ten minutes, first-rate ; horses
'all tired.'

Soon after this frost set in, and hunting men experienced
one of those old-fashioned winters which those who have not
a large stud of horses ' eating their heads off' profess to
enjoy. It was a change to the exceptionally open winters
immediately preceding it, and it was not at all appreciated
by hunting men. From December 20th till January 7th,
hunting men were frozen out, then they stole a day ; after-
wards came other ten days' frost, to be followed by three
days' hunting, and another fortnight's frost. About the
middle of February the weather grew more settled, and
then they had some grand sport.

'February 13th. Stockeld Park. Found in the wood, lost
' near Wetherby. Found in Devonshire Whin, ran into
' Woodhall, through the covert, crossed the river above the
' bridge, skirted Keswick Ox Close, hunted over Rigton
' Hill to Westwoods, ran in covert for some time, turned
' to the left, and killed in Gunter's park. Two hours,
' ten minutes.'

'February 25th. Plompton. Found in Birkham Wood, ran
' down to the river, and killed. Found in Braham Wood,
' away towards Plompton, back to the right to Ribston

1 1 4 HISTOR Y OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' Moor, Deighton Spring:, caught him in the quarry by the
' Crimple. Found in Stockeld Park, awa}^ very quick to
' Deighton Bar, hunted on through Geldart's plantation to
' the river, turned up by Walshford Bridge, liunted twice
' across the river, along the bank by Ribston village, and
'lost the line of him pointing for Plompton.'

If the sport durino- the latter end of February had been
satisfactory, still better was that which took place in the early
days of March. Here are three days, one followint^ the
other, which are quite sufficient to stamp the month in the
memories of those who saw them : —

'March ist. Spofforth. Found in Tickhill, awav to the river,
'turned to the right, and caught a bad old fox at Grimble
' Crag. Found in the covert near Rudding by the tunnel,
'away to the Follifoot road, headed back, went under the
'viaduct, up the hill, turned over the cutting in the railway,
' the horsemen having to go round, never caught them till
' they were found at a check on the moor. They went by
' Beckwithshaw, left Harlow Carr on the right. A large
'flock of sheep had puzzled them. We hit him off, and
' hunted towards Fewston, but he had run away from us.
'Trotted back to Walton Head Whin, found, went away
'very fast by Thurtle's Whin, left Pannal on the right, by
'Beckwithshaw, skirted Harlow Crag, pointed for Boar
' Holes, turned to the left away over the open, as if he
• meant to go for Almscliff, but bent to the right, leaving
' Little Almscliff on the left, nearly to Fewston, turned to
'the right, and lost him close to Boar Holes. We found
'this good fox at 3-30, and ran him an hour and fifteen
' minutes. All the horses were beat. A curious thing that
' both these foxes went to the same point on the moor. The
'hounds did not get home till nine o'clock.'

' March 3rd. Thorp Arch. Hot as summer. Found in Hall
' Park Springs, hunted to Bickerton village. Found in
' Wilstrop Wood, hunted over the river and back, lost on
'the river bank. Found in Hutton Thorns, ran a ring, then

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

115

' away, hunting nicely to Wilstrop, down to the river, left
' Tockwith on the right to Marston Whin, hung in covert
' a long time, then away to Clayfield earths, nearly to
' Hutton, back for the whin, turned to the right, and killed
' at the back of Marston village. Two hours, ten minutes.
' Killed at 5-45.'
'March 4th. Stutton Mill. Found in Tadcaster Willow-bed,
' ran very fast along the river side, turned back by Grimston
' Park to Grimston Hills and Renshaw. Forced him out,
' and killed in the field outside the covert. Twenty minutes.
'Tried Patefield and Saxton Carr, blank. Found in Heyton
' Wood, hunted away to Ringhay, and ran to ground in
' Payne Hall Wood. Found in Hazlewood, went away
'very fast over Spence's farm to Blackfen, turned across
' Bramham Park, the Raikes, past Bramham Bar, Headley
' Hall, back to Hazlewood, nearly caught him in the garden;
' hunted through the woods, Heyton Wood, away across the
' park to the garden, pointed for Jackdaw Crag, bent to the
'left to Headley Bar, back to the right, and killed him in
'the middle of a field. One hour, twenty-five minutes.
' Killed at 5-45.'

The season finished at Bramham Park on April 12th.
Plenty of foxes were found, and they ran one to ground,
and killed another. Mr. Fox sums up the season as
follows: 'Fair sport after the frost, but bad hunting weather
'most of the winter, and a very dry spring.' The hounds
were out ninety-six days, and killed fifty-four and a half brace
of foxes ; ran to ground twenty-four brace. Morgan left at
the end of the season, and was succeeded by George Kings-
bury, who came from the Blackmore Vale, but who had been
whipper-in to the Bramham for some seasons.

1871-72. Kingsbury began his first season under the
disadvantage of the master being unable to be out.
Mr. Fox had had a bad fall from his hack, and injured
his shoulder, and it was not until October 20th that he
was able to get out, and even then he had to ride with his

Ii6 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

arm in a sling. The cub-hunting commenced on Sept. 6th,
and was successful, foxes as usual being plentiful, and hounds
getting well blooded before their opening day, which was
on Monday, November ist, at Bramham Park. They had
not much sport on this opening day, for though they found
plenty of foxes, they were of the ringing kind ; or to put
the matter in a fairer light, there was not scent enough to
press them. They, however, managed to kill a fox. On
Saturday, at Stockeld Park, they had a good day. They
killed a cub at Sicklinghall in the morning, and in the
afternoon they had a good gallop from Limekiln Wood,
covering a considerable extent of country, and finally, after
a run of two hours and forty minutes, marking their fo.\ to
ground opposite Ribston Hall. Mr. Fox must tell of that
great run from Almscliff Whin at the end of the month : —

'November 27th. Buttersike Bar. Found in Thurtle's Whin ;
'several foxes, one ran rings, and was killed. Found in
' Almscliff Whin ; away to Stainburn Gill, nearly to
'Leathley, back by the river to Riffa. Forward to the
' moors, leaving the rock a mile on the right, and hunted
' to ground in a drain near Beckwithshaw. Fallacy had
' got into the drain unseen, and as we were coming away,
' bolted him ; we ran to Almscliff Whin and Riffa, where
' he was seen close before us, beat ; but we were hallooed
' away on a fresh one, ran to Lindley Wood, gave him a
' rattle in the wood, away fast by Spring Wood to Almscliff,
'North Rigton, Weeton bottoms, Wescoe Hill, to Swindon
' Wood ; broke away with a fresh fox, and stopped them
' on the top of Kirkby Overblow Hill. Four hours ; all
' horses beat ; terrible hard day.'

A hard day, and a disappointing one indeed for hounds
and huntsman; and that last change in .Swindon Wood was
most provoking. December was a good month all through,
the weather keeping open, and scent being good on the

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. xij

'December i6th. Alwoodley Gates. Found in Scotland

'Wood and the Crag; got to ground. Found in Lord

' Harewood's covert, at Black Hills ; ran some time in

' covert, and killed. Found in one of the Arthington

' coverts ; came up the hill to Waterhouse Whin into

' Harevvood, nearly to the Grey Stone, away west, left

' Eccup on the left, through Alwoodley Crag, Scotland

' Wood, pointed for Leeds, turned to the right, and killed

'him nearly in the town below Meanwood Park. One

'hour, thirty-two minutes; good day's sport.'

I

January opened well. They had a good hunting run
from Duce Wood on the 5th, losing their fox in the York
and Ainsty country, near Appleton Windmill ; and on the
following Friday they had a very smart gallop from Hutton
Thorns, killing their fo.\ at one of the Cowthorpe coverts.
Good average sport, interrupted twice for a day by frost or
fog, characterised the whole of the month, but in the
beginning of February they had a clipper : —

'February 2nd. Marston. Found in Hutton Thorns; away
'fast to Rufforth, nearly to Angram, over the Marston
' Hill, back to the village ; left Hutton Thorns on the
'right, through Wilstrop to the river, crossed, and crossed
'back near Shewkirk, lost at Wilstrop. One hour, ten
' minutes. Found at Marston Whin ; away to Healaugh,
'Nova Scotia, Bilton, Bickerton, Champagne Gorse,
'Ingmanthorpe, Cowthorpe, crossed the river at Walshford
' Bridge, to Ribston and Goldsbrough Moor and Wood.
' Hounds ran three and a half hours, and were stopped
' at dark.'

'February 26th. North Deighton. Found in Deighton Spring;
'ran to Stockeld, and to ground at Wetherby. Found
' between Deighton Spring and Ribston Moor ; ran round
'the village to the river, back to Smiler's Gorse and the
' Spring, towards Stockeld, to Kirk Deighton ; lost. Went
' to a halloo near Ingmanthorpe Whin ; away very fast by
'Deighton Bar to Spofforth, left Braham Wood on the
P

I 1 8 HISTOR y OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

'left, pointed for the river, turned to the right down to
' the Crimple, leaving Ribston Whin on the right, along
'the brook side, down the common, turned across, left
'Smiler's Gorse on the left, to Kirk Deighton, and gave
'it up at 6 p.m.'

Mr. Fox does not tell us anything about the state of
the horses after this long hard day over a severe country,
but it may well be left to the imagination. As had been
the case in the previous season, March came in with some
grand sport, and the following run may almost be looked
upon as the run of the season : —

'March ist. Bickerton Bar. Found in Cowthorpe Wood; got
' well away with our fox, left Ingmanthorpe Willow Garth
'on our right. Champagne Gorse on our right, also Walton
'village, Walton Wood, on the left ; first check at the
'floods in the Ings, hit him off to the right, ran on fast

• nearly to Thorp Arch ; crossed the river, a bumper,
' opposite Inglebank, went straight over Tolston and
' Headley Manors, and killed at White House Farm
' Quarry. One hour and eighteen minutes ; a grand run :
' nine miles from point to point.'

'April 5th. Hook Moor. Found in Payne Hall Wood; away
' very fast to Heyton Wood, then hunted to Bullen Wood,
'and back through Heyton Wood and Hazlewood to
' Hallowell Lees; came up to our fox, and ran back to
' Heyton Wood, where we lost. One hour and twenty
' minutes. Found in Becca ; ran very fast to Partington
' Hollins, across the park back to Potterton, Becca,
' Bramham Park, into this garden, to Hallowell Lees,
' away over Spen Farm to ground in New Blackfen. Two

• hours, thirteen minutes ; very severe.'

The season ended the next day at Bramham Park ;
' a very fine day, and a large collection of people.' They
had a fair day's sport, and killed a leash of foxes. The
season was a very good one. They hunted one hundred

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 119

and seventeen days, and killed fifty-one and a half brace
of foxes ; markino- twenty and a half brace to around.

1872-73. If Kingsbury had the luck to fall in with a
good season for his opening one as huntsman, his second
season was still better, and such sport is seldom equalled as
took place in the season which commenced by knocking the
cubs about at Blackfen, in the early morning of the 6th of
September. Indeed, good run followed good run so closely
that there is the greatest difficulty in making a selection,
and did space permit, I should feel inclined to give nearly
the whole of the season. Sport was excellent ; hounds
were well blooded in the early days of the season ; and as
early as the 4th of October there was sport which was
worthy of December and January.

' October 4th. Micklefield. Found in Castle Hill, old fox.
' Found in Ledsham covert, ran nicely for a time round the
'plantations, and lost. Found in Newfield, away to the
' Ferrybridge road, back past Ledsham vicarage, straight
'to Sheldon Hill and Kippax Park wall. Here the fox
' turned back to Ledstone village and down to the river, ran
'to the right along- the Ings to Castleford turnpike-gate,
'turned him, chased him, and killed. Fifty-five minutes:
' a capital run. Dog pack.'

A wonderful day, indeed, so early in the season, and the
curious thing is that these good days continued. It was
not a case of an isolated good scenting day, for the runs
in October read like the middle of the season. Here is
one more of them : —

'October 26th. Riffa. Found plenty of cubs. Ran very hard
' in covert for one hour. Tried upon foiled ground for
' another hour, but could not catch one. Found a fox in
'a willow-bed in Weeton bottoms, ran over Wescoe Hill
'to Swindon Wood, hard round the wood three times, away
' into the Punch Bowl, up the hill, leaving Kirkby Overblow
'on the left, to the Cocked Hat Whin, gave him a turn in

I20 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' covert, away nearly to Stockeld, back to the whin, and
' killed. One hour and twenty minutes : a good day's sport.'

Every month of this season had its good days, and
perhaps March was the worst scenting month in it, and
sport was worse in that month than in any other. Still,
there was a day in March which is worth recording, even
at this distance of time. Here are a few runs which may
be given as a specimen of the sport in this exceptional
season. There are many more like them.

'November 2nd. Alwoodley Crag. Found in Creskeld Wood,
'away towards Otley, to ground under the railroad. As
' we came back to draw Arthington, met a travelling fox,
' ran three fields, and killed. Found in the pleasure-ground
' at Harewood, away by the castle very fast to Cardwick,
' turned to the right, straight past Bardsey to Scarcroft
'Whin. Forty minutes. Hunted slowly through the
' plantations and Black Moor, away pointing for Shadwell,
' turned to the right, past Wigton Moor into Harewood,
' near Loftus Gate, chasing him in covert, and killed before
' he reached the Grey Stone Whin. One hour, thirty-five
' minutes : a real good run. Seven couples of young bitches
'out: all up. Killed at 4-40.'

'November 1 6th. Becca Mill. Found in Parlington Old Wood,
' ran rings, then away to Scholes, and lost. Found in
' Parlington Hollins, ran to Hawk's Nest, back through
'the Hollins, along the bank to Becca Mill, turned to the
' right, left Potterton on the right, Saw Woods on the right,
' running well over Whin Moor. Left Shadwell on the
'right, and bending to the left, ran into an overflow drain
' running from a shallow well, the hounds close at him.
'Two couples went into the drain. They all came back
'but Fallacy, and we did not succeed in getting her out
' till four o'clock the following (Sunday) afternoon. This
' was a good run : an hour and lbrt\-five minutes.'

On the 23rd, they met at Harewood Park, and there
Mr. Fox was presented with a handsome Testimonial.

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 121

The presentation was made by Lord Harewood, who
said : —

' Mr. Lane Fox: — I am proud that the honour devolves
' upon me this mornin_sr of presenting to you this token of
' our esteem. We all tender to you our heartfelt acknow-
' ledgments for the manner in which you have supplied the
' hunting needs of this country for the last five and twenty
' years. And we feel that the sport we have had has been
' in a large measure owing to the great care and attention
' which you have given to the breeding of foxhounds, which
' have, we are proud to think, placed the Bramham Moor
' hounds in a position second to that of no other pack in
' the kingdom.' His Lordship, after some further remarks,
presented the Testimonial, &c.

Mr. Lane Fox, in returning thanks, said : —

' My Lord Harewood : — The very kind manner in which
' you have spoken of me, and the too-flattering address which
' you have just read, and the sight of the magnificent service
' of plate nt)w presented to me, have dazzled me, and over-
' whelmed me with nervousness and confusion. I approach
' with fear and trembling the difficult task of properly
' expressing my heartfelt thanks to all my kind friends and
' brother sportsmen for giving to me the handsomest Testi-
' monial ever presented to a Master of Foxhounds. I must
' beg you to be good-natured to me, as you have ever been,
' and not to criticise my feeble efforts too severely, because
' I will admit that, for the first time in my life, 1 regret that
' in my school-days I was more partial to rat-hunting than
' to reading ; consequently I have no language at command
' that can possibly convey to you the intense feelings of
' pride and pleasure which at this moment fill my heart.

' Ladies and Gentlemen, I know it is not the custom of
' hunting men in this country to loiter ,ibout the feeding-room

122 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

in the morning, but I will ask you to allow me briefly to
dip into the history of the old Bramham Moor country,
that I may show how I tumbled into the proud position
I now hold. Fox-hunting; has for many vears been, and 1
trust ever will be, the leading winter pastime of Yorkshire-
men. Somewhere about eighty years ago my grandfather,
James Fo.x, established a well-appointed pack of fox-
hounds, and, by the kind permission of the landowners, was
allowed to hunt and claim the fox-hunting right of hunting
over a large extent of country between Bingley and Selby,
Leeds, York, and Knaresborough ; and this district of
Yorkshire he called the Bramham Moor country. When
failing health caused him to give up the pleasures of the
chase, my father not wishing to hamper himself with a pack
of foxhounds, the then Lord Lascelles offered to take the
country. James Fox made him a present of hounds and
kennel-horses, and for many years that good sportsman,
whom some of us remember as the old Lord Harewood,
taught us lessons of keenness. He was so truly fond of
hunting, that on a frosty morning he would have his horses
turned up to go out. He would hunt all day, and when
overtaken by darkness would say, "We shall have the moon
up soon ! " He never wanted to go home. The late Lord
Harewood continued to hunt the country until his duties
as Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding, and other public
duties, allowed him no time to attend to the work of a
master of foxhounds, and he at once gave back the hounds
and kennel-horses to my father, who, though at the time in
bad health, gladly took them back, knowing that I was
anxious to fill the position that my grandfather had held.
These friendly and neighbourly arrangements were carried
out without the assistance of a committee, or a pen being
put to paper. I mention this to show what friendly terms
the families of Lascelles and Fox have always been upon,

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 123

' and as the proceedings of this day show, are upon at
'present; and I trust as long as a Fox and Lascelles are
' to be found in the country the same friendship will exist
' between them. This is now the twenty-fifth year of my
' reign, and I will say that I have always met with the
' greatest kindness, forbearance and indulgence from all
' classes. A master of hounds must expect many disappoint-
' ments and petty troubles. I have, as my friend Lord
' Harewood said, given much time and attention to the
' breeding and management of foxhounds, and you have
' made me feel I have been successful. In the field I
' imagine I am often very impertinent, but I hope I have
' never intentionally given offence to any man, or made
' use of any remark that might not be freely forgiven. The
' book that you have given me, containing an address and
' the signatures of all my friends, is indeed a treasure. The
' kind expressions towards me in that address will for ever
' ring in my ears like the beautiful music of a pack of fox-
' hounds. Those kind expressions will cheer me to the end
' ot my run through life. Those kind expressions are more
' valuable to nie than all the o-okl that elitters before us.
' The beautiful service of plate, every separate piece of
' which is a work of art, says a great deal for the Committee
' who chose it ; and I think I may be here permitted to pay
' a passing compliment to the Messrs. Garrard, of the Hay-
' market, the designers and producers of this artistic and
' tasteful Service ; and may we not be proud that such work
' is done by the hands of British workmen ? who can still,
' and I trust ever will, hold their own amongst all nations.
' This splendid Testimonial, of which I am so proud, will be
' handed down to my children's children, and will be the
' means of reminding them that it is a part of their duty in
' this life to be friendly towards their neighbours, to preserve
' foxes, and to love Yorkshire. I will say no more, but wish
'you all good health, good luck, and good sport.'

124

HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT.

' November 30th. Kiddal Lane. Found, after drawing Potter-
' ton, where we killed in covert by the blacksmith's shop,
' in Saw Woods ; away at once to Whittle Carr, Norwood
'bottoms ; left Thorner on the left to Heltofts, left Scarcroft
' Lodge and plantations on the right, past Wike village,
' through the Clumps into Harewood, along the Temple
'Wood, past the Grey Stone to Carr Wood: very fast.
'After this, slow hunting nearly to Briary Spring, where
' we lost all line of this capital fox. The pace to Harewood
' Park wall was tremendous : — up to Carr Wood, one hour
'and eight minutes: to the end of tlie run, one hour and
' thirtv minutes. Nine miles straight.'

'December 30th. Wescoe Hill. Fog. Found in Riffa, ran a
' ring, and lost. Found ; that is, struck the line of a fox
' in Weeton bottoms, away to Rougemont Carr, left it on
' the right, to Harewood Bridge, a ring to the left, then
' away towards Wetherby, back over the Punch Bowl ; left
' Kirkby Overblow on the right, nearly to Parkin's Wood,
'back to Walton Head Whin, came up to our fox, away to
' Beckwithshaw, turned to the right, came up to him in a
' field near some new buildings, ran him into the garden
'at the back of the house on Harrogate Common. Hounds
'viewing him, he jumped the wall. Levity and two or three
' after him, and rolled him over on the middle of Harrogate
'Common. Two hours and forty minutes : a capital run.'

'January iith. Alwoodley Crag. Drew Mosley Woods blank,
' but found in Bramhope tunnel ; ran very fast towards
'Otley Chevin, turned back, and killed above Pool.
'Twenty-five minutes. Found at 2-30 in Waterhouse
'Whin, ran hard to Harewood, through the woods, out
'towards Hollin Hall, and over Harewood Moor to
' Cardwick, up the river to the castle, back again, and up
'and down the hill two or three times. At last, getting
' near a tired fox above Sturdy's Willow-bed, ran him hard
' in the dark nearly to Keswick Ox Close, and killed at five
' o'clock on the river bank, three fields above the wood.
' Moon just up.'

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 125

'February 10th. Stockeld Park. Found and ran to ground
' near SpofForth Bridge. Found in Devonshire Whin, away
' through Limekiln Wood, crossed the river below the Ox
' Close, over Rigton Hill, past Spring Wood to Horn Farm
' Lane, turned to the left to Westwoods. Thirty-three
'minutes: very fast. Ran hard in the wood, over Dalton
' Lane, and back twice. Ran him into the drain at the
' bottom of the ride at Lunn Wood. Altogether, one hour
' and seven minutes ; bolted and killed. Drew Dog Kennel
' Whin blank. Found and killed a lame fox in Norwood
' bottoms. Found another fox, and killed in covert. Found
' in Blackfen, ran very fast round the wood, through Well
'Hill, Lindrick Hills, to Westwoods, Lunn Wood, back
' through Peekhill Rash, and killed in young Peekhill
' Rash. Thirty-five minutes : no check.'

'March 13th. Westwoods. Went out at one o'clock. Found,
'had a smart rally of twenty minutes, and killed. Then
' ran incessantly, going away to Compton and back, then
' to Spring Wood, Peekhill Rash, Lindrick Hills, West-
' woods, nearly to Rigton, back by Compton Woods again,
'and killed, after three hours' hard work. Dog pack.'

Mr. Fox was High Sheriff this year, and the Assizes
interfered with his huntino- in the spring. He was at York
and Leeds in the execution of his duty, but he managed
to get away for a day from the latter place, and had a
moderate day's sport on March 29th, from East Keswick.
But the day had its pleasant memories, as he relates how
' a party of very good fellows, who hunt on foot, gave me
'a new horn.' And here it may be added that there is no
surer test of a master of hounds being the right man in
the right place, than his popularity with those who hunt on
foot, — often as keen critics of what they see, and not
infrequently better sportsmen, than those who turn out in
all the glories of the war-paint.

One day in April must be given before I close my
account of this really wonderful season : — •
Q

126 HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR BUMT.

'April i6th. Bilton Banks. Found and ran up the banks,
' away towards Birk Crag, turned by Saltergate Hill, back
' to the river, opposite Ripley Castle, and lost. Fifty
' minutes : hunting well. Tried the banks again. Found
'in Birkham Wood, away to the road, to ground in a drain.
'Found in Braham Wood, ran smart away to the river,
' crossed below Goldsbrough Mill, through Goldsbrough
' Wood towards Ribston, back up the river side, crossed,
' and back to Braham Wood ; hunted slowly over the dry
'fallows towards Spofforth, turned to the right along the
' Crimple side, got up to our fox in the rocks, and pulled
' him down before he could reach Birkham Wood. One
'hour and forty-five minutes.'

They finished the season at Bramham Park on the 25th,
when, in contrast to the hot weather which had usually
prevailed on their closing day, there were frequent snow
showers. They had a fair day's sport, running one fox to
ground, and killing a brace. ' Quite a first-rate season's
'sport,' writes Mr. Fox; 'hounds killing their foxes well.'
Very wet until the end of March. Killed fifty-three and
a half brace ; ran twenty-three and a half brace to ground.

1873-74. The next season commenced on Saturday,
August 30th, at Harewood, when they took out forty and a
half couples, of which ten and a half couples were young-
ones They had a fair morning's work, and managed to
get hold of a brace. The cub-hunting season was an
uneventful one. Hounds found plenty of foxes, and were
well blooded ; and when the season opened on Monday,
November 3rd, it was a well -trained and good-looking lot
that Kingsbury took into the field. Mr. Fox was away from
home when the season opened, and Captain Fox was left
in command. Nothing of much importance took place
during the early days of the hunting season. The ground
was dry, and as a rule scent was only moderate. But now
and again there was a good run, such as that which took

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 12-

place in mid November, and which I give here — a run
sufficient of itself to redeem any month in which it occurred
from mediocrity, as anyone can see if he takes the trouble
to follow it on the map.

' November 1 2th. Stutton Mill. Found in the .small willow-bed,
' ran to Oglethorpe and Ingle Bank, to ground. Found our
' second fox in Tadcaster Willow-bed, went away at once
' past the station, left Smaws on the right, Oglethorpe on
'the left, Cliiford on the left, past Compton and Keswick
'to Harewood. The beaten fox ran through the lodges in
'the village, past the church, down the North Park, and
'we killed him below Rawdon Hill. Two hours, ten minutes.
'Twelve miles from point to point.'

I should not omit to add that the italics are not mine.
Another g-ood day's sport took place in this month, and is
well worth preserving : —

'November 17th. Spofforth. Found in Deighton Spring, away
' to the river near Walshford Bridge, crossed twice, then
'towards Hunsingore, back over the river, left Cowthorpe
'village on the left, to Ingmanthorpe Willow Garth, Old
'Wood, and Whin, and killed in the open, two fields from
'the whin. One hour and thirty minutes. Found our
'second fox in Stockeld ; very fast to the Wetherby end
'of the steeplechase-ground, up to Linton, back towards
' Wetherby, crossed the river, and killed near Chestnut
' Grove. Forty minutes : capital pace.'

Scent continued to be moderate, owing principally to the
dry weather, and there is only one run which took place
before the new year came in to which I need draw attention.
There was nothing very particular about the day itself, it
was simply a good hunting run. But for me it possesses a
special interest, tor it was my first da)' with the Bramham
Moor, so perhaps I may be forgiven if I allude to it briefly.
The fixture was Thorp Arch, and well might Mr. Fox say
that there was a large field of holiday people. We went

T28 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

through Wetherby, and tried some of the coverts about
Deighton Bar, if memory serves me rightly. At any rate,
we found in Ingmanthorpe Wood, and ran sharply down to
Cattal, where they crossed the river, and swinging a little
to the left they hunted over Cranberry Carr, and on to
Hopperton, where they lost. They found another fox at
Hatfield's plantation, and killed him after a short run at
Hall Park Springs. The first run was a nice one, though it
was only at a hunting pace ; and I can remember being
much impressed with the way which hounds worked, and
with their quickness. It was rather a novel experience to
see hounds both quick and close hunters, as were and are
the Bramham Moor in a remarkable degree.

Plenty of good hunting runs characterised the month of
January, which was a very open one, but great runs were
scarce. Hounds worked well, and continued to account for
their foxes in a satisfactory manner. One day may be given :

'January 30th. Bickerton Bar. Found in Cowthorpe Wood,
' ran a ring to ground. Found in Hutton Thorns, away to
' Hessay, back towards Marston, to Wilstrop, away close at
' him towards Marston, turned to the right down to the
' Rush, and to ground at the river bank. Fifty-five minutes.
' Bickerton and Hall Park Springs blank. Found in
' Walton Wood ; awa}', two rings, then left Walton Wood
' on the left, pointed for Thorp Arch, down to St. Helen's
'Ford, along the Ings, past the Moat House, turned up to
'Ingmanthorpe, back to Hall Park Spring, pointed for
'Thorp Arch, and lost near the station. One hour and
' thirty minutes.'

'February 23rd. Harewood Bridge. Found in Rougemont
' Carr, crossed the river, came back and found in RifFa,
' ran to ground, bolted, killed. Found in Swindon, hunted
' a ring, then to Walton Head, Spacey House Whin,
' Rudding, Spofforth Haggs, Walton Head, back past
'Spacey House Whin, and killed in Mr. Payley's place
'at Harrogate.'

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 129

There were a lew frosty clays in February and March,
but hounds were not stopped much, and had fair sport
during both months.

'March 13th. Deighton Bar. Found in Ingmanthorpe Whin,
'away to Horn Bank, Walton, Hall Parks, Champagne
' Gorse, back to Horn Bank, and ran him over the river to
' Flint Mill, killing in the water. Old Dairymaid swam
' back with the fox in her mouth, and brought him out dead.'

In the middle of April (the iith) they had a very good
day from Kiddall Lane. After three little spins to ground,
they found a fox at Potterton, and ran by Parlington,
Barnbow, back to the Hollins ; and by Potterton, Becca,
Heyton Wood, Hazlewood and Hallowell Lees, to Oglethorpe
Whin, where they nearly killed, after two and a half hours'
good hunting. But unfortunately there was a brace of foxes
on foot, and they hunted one of them back to Hallowell
Lees, where they gave up at seven p.m., having luckily not
very far to ride before they reached home. Their last day
was on April 24th, when they met at Cookridge at seven in
the morning, of course not advertising. They had a capital
day's sport for the time of year, running a brace to ground
early in the day ; and then they found in Whittle Carr, and
ran merrily through Blackfen and into the park, where they
rolled their fox over. The season was a very open one,
hounds being stopped but seldom. It was, however, a very
bad scenting season, owing to the dry weather which prevailed
throughout. But there was plenty of good hunting, and
hounds did their work well under circumstances which at
times were very trying. They were out one hundred and
thirty days, killed sixty-seven and a half brace of foxes, and
ran twenty-one and a half brace of foxes to ground ; so that,
notwithstanding its drawbacks on the score of bad scenting
days, it must have been a satisfactory season to both
master and huntsman.

I ^,o HISTOR y OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

1874-75. The season of 1874-75 began on Monday,
August 31st, but before the Bramham started there is an
interesting entry in the diary which refers to a visit to another
pack. 'On the 13th August,' writes Mr. Fox, 'having had a
' good look at the hounds in the Grove kennels the day
' before. Lord Galway commenced hunting in Blyth Wood,
' at 4-30, and kindly mounted Lords Macclesfield and
' Wenlock and myself We had no scent in the wood,
' but after a time went to some small coverts, got some
' cubs on foot, forced one away, going through some standing
barley to Bawtry Hall, and killed. Caught the train at
Bawtry at 8-42, and were in this kennel at 11-45.

Twenty brace and a half of cubs was the register, and
they had some rare sport during the latter end of the time.
On October 14th, they had a capital morning at Garforth
Bridge, killing a brace, and on the following day they had
a hard morning, and killed, though scent was very moderate.
They also had a good day in the Stutton country on the i 7th.

The regular season began well at Hare wood Bridge, on
Monday, November 2nd. They had a smart scurry with
their first fox from Rougemont Carr to Wetherby, and killed;
and then, after running a brace of foxes to ground, they
had a good hunting run of an hour and twenty minutes
with a ringing fox from Swindon Wood, and killed him in
Weeton bottoms. During the early weeks of November,
the weather was dry, and on the 23rd frost made an
appearance. A day was stolen on the 24th, but nothing
much was done, and hounds were kept in the kennel till
the 30th, when they had a good day : —

'November 30th. Kirkby Overblow. Found a good number
'of foxes in Swindon Wood. Bad scent out of covert.
' Hunted to Kirkby Overblow, Punch Bowl, Swindon,
' round again, away to the Cocked Hat, pointed for
'Sicklinghall, back towards Kirkby, and lost. Found in

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 131

' Oulah Head, away towards Woodhall, Clap Wood, The
' Walls, back again towards Sicklirighall, to Devonshire
'Whin, and killed. Hard day.'

And, it may be added, a very satisfactory one after the
enforced idleness. December was practically an idle month,
and hounds were only out three times, viz. : on the 5th,
the 7th, and the 9th, and after that it was not until January
6th that they were able to hunt. They met at the Cross
Roads, Bramham, and had a lot of knocking about, but
they did not manage to kill. But they had got to work
again, and the good sport was not long in coming.

'January 15th. The Wild Man. Found in Catterton Wood,
'ran to Steeton, got into a drain. Found in Catterton
'Spring, ran him to Bilbrough, over the Cat Lane earths,
' back nearly to Duce Wood, turned towards Shire Oaks,
'chased him to the right to the old Manor House, and in
' view into the Catterton drain, and I believe he was
'drowned. One hour and twenty minutes. Found in Shire
' Oaks, ran to Healaugh Hall, back through the brick-kiln,
' away through Catterton Wood, fast to Steeton Whin,
'turned to the right to Oxton, and back to Catterton Spring-,
' ran hard in the coverts, and killed in the wood. One
' hour and ten minutes. Hard day.'

'January i8th. Weeton. Found in Riffa, hunted awaj' to
' Stainburn Gill, Leathley, and back towards RifFa, turning
' again, and going to ground in a drain near Leathley.
'Tried Lindley Wood, blank. Tried Riffa again, and
'trotted on to Rougemont Carr Whin. Found a few
'minutes past three, went away, leaving Swindon on the
' left, Kirkby on the left, Cocked Hat on the right, close to
' Spofforth, along the Crimple beck till opposite Rudding.
'Forty -five minutes. Headed by a sheep-dog, turned back
'to Follifoot, through Rudding to Spacey House Whin,
'over the railroad, pointing up the hill, turned to the right
'past C. Redcliffe's house, into the quarry, down to Bathing
' House Whin, again turned on the Crimple hank, and raced

132 HISTORY OF THE BRA M HAM MOOR HUNT.

' into him under the viaduct. One hour and thirty minutes :
' a grand run and hard day. Five and a half couples
' slipped away at Rougemont Carr, and the whipper-in
' never caught them till they got to Woodhall, therefore we
' had only twelve couples to do the work.'

Sport now came thick and fast after the frost, and one
good day succeeded another till selection is difficult. Two
days in February, one in March, and one in April, must,
however, suffice for this season : —

'February 12th. Hounds were advertised to meet at Welton,
' but in consequence of that day being fixed for the funeral
' of poor Kit Wilkinson, I altered the fixture. The thaw
' had set in, and I sent hounds to Bishop Woods at twelve.
' I had a bad cold, and riding was bad, so I did not go
' myself. Dick was out. They found and killed in the
' woods. Went away with another to Thorpe Woods, and
' on to Selby. Turned back along the Dam Head, and
' ran to Hambleton ; back to the wood. Away again ;
' a ring, and back all round the wood ; away towards
' Sherburn ; turned to Ryther Woods, ran through them,
' and back to Paradise Wood ; then away past Church
' Fenton, over Ulleskelf Common. Hounds beating the
' horses, ran on to Patefield, Towton Spring, and Grimston,
' where George, the huntsman, and Dick stopped them as
' they were going down to the river ; their horses beat.
' Three hours.'
' February 26th. Tadcaster Bar. All the country on this side
' the river covered with snow, but at the place of meeting
' none. Found and killed in Catterton Spring. Got on
' another, going to Shire Oaks ; ran up the wood and
' caught him. Another went away, and we ran him down
' to the river side ; going up the Ings, turned to the right
' and pointed for Walton ; turned back into the wood, ran
' him round the wood, and killed. Found in Marston
' Whin ; away towards Tockwith, turned past Bilton
' Grange, through Bilton village, Nova Scotia, over Clay-
' field, and to ground in Marston round hill. Found again

V,

p

1 '

■1
•

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 133

' in Bickerton Spring ; away, leaving Bickerton and Ing-
' manthorpe Willow-garth to the right, pointing for the old
' wood, headed by a shepherd. Back through the Willow-
' garth into Lingcroft ; gave him a turn in the covert.
' Away towards Cowthorpe village ; turned to the left
' nearly to the old wood, left Geldart'.s plantation on the
' left, down to the river, sharp along the bank behind
' Cowthorpe village, turned up to the woods ; hunted prettily.
' Back again towards Cattal Bridge ; then, bearing up
' towards Tockwith, turned back to Hagg Wood. Came
' up to him, and ran hard to Marston Whin. Here they
' ran hard in covert, and nearly caught him. I think he
' got to ground, and we gave it up at 5-40. A hard day.'

' March 8th. Wescoe Hill. Found in Riffa. Away towards
' Bailey's Whin ; doubled back, ran below Wescoe Hill,
' along the bottoms to Rougemont Carr. Hunted him on
' to Whitehead Crag. Here he had waited. They turned
' up the hill, and began to run hard past Clap Wood, over
' the Haggs to Spofforth Castle, racing him into the
' gardens behind the town. He crossed the street, through
' Godfrey Long's fields, and they killed him in the Crimple.
' Captain Benyon jumped in, and cauglit him as he was
' sinking. A good run — an hour and fifteen minutes.
' Found at Stockeld a bad fox ; pottered about, got at him
' in Devonshire Whin, and hunted him through Fime Kiln
' Wood, down to the river, over Linton Quarry, and killed
' in the open. Forty minutes.'

' April 7th. Rudding Park. Killed a fox under the wall.
' Found in the rough ground near Spacey House Whin.
' Away over the railway, through Bathing House Whin,
' Abbey's plantation ; back through Rudding, on to the
' Hags ; back through Herbert's Larches, and killed on the
' tunnel. One hour and five minutes. Found in Swindon
' Wood. Away at once over Dunkeswick Hill, across
' Weeton bottoms, left North Rigton on the right, Almscliff
' on the left, straight over Stainburn and Lindley Moors to
' Norwood Edge. Here he turned to the left into Lindley

134 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' Woodj — hounds working well through the wood, — then
' along the Washburn side. Came up to him, chased him
' back to I.indley Wood, and rolled him over at the bottom
' of the hill. One hour and thirty minutes. A fine run,
' and rare day's sport.'

They finished the season at the kennels on April 28th,
this being about the latest date on which they ever hunted
during Mr. Fox's mastership, the lateness of the finish being
occasioned by the long frosts and consequent backward
season. It was an unsuitable day for hunting; there had
been a long spell of dry weather, and the morning was
very hot. They met early in the morning (at eight o'clock),
and in spite of the unfavourable weather, they finished the
season with a good day's sport, marking one fox to ground,
and killing a brace, one of them after a smart run from
Dog Kennel Whin.

The weather up to the time of the frost was prejudicial
to sport, and there were heavy complaints about bad scent
all over the country, the Bramham Moor getting their share
of bad scenting days as well as their neighbours. But
after the frost there were some excellent runs, as the
extracts from Mr. Fox's diary show. Hounds were out one
hundred and fourteen days, killed fifty-eight brace of foxes,
and ran twenty-eight brace to ground. Frost kept them in
the kennel twenty-nine days.

[875-76. September 6th found Kingsbury and his
hounds at Hazlewood, where the cub-hunting commenced
under brilliant conditions. They had a good morning's
work, and killed a brace, and from all over the country
came the report of a ' good show of cubs.' With a
plentiful supply of foxes, and a fair scent, the cub -hunting
season was an especially good one, and when the regular
season commenced at Harewood Park, on Monday, Nov. ist,
they had killed the respectable number of twenty-one brace.

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. i-r

On the opening day they had a good gallop from Swindon
Wood, killing their fox at North Rigton after fifty minutes'
pretty hunting. A second fox from Riffa Wood beat them
through a bit of bad luck. They had run him through
Norwood Edge on to the road, beyond Fewston ; here
Ranter and Foiler marked the fox down the road, but
Kingsbury unfortunately missed them, and cast the other
way, only discovering when it was too late that the fox
had gone for'ard. The next time they were out they had
a cracker, which must be told in Mr. F"o.x's own words : —

'November 3rd. Cross Roads, Bramham j\Ioor. A very wet
' night. Rain ceased, but rather thick. Found in Hazle-
' wood, ran hard ; lost. Found in Hayton Wood. Away
' towards Hazlewood, turned short to Aberford town end,
' crossed the Cock, ran a great pace, leaving Lotherton on
' the right, pointing straight for Sherburn, leaving Cole
' Hill to the right, then turned to the right, came past the
' fox coverts. Thirty- five minutes; very fast. Left Ringhay
' on the left, close past the back of Lotherton House, and
' on to Hayton Wood. Through the wood into Hazlewood.
' Here I think we must have changed. There were two
' lines ; but hounds went on to Becca, across the park, left
' Parlington Bank on the left, Barwick on the right, Barn-
' bow on the right, to ground in the old place at Mansion.
' Two hours fifteen minutes ; very severe.'

The month of November was a good one for sport, and
one good run succeeded another. On the 6th they had a
capital day from Bardsey, killing a leash of foxes, the last
of which, 'a traveller,' stood before them for three hours.
Well might Mr. Fox call it a hard day. Six days later
they had a good day from the Wild Man, killing their first
fox in the York and Ainsty country, whilst with their second
they had a rare gallop of an hour and thirty-five minutes,
with a glorious finish at Hall Park Springs, where they ran
into him. On the 29th, when they met at Huby, they had

136 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

a good day, killing their first fox, and running their second
to ground. With their third they had a good run, chasing
hiiTj hard for forty-five minutes, and then hunting more
slowly till dark, when they gave him up in Rougemont
Cam A good fox had evidently saved his life by 'effecting
' a change' in Weeton bottoms. The month went out with
frost and snow ; but there was not sufficient of either to
prevent hounds having a by-day at Cross Roads, Clifford
Moor, on the 30th, when they had a very good day for
hounds, killing a brace of foxes after a lot of work.

Frost interfered a little with sport during December,
but not to any great extent, and the month began with
what ought to have been a brilliant day, but which was a
very disappointing one : —

'December ist. Micklefield. Found in the wood. Away to
' the Pontefract Road; turned to Hook Moor into Parlington
' Park, pointing for Aberford. Over the paddocks to the
' Willow-garth and Bank ; over the brook. Hounds divided
' unseen ; six and a half couples turned back, running hard
' through the old wood and across the park. Not aware of
' the division, I followed, and the huntsman ran our fox
' past Hook Moor to Daniel Hartley's, Huddlestone Wood,
' and Micklefield Wood, where we saw him beaten, but so
' few hounds gave him a chance. We ran on with a fresh
' fox to Wheat Wood, Coburn Hill, Ringhay, away nearly
' to Led Mill, turned to the right to Bullen Wood, and got
' off his line. The other lot (twelve couples) ran to Barwick
' and Potterton, and never caught us. Having got our
' pack, we found in Hazlewood, ran hard away to Aberford,
' Becca, Barwick, Potterton, through Parlington Hollins to
' ground in the earth in the deer park. Fifty minutes.
' Very disappointing, as the earth ought to have been
' stopped.'

Here was a chapter of accidents such as sometimes
happen, and which is one of the biggest trials that come
in the way of master of liounds and huntsman. For it was

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

137

a really good scenting day, and it is unnecessary for me to

tell men of experience that a really good scenting day is

of rare occurrence, and that there are plenty of seasons

in which not one is to be found. After such a scent there

is generally a little frost, and this was the case now ; though

on the 3rd they were able to hunt at Bickerton Bar, when

they found ' Bob-tailed George' at Nova Scotia, and were

beaten by him as usual, though they got blood before they

got home. They were going again in full swing on the 9th,

and had sport up to the average, or rather over it, till the

13th, when they had a splendid run : —

'December 13th. Harewood Bridge. Found in Rougemont

'Carr; lost. Found in Swindon Wood. Away very fast

' up the hill ; past Kirkby Overblow to Parkin Wood and

' vSpacey House Whin. Not a horse near them until they

' reached Almscliff. Forty-five minutes. Forward over

' Rigton Moor to the west end of Haverah Park, and on

' to the Harrogate Road. Turned back ; left Beckwithshaw

' Bar to the right, and lost near Thurtle's Whin. A fine

' run — two hours ten minutes. Sixteen miles. A rare fox,

' as the pace up to Haverah Park was great.'

Fairly good sport continued till the end of the month.

when they had a fine day's sport to celebrate the close of

the year : —

'December 31st. Deighton Bar. Found in Ingmanthorpe Old
' Wood. Hunted to the river side, to ground below Walsh-
• ford Bridge. Found on Goose Moor, ran to Cowthorpe
' Woods and towards Cattal Bridge ; lost. Tried Wilstrop ;
' blank. A fox jumped up in turnip field adjoining Marston
' Whin. The hounds, led by Friendly, raced him away
' towards the village ; turned to the right, crossed the York
' road, ran over Clayfield earths, past Nova Scotia, pointed
' for Wighill village, and came to a check near the village,
' owing to a fox having crossed the line, and two scents.
' We went towards Shire Oaks, but finding the mistake,
' trotted back, hit oft' the line of the run fox, and hunted

t38 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' him slowly back through Nova Scotia and Marston Whin,
' and killed him well below Marston village. Time from
' find to kill, one hour and fifty minutes. The burst, nineteen
' minutes. Very fast indeed ; the fox could never recover
' himself.'

The month of January, 1876, was an open one, and
hounds showed rare sport, scent beuiL;" good nearly every
day they were out, and it was not till February that storm
and frost began to interfere with hunting to any appreciable
extent. One good day in January must be given, and then
I must take my readers to the end of P^ebruary.

'January 21st. Marston. Tried the Thorns, blank. Found in
' Collier Hagg. Away to Healaugh village, past Duce
' Wood ; lost. As we were going to draw Marston Whin
' a fox was viewed coming up to the York Road near
' Bilton. We got near him, leaving Bilton on the left, to
' the Loft, Duce Wood, past Healaugh village, towards
' Angram bottoms. Hunted back past Duce Wood to the
' Catterton drain, along the bank, through Little .Shire
' Oaks to Catterton. Came up to him ; ran him fast back
' up wind, and lost at Nova Scotia. Good hunting ; two
' hours. Drew the Loft. Found in the small covert at the
' bottom of Wighill Park. Rattled him through Walton
' Wood away to Inman's. Turned to the right back to
' where we found, into Walton Wood ; turned him about,
' ran him a few fields towards Wighill village, and killed.
' Hard day.'

February, as I have already intimated, was wild and
stormy, and when hounds were out they were much bothered
by high winds, and scent was bad all the month. They
had one good day, however, and killed a leash of foxes in
a good country.

' February 28th. Kirkby Overblow. Found in Swindon Wood.
' Ran round Kirkby and into the Punch Bowl, and lost.
' Tried Clap Wood, and whilst drawing the Cocked Hat

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

139

' Whin, a fox, like our run fox, came out of the little wood.
' Ran sharp to Sicklinghall Wood, and killed an old dog fox.
' Found on the wall at Stockeld, and killed an unhealthy
■fox. P'ound in Limekiln Wood. Ran past Woodhall,
' Woolah Head, pointed for Clap Wood, on past Kirkby to
' Swindon. Here a long check ; hounds being held into
' and round the wood, hit him forward. Ran nearly to
' Buttersike Bar, then to the left to the bottom of Dun-
' keswick hill, bearing to the right over Weeton bottoms,
' crossed the railway, and killed above North Rigton. One
' hour thirty minutes. Good run.'

March was, on the whole, a stormy month, and scent
was only catchy. They had some good runs, but there was
nothing out of the common. Hounds, however, hunted
well, and accounted well for their foxes. Scent was also
considerably affected by frost and snow, though there was
never sufficient of either to prevent hunting. A late start
was, however, not infrequently entailed ; and a late start in
the month of March is not always conducive to sport.
April, however, made up tor all the shortcomings of the
two previous months. They hunted all the month, and had
some famous runs.

The month began with a very hard day for hounds at
Bramham Bar. Fo.xes were numerous, and had 'got together,'
and they were running first one and then another all day,
ending by marking one to ground in Blackfen. They had
a rattling good day on the 5th, when they met at Led Mill,
and killed a brace, In spite of the hot, dry weather ; their
second fox being run into at Hayton Wood, after a very
fast thirty minutes. An hour and five minutes from Bickerton
Bar, two days after, ended with a kill ; and notwithstanding
the hot weather which prevailed, hounds continued to show
rare sport, and to kill their fo.xes.

'April 17th. Buttersike Bar. Found on Rigton Moor; ran
' very fast towards Riffa, turned at Bailey's Whin, ran

140

HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' down to Weeton station, over the railway, turned to the
'right under the viaduct, came to slow hunting; passed
' RiiFa to Stainburn, Lindley Moor, back to the right to
' Almscliff, Bailey's Whin, Weeton station ; changed our
' fox, ran on past Rougemont Carr to Dunkeswick, back to
' Rigton village, got up to a run fox in Riffa, and ran
' sharp to ground at Almscliff. Hard day, and good run ;
' at work nearly three hours.'

'April 27th. North Rigton. Found on the moor; ran to
'Almscliff, and came to a check at Rigton village, hunted
' towards Thurtle's Whin, and slowly back to the moor.
' The fox jumped up in the heather in front of hounds,
' and they chased him very fast to INIoor Park, turning to
' the right before they reached the wall, down Beckvvithshaw
' bottoms to Dickinson's Wood ; a severe burst of twenty-
' five minutes. Cattle brought them to a check, and they
' hunted on, leaving Pannal to the right, up to Harlow
'Carr, which the fox did not enter, but turned to the right
'pointing for Harrogate, but bending to the right, hounds
' hunting him well to the mill at Pannal ; here we lost
'his line, but hit him off in the plantation next to
' Thurtle's Whin ; came up to him and killed. Two hours
' and fifty minutes' good work.'

Well mii^'ht Mr. Fox say it was 'good work'; and few
such brilliant runs have been seen late in the season. The
last day of the season was Saturday, the 29th, when they
met at Bramham Park, and had a fair day's sport to wind
up with, killing one fox and running a brace to ground.
The season was a good one on the whole. Up to February
sport was above the average, and in April it was exceptional,
the latter month being a very wet one, and wet ground
favours sport in the Bramham Moor country. They hunted
one hundred and twenty-nine days, killed sixty-three brace
of foxes, and ran thirty-nine brace to ground.

1876-77. Hazlewood, on September 4th, saw the opening
of the next season. It was by no means a nice morning to

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. i^j

turn out early, as it rained hard, but they found a good litter
of cubs, and after a lot of work they managed to get hold
of one. The cub-hunting season was a satisfactory one,
scent serving fairly all the time. They were out thirty-two
times, killing twenty-one and a half brace of foxes, and
running seven brace to ground. The regular season com-
menced on November ist, at Woodhall Bridge, but scent
was bad and sport indifferent, though they managed to get
hold of a ringing fox. The first good run took place on the
6th, when they met at Weeton. Their first fox was found
in a rushy field near the meet, and they ran him hard for an
hour by Almscliff and Riffa, and over the river opposite
Rawdon Hill, pulling him down at Harewood Bridge after
a sharp gallop of an hour. Their second fox was found in
Swindon Wood, and after two hours and five minutes of
good hunting, by Spacey Houses, Thurtle's Whin, and Pannal,
and over Beckwithshaw bottoms nearly to Harrogate, and
back nearly to Almscliff they killed him midway between
North Rigton and Thurtle's Whin. Sport throughout the
month was of average character, scent not being so good as
could have been wished ; and the early days of December
did not show much improvement. But they had a typical
Bramham Moor day on the 8th, for an account of which I
must turn to Mr. Fox's diary : —

' December 8th. Deighton Bar. Found in the Willow Garth ;
' away towards Bickerton, back past Lingcroft to Ingman-
' thorpe, ringing round the coverts ; then away to Hall
'Park Springs and Walton Wood. Away with a fresh
'fox, back again to Ingmanthorpe, Hall Park Springs,
'Boggart House, Hatfield's covert, Ingmanthorpe Willow-
' garth, round again to Geldart's covert, down towards
'the river, left Cowthorpe village on the left. Close at
'their fox into Cowthorpe Wood; changed, ran on to
'Tockwith, down to the river nearly to Cattal Bridge,
'back to Cowthorpe Woods, and into Lingcroft. Here we
s

142

HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT.

' ran him for some time, and to ground. A very hard and
'disappointing day, running from 11-30 till 4.

A wet December meant good sport, and several excellent
runs were enjoyed till frost put a stop to sport just before
Christmas ; and two days deserve special mention : —

'December 15th. Marston. A large field out after the
'Yeomanry Ball. Found in Hutton Thorns; hunted with
' bad scent to the railway near Skip Bridge, round to
'AVilstrop, away to the Rash, came up to him, and raced
'him to ground in Wilstrop Wood. Found in Marston
'Whin; away over the road to Bilton, left the house on
' the left, and Bickerton Spring on the left, turned short
' over the York road, down Bilton fields nearly to Tockvvith,
'back towards the whin, and leaving it on the right chased
' the fox into a short drain at Marston village, got him
' out quickly, and killed. Thirty-five minutes ; very fast.'

' December 1 8th. Kirkby Overblow. Found at Swindon Wood ;
'hunted to Dunkeswick hill, into Weeton bottoms, turned
' to the right, left Walton Head on the left, past Herbert's
' Larches, left Rudding Park just on the right ; came up
'to him in the rough ground near Spacey House Whin,
' and hunted him back through Rudding Park down to
'the Crimple. Got off the line, got on him again in
' Rudding Park, hunted to the tunnel and back, past
' Bleach Ground Whin to Plompton Rocks, back to
' Rudding, and lost. Hard day ; very wet.'

The last run on the Marston day is a capital object-lesson
for masters of hounds on the vexed question of digging ;
a question upon which, if I may make bold to say it, has
more nonsense talked about it than any other in connection
with himting. Actuated, no doubt, by sportsmanlike feeling,
but without the slightest regard for the hounds, without
whom they would have no sport at all, there are some who
argue that it is wrong to dig under any circumstances, and
who talk of ' murder ' when a fox is dug out and given to

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

143

hounds on the earth. This is not the place to go into details
upon the question, but Mr. Fox would have done scant
justice to his hounds had he not given them this fo.x, when
they were ' angry ' for him after such a run.

V'ariable weather distinguished January, and sport was
unequal, scent being very indifferent at times. On the 6th
they had a pretty gallop with an afternoon tox trom
Parlington Hollins, marking him to ground in a drain near
Scarcroft after a very nice forty-five minutes. On the 8th,
too, they had a good old-fashioned day. They met at
Weeton, and ran their second fox, a stout one, though some-
what inclined to ring, from Riffa to Harrogate, where they
pulled him down behind the Granby at the end of two hours
and ten minutes, during which time a lot of big country had
been crossed. What took place on that day week must be
given in full : —

'January 17th. High Harrogate. Found in a small covert
'called "Knox," near the Harrogate and Ripley road;
' away towards High Harrogate, then turned to the left to
'Bilton Banks, crossed the river above the mill at Miss
' Rawson's end. The horsemen were thrown out, having
' to go to the railway bridge. Hounds ran over Farnham
']\Iires, then past Gibbet Wood, over Hay Park, past
'Arkendale to Stourton Park. The huntsman found some
' of the hounds that had failed to get over the park wall,
' and on getting into the park, the body of the pack were
' hunting through the deer. The whole pack then together
'rattled along over the park, and killed him near the
'house. Eight miles straight on the map. Came back,
' found in Birkham Wood ; away at once over the river
' to Goldsbro' Wood, the j\Ioor, Green Dick, Ribston
' plantations, back to the j\Ioor, turned him two or three
'times, and changing foxes, gave it up. Hard day.'

This was a remarkabl)- good da)-, and it is to be regretted
that there is not any record of the time of the first run.

144 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

which was over the best part of the York and Ainsty
Thursday country.

February was an open month, and good runs were the
rule, amongst which may be mentioned a fast fifty minutes
from Langwith on the "th ; a good fifty minutes from
Huddlestone Wood, ending with a kill at Grimston Lodge,
on the 1 7th ; and a capital hour and a half's hunting on the
19th, when, in a gale of wind, they found a fox in Swindon
Wood, and hunted him well by the Punch Bowl, Clap Wood,
Sicklinghall, Stockeld, Spofforth and Braham Wood, pulling
him down not far from Ribston Moor. Two days are too
good to be epitomised : — ■

February 9th. Wighill village. Found in Catterton Wood ;
'ran to ground in the garden at Bilbrough. Found in
' Hutton Thorns ; away very quick past Rufforth, Hare-
' wood's Whin, left Poppleton on the right to Red House,
' through the wood, turning to the left up to Hessay, Hare-
' wood's Whin, left Grange Wood on the left, Collier Hagg
' on the left, Marston village and Whin on the left, Bilton
' and Nova Scotia on the right, to Healaugh ; turned to
'the left back to Marston Whin. Most severe run; hounds
' always going on fast. Two hours and fifteen minutes.
' Two or three foxes in the whin ; we nearly caught one,
' but he slipped out, and we lost him in Marston village.
' Horses all tired.'

'February 23rd. Tadcaster Bar. Drew Catterton and Duce
'Wood blank. Fox jumped up in a ploughed field outside
'Collier Hagg; away fast towards Rufforth, turned back
' past Swann's Whin ; slow hunting past Healaugh
'village, leaving it on the right, past Duce Wood, through
'Shire Oaks, then getting nearer to him, and killed in
' Mr. Brookshank's park. One hour and twenty - five
' minutes. Found our second fox in a tree near Tom-
'linson's house; away at his brush, ran fast to Shire
' Oaks and Catterton Wood, straight to Bilbrough Hill ;
' checked in Col. Fairfax's garden, hit him off, ran into a

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

145

' drain under the turnpike road near to Ann Bucl^le's.
' Reckless got in, and was fast under the road. We were
' two hours getting her out. She was nearly drowned, but
' came round. We also got the fox. Twenty-five minutes
' to the check ; very fast.'

The next day was very stormy, but they had a good
day's sport from the Cock Bridge, for all that ; and then
came frost and snow, which put a stop to hunting till
March 2nd. March was not a particularly good month.
The weather was boisterous and stormy, and nothing took
place which requires special mention. In April, however,
there were some good runs, two of which I give : —

'April yth. North Deighton. Found in Deighton Spring;
' away to Ribston Moor, left Smiler's Gorse on the left,
'Kirk Deighton on the right, pointed for Stockeld ; turned
'to the right, left Deighton Spring on the right, skirted
' Braham Wood, checked near Birkham Wood. Very fast;
'forty minutes. Ran on over the river to Goldsbrough
'Wood and Moor, through Flaxby, away over Hay Park,
' back to the left to Goldsbrough Wood and Moor, and
' lost. Very hard run ; the day hot, the ground deep.
' The huntsman's horse, Black Binns, died on the road
'home. He had been lame, and was short of work.
' Heart found to be diseased.'

'April nth. Deighton Bar. Found in Ingmanthorpe Whin;
' ran to ground near Wetherby, near the railway cutting.
' Found in Lingcroft, ran to Goose Moor, Geldart's planta-
'tion. Old Wood, Willow Garth, Cowthorpe Wood, left
' Tockwith on the left, and lost in consequence of a sheep-
'dog having turned him at Bilton lane. Forty minutes.
' Found in Walton Wood ; away towards Wighill Church,
'down to the river side, up to St. Helen's Ford, pointed
' for Walton village, turned to the right, and ran to ground
' outside Walton Wood ; very pretty. Got up to a fox in
'Ingmanthorpe Willow-garth; away to the Old Wood,
' Sandbeck Wood, .Svvinnow, past the Boggart House, got

146 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

'on good terms, rail him hard through Hall Park Springs,
' pointed for Bickerton Bar, turned to the left, ran through
'the Willow Garth, left Goose Moor on the right, Armitage's
'Plantation on the right. North Deighton and Deighton
'Spring on the right; pointed for Spofforth, crossed the
'railroad, was headed from Stockeld Par!;, turned back,
'and got to ground in the railway cutting. A very severe
'day; horses much beat.'

The season closed on the 14th, when they met at
Rawdon Hill, and killed a leash and ran one to ground.
Taking it in the whole, it had been a good season. Hounds
were out one hundred and twenty-five days. They killed
si.xty and a half brace of foxes, and ran twenty-nine brace
to ground. It is not a little remarkable that in all their best
runs they touched upon the York and Ainsty country. It is
by no means infrequent for hounds to cross the Tadcaster
road, which is the boundary-line between the two Hunts
on the eastern side of the Bramham country in either
direction, but in this particular season the Thursday country
of their neighbours was crossed with equal impartiality, and
perhaps the run of the season was that which took place on
January 17th, when they killed their fox in Allerton Park.

--•Ajti-A

''''■'/ «■, •

CHAPTER VI.
The Rule of Mr. George Lane Fox (continued).

WITH TOM SMITH AS HUNTSMAN, 1 87 7-85.

Sjiith had not a very encouraging- start, for the harvest of
1877 was a very late one, and it was not till the middle of
September that he made a beginning amongst the cubs.
Then there was a good deal of rainfall, and the drip off the
leaves did not at all tend to the improvement of scent. It was
altogether a trying situation for a young huntsman to be in,
for it must be remembered that it was Smith's first attempt
with the horn, though he had had a good schooling under
some of the best huntsmen of the day. He had the
additional disadvantage of the master's absence on his first
mornings.

1877-78. Notwithstanding all these drawbacks, however,
he made a capital start, and it was not long before Mr. Fox
could write in his diary of a 'good, cheerful morning.' On
the 15th, Smith was sent to Byram to commence the cub-
hunting season. Byram, on a pouring wet morning, was not a
cheerful start, especially as scent was wretched. They found

•■■««■

148 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

a few foxes, however, notwithstanding the stormy morning,
and at last, by dint of perseverance, they got hold of one.
Scent was bad during the whole of the month, and perhaps
their best morning was that at Westwoods, to which I
have already alluded as a 'good, cheerful morning.' They
had a lot of hard work, and killed a brace handsomely.
October was a wild, stormy month, and scent continued to
be indifferent, and at times wretched. On the 27th, Smith
had an opportunity of exhibiting that patience for which as
a huntsman he soon became famous. The fixture was
Garforth Bridge, and after killing a brace of cubs, and
running one to ground, they had a run with a twisting fox,
who manaeed to save his brush. Here is Mr. Fox's account
of the run : —

' Found in the Boot and Shoe plantations ; ran a ring, then
' away hunting slowly past I.edsham, nearly to Buttress
' Hill and Milford Junction ; turned back, got nearer to
'him, left Lumley on the right, and ran fast back to the
' woods, and got to ground in an earth. Very good hunting;
' two hours and thirty-five minutes.'

Of the hunting part of the run, when hounds had
really to work hard for the line. Smith writes : ' Hunted it at
' a walking pace, the fox twisting about in all directions, the
'bitches hunting it, inch by inch, beautifully.' Of the run
and of the fox as well he has something to say. ' Very
' disappointing for hounds, as they richly deserved their fox.
' A most difficult brute to hunt, being headed so many times
' by people getting potatoes and by ploughmen, and managing
'not to be seen.'

Curiously enough, in neither Mr. Fox's nor in Smith's
diaries is the first day of the regular season named, though
it probably took place on the Monday after the run just
recorded, when hounds had a moderate day's sport from
Riffa, with a bad scent, but that notwithstanding, they

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. i^g

managed to get hold of a brace. On November 2nd, they
had a long hard day without blood, losing their last fox, a
good one, near Healaugh village at dark, after a good hunt.
They had also a capital day on the loth, at Bardsey. In
the morning they killed a ringing fox, and chopped another
in covert, and then they found in Wike Whin. At first it
was rather slow hunting, but after the fox had tried some
quarry-holes over the Harewood and Wetherby road, they
got on better terms with him, and rattled him along by
Wike and Harewood Park, pointing for Wigton Moor, then
back into Wike Wood, where some time was spent ; but at
last they got away again, and ran past Wike Whin,
School House Whin, and Bardsey, and over the Leeds and
Wetherby road up to Spring Wood. Then happened an
awkward thing for hounds. They had just hit off the line
after a check, and would no doubt soon have got up to their
fox, when a fresh fox jumped up in view in a turnip-field.
Him they ran hard, and would doubtless have killed, had
he not saved his brush by going to ground in a quarry-
hole. Smith's first really good run took place on the 23rd.
'November 23rd. Tadcaster Bar. Tried Bilbrough Whin and
' Catterton, blank. Found in .Shire Oaks ; and with bad
' scent hunted rings, and ran to ground in a drain. Found
' in Duce Wood ; went away fast over Healaugh Gravel
' Pits and Fairy Cars to the hill above Marston, near the
'York road; turned to the right, ran over Walton's farm,
' leaving Healaugh village to the right, past Shire Oaks,
' pointing for Tadcaster, left it on the right, crossed the
' York road at Bow Bridge, headed for Oxton village ;
' bearing to the left skirted Steeton Whin, left Colton
'Lodge on the right, and killed him two fields from Colton
' Hall. A good run ; one hour and twenty-five minutes.'

In this run a curious circumstance took place. After
they turned back to the right at Marston Hill, a fresh fox
jumped up out of a hedgerow, and hounds caught a view

T

150 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

of him, and ran him hard for three fields. Then they divided,
and it is Smith's opinion that they picked up the line of
their hunted fox again. A brilliant day's sport from Hare-
wood Bridge took place on December 3rd, — decidedly the
best that took place before Christmas.

' December 3rd. Harewood Bridge. Found in Rougemont
' Carr ; ran two slow rings over Dunkeswick hill and
'back, then away along the river side, turned up for RifFa,
' and pulled him down a field from the wood. Two hours.
'Found in Swindon Wood; away into the Punch Bowl,
' up the hill past Kirkby Overblow to Walton Head, hung
' in covert for a time, away back for Swindon, pointed for
' Harewood Bridge, turned to the right, and ran as if for
' Woolah Head, hounds catching him below Netherby.
'One hour and twenty-five minutes. Well done!'

Scent was onlv moderate throughout December and
January, but hounds hunted well, and killed a tair proportion
of foxes, without there being anything in the way of great
runs to chronicle. One thing, however, the bad scenting
days fairly established, and that was the perseverance of the
new huntsman, whose patience was much appreciated by
Mr. Fox, and who may be said to have made a very good
start in his new vocation under trying circumstances.

They had a very hard day on January iith, when they
met at Bickerton Bar. They met with plenty of foxes, and
were running all day. Their second fox was found in
Ingmanthorpe Old Wood, and they ran him over the
Wetherby road nearly to Horn Bank, thence to Hall Parks
and Walton, where the fox was headed, and they changed,
and after slowly hunting their fresh fox to Thorp Arch, he
beat them by getting to ground in the main earth. They
found again at Lingcroft, and after running over a good
deal of the same ground that they had crossed in the
morning, they finally were stopped at Cowthorpe at dark.

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 151

On the 1 6th they met at Wike, when there was a very bad
scent, and as the day seems rather typical of many which
took place during the season, I cannot do better than give
Smith's account of it : —

' Met at Wike with eighteen and a half couples of hounds.
'Went to Eccup Whin, drew it and Alwoodley Crag,
'blank. P'ound a fox at Scotland Wood, but the scent so
'bad could do nothing with him. Found again at Wigton
'Moor; and went away pointing for Harewood, but bore
'to the right for Wike Whin, but it was such a wretched
'scent that hounds could not hunt it. Got up to a fox at
'Wike Whin; and went away across to Blackmoor, and
'after running round there, went away, leaving Kidhurst
'to the right, and up to Bardsey station; here he turned
■'to the left through School House Whin, and within two
'fields of Vickers' field turned short back to the right by
'Bardsey village, and over the Leeds road up to the railway,
' and killed him just before reaching Kidhurst, which made
' a good finish to a bad day.'

On the 28th thev had a o-ood hunting- run. The meet
was Beckwithshaw Bar, and as there was snow on the high
ground, they went to Rougemont Carr for their second fox.
Him they ran over a nice country for an hour and thirty-five
minutes, pulling him down at Ruckling Park wall. Then
came a day or two of frost, and hounds were kept in kennel
till February 2nd, when it had thawed sufficiently to get
them out, and they killed a brace of fo.xes. It was not long
before frost interfered with sport again, but before it did
came the best day's sport of the season, of which the
following is Mr. Fox's account : —

' February 8th. Deighton Bar. Found in Ingmanthorpe Whin.
' Hunted about the coverts there, away past Champagne
' Gorse, left Walton on the right. Thorp Arch station on
' the right, on to Walton Ings, and ran to ground on the
' river-side below Esedike. Fortv minutes. Found in Cow-

152 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' thorpe Woods. Away to the village, pointed for Ingman-
' thorpe, left the Willow Garth on the right, back past
* Cowthorpe Wood, crossed the river and back again,
' chased him into the river again, and killed him in the
' middle. Thirty-five minutes. P"ound in Lingcroft. Away
'through the Willow Garth, over the York road, left
' Bickerton Spring on the left, passed Bilton Grange to
' Tockwith and nearly to Wilstrop. Here a long check.
' Hit him up to Marston Whin, came up to him, got him
' away fast to Wilstrop, down to the river, turned to the
' left, ran the bank of the river past Skewkirk Bridge, back
' past Tockwith and to Marston Whin, killing him in
' covert. Two hours twenty-five minutes. Killed at 5-25.
' Hard day.'

Smith, in his record of this good day's sport, relates that
he took out twenty-one and a half couples of hounds, and
that every hound was up at the finish, which speaks volumes
for their condition. There was a good deal of broken
weather in February, and though hounds were not stopped
much, sport was considerably affected. March, too, was wild
and dry, and before the end of the month the fallows were
so hard that hunting was certainly carried on under difficulties.
They had one very good day in the middle of the month,
when they met at the Spacey Houses. They found their
first fox in Beckwithshaw bottoms, and after hunting him an
hour, they lost him near Pannal. The weather was wretched
— 'high wind, and dust flying,' says Mr. Fox in his diary —
but for all that they had a good and satisfactory hunt with
their second, or rather with their third ; for they found a
vixen in Walton Wood, which, of course, they left. .Spacey
House Whin provided the run. Thence they ran to Rudding
Park, past the Cocked Hat to Kirkby Overblow wall, where
the fox was headed back past Clap Wood. But he made
his point after all, and they ran him down the hill towards the
Punch Bowl, and down to the river. Here they had a long

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 153

check, and thought that the fox had gone to ground under
the river bank. Crossing the river, however, they hit off
the Hne again, and hunted up to Harewood Bridge, where
they came up to their fox dead beat, and rolled him over
after two hours' good hunting.

The season was brought to a close on April iith, when
they met at Bramham Park. The day was hot and dry, and
there was a mob of people ; but they killed a brace of foxes
for all that, and had something like a pretty hunt after the
second. It was a bad scenting season, taken on the whole,
and there were no great runs ; but hounds hunted well and
accounted well for their foxes. They were out one hundred
and thirteen days, killed seventy and a half brace of foxes,
and ran thirty-two and a half brace to ground. Of the
season Mr. Fox says : — ' Hounds did good work ; hunted
' and killed their foxes well.'

1878-79. — The next season, of which the master's
summary is that it was a bad scenting season, commenced
on September 4th, when Smith took fifty-six couples of
hounds into Westwoods, sixteen and a half of them being
vounof ones. The weather was hot, and there was not much
scent, but they managed to get hold of a fox after a good
deal of work. There is nothing much in connection with
the cub-hunting to record till October 14th, when they met
at Swindon Wood. They found plenty of foxes, and killed
a cub in the open. Then they found a leash of cubs in
Thurtle's Whin, but could do nothing with them. An old
fox was afterwards found near Pannal, and they hunted him
up to Swindon Wood, where, in all likelihood, they changed.
Anyhow, they ran back to the railway, and a train coming
along whilst hounds were on the line, ran over Beatrice,
injuring her so much that she had to be destroyed, and at
the same time causing hounds to lose their fox. They
hunted again, but did nothing to speak of.

154 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

On the 19th Smith was unable to go out, being- laid up
with a bad knee, and the whippers-in took the hounds on to
Peckfield Bar. They drew Kippax Park, found three or four
foxes, and got hold of one ; but after that they went home,
as Mr. Fox sent to stop them. This would probably be the
first fox ever killed by Frank Bartlett, who is now huntsman
to Lord Fitzwilliam. Hounds were in the kennel a week,
and then Mr. Fox took them to Ryther Woods, Bartlett
again acting as huntsman, but they had not a very great day,
and the cub-hunting season was brought to a close without
much more in the way of incident. Twenty and a half brace
of cubs killed, and seven and a half brace run to ground,
makes a fair register. They had one hard day, which I
ouoht not to omit, as it was something rather out of the
common for the cub-hunting season. It took place before
Smith was laid up : —

'October i8th. Wilstrop Wood. Found cubs, and after work

' hi covert, killed. Found in Hutton Thorns. Hunted him

' in covert for some time, at last got him away, and killed

' in the open. Found an old fox in Marston Whin, ran him

' to the river ; stopped hounds. Found in Bilton Wood.

' Away to Bickerton and Ingmanthorpe Willow Garth. Here

' turned by a sheep dog. Hunted him through Champagne

' Gorse, Hatfield's plantation, back again to the Willow

'Garth, left the old wood on the left, through Swinnow up

' to the railway, back to the Willow Garth, and ran to

' ground at dark.'

The regular season opened at W'oodhall Bridge, when

they had a ringing sort of a day, and did not kill ; and early

in the month snow fell and hindered sport considerably.

Scent was indifferent when hounds could again get out, and

they were much bothered to the end of the month. On the

25th they had a fair day from North Deighton — an hour and

twenty minutes h'om Stockeld Park ; a kill not far from

Deighton Springs, alter a good deal of knocking about by

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

155

Wetherby Lodge, Linton Spring, Wetherby station, Ingman-
thorpe, Armitage's plantation, North and Kirk Deighton, —
putting a nice finish to it. Hounds hunted well, and it
was a good hunting run.

On December 2nd they had a long, hard day ; just the
sort of day in fact that is usually the precursor of a long-
spell of frosty weather. They met at Harewood Bridge, and
found in Swindon Wood, running up to Walton Head, where
they had a long check. Hitting off the line again, they
hunted in the direction of the Harrorate road, where the

o

field drove them clean off the line, and no more good was
done. Another fo.x that was found on the railway bank went
to ground immediately ; and then they found again at the
Bleachino- Ground, and had a good hunting run with a
holding scent. They ran to the railway and back, and
along the beck side to Brown Hills, turning to the left
through Plompton Rocks, and marking their fox to ground
in Abraham's Whin. Here some hounds had gone on with
the line of another fox, and they went on after them,
catching them up, and hunting past Ribston Whin and
Deighton, and through Armitage's plantation to Ingman-
thorpe Old Wood ; thence past Swinnow they hunted into
Hatfield's plantation, where they got on to the line of a
fresh fox. Him they ran hard for {&\v fields and back to
the covert, where they were stopped in the dark. They ran
nicely till they got close to Armitage's plantation, where
they had a long check, and from thence to Hatfield's
plantation it was very slow hunting.

Then came the frost, and hounds were only out a very
few times from December 6th to February 7th. On
December 31st they went to Wetherby Grange Wood, and
had a very hard day, and though there was not much scent
they managed to kill a brace of foxes, finishing their day
in Westwoods, where they ran first one fox and then

156 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

another, and finally were stopped by the darkness. On the
following day they had another long and hard day's sport
from Bardsey, and were practically running all day, and
constantly changing foxes, and they had to go home without
blood. They stole a day on January 15th, but again they
met with disappointment. There were plenty of foxes, but
not scent enough to press them, and they did not get hold
of one, though they marked one to ground. They were
eventually stopped at dark close to Barker's plantation.

What hunting man does not remember the dreary time
that he experienced in December, 1878, and the two following-
months ! Indeed, the season now under review was the
most unsatisfactory one that I can remember, and the
Bramham Moor hounds were stopped no fewer than thirtv-
eight advertised days. From the 7th to the 22nd of
February they were kept going, and then came a couple
more days of frost. Perhaps the following was the hardest
day they had up to the second February frost, though it
was a sufficiently disappointing one : —

'February loth. Woodhall Bridge. Found in the wood near
'the house; away to Sicklinghall, turned to the left past
' Clap Gate into the Punch Bowl, turned to the left by the
'river-side to Woodhall and Devonshire Whin, changed
' foxes, and lost at Woodhall. Found at Stockeld Park ;
'lost. Found, or a fox was viewed, on the Haggs near
'the Cocked Hat; away pointing for Parkin's Wood, turned
' to the left to the walls into the Punch Bowl, down to the
'river through Woolah Head. Hounds divided; fog was
' thick ; we went with ten couples past Clap Wood to the
'walls; came to a check. Good run; one hour. Went
'to look for the other hounds. They had crossed the
'river, and the huntsman found them at Scarcroft.-"

It was half way between Woolah and the Punch Bowl
that hounds divided, and probably the mischief was due in
the first place to a sheep-dog that coursed the fox. Eleven

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 157

couples and a half went down the hill, and it was this lot
that had the run. They had crossed the river somewhere
near the bridge, and ran on, leaving East Keswick to the
left, and Vickers' field to the right, and between School
House Whin and Wike Whin, and over the hill nearly to
Scarcroft, whence they bore to the left towards Shadwell
Moor. No one was with them, and that was the last that
was heard of them. Both the whippers-in's horses were
beaten to a standstill, and Mr. George Lowther, like the
good sportsman he was, helped Smith with the hounds he
had with him up to the edge of Blackmoor, where they got
together, the other hounds coming up a couple or two at
a time, and finally they were all got together again.
Mr. Tennant then helped Smith with them as far as his
house, and sent a man on to help him home.

They hunted a day or two when snow was on the ground ;
and on one of these days, February 21st, they had some
good sport. Meeting at Tockwith, they found in Wilstrop
Wood, and after a ring, they ran away briskly by Marston
Whin and Bilton Spring, nearly to Bickerton Spring, and
killed. They found a ringing fox in Shire Oaks, and ran
him by Catterton, Duce Wood, Nova Scotia, Wighill,
Walton Ings, and down to the river bank, whence they
hunted back to Shire Oaks, and then on to Healaugh,
where scent failed altogether. It was only a moderate
scenting day, but there was some good hunting. On March
3rd they met at Stutton Mill : there was a wretched scent,
but hounds literally walked a brace of foxes to death,
making, as Smith observes, ' a good finish for hounds after
' so much hunting.' Here is a good old-fashioned run which
took place late in the month : —

' j\Iarch 28th. Tadcaster Bar. Found in Shire Oaks; hunted
' a ring, and lost. Found in Duce Wood ; hunted past
'Hell Hole and Bilbrough on to Askham, between the

U

158 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' villages pointed for Grange Wood, came back by
' Collier Hagg, Healaugh, Angram bottoms, Catterton,
' Oxton, to Steeton, and killed. A good hunting run of
'two hours and forty minutes.'

A good hunting run it was, certainly, but scent served
badly, and especially in covert. Indeed, in Steeton Whin
they could do little with him till Smith got off his horse
and went to their assistance. Then he got a view at him,
and the end soon came.

The last advertised day of the season was on April 19th,
when they met at Wothersome and killed a brace, one of
which, unfortunately, was a vixen. They were out other four
days, and finished the season at Parlington amidst thunder
showers, and as was to be expected under such climatic
surroundings, they did not do much good.

So ended one of the most disappointing seasons that
the Bramham Moor ever had. Frost and snow interfered
with them from the middle of November, when they were
first stopped, till the latter end of February; and when they
were able to hunt, they were bothered with a .succession of
bad scenting days. Indeed, it may be said that there was
not a single really good scenting day in the season ; and it
must be borne in mind that of the ninety-seven days which
hounds hunted, many were 'stolen' ones. They killed fifty-
eight and a half brace of foxes, and ran twenty-five and a
half brace to ground.

1879-80. The summer of 1879 was one of the wettest
on record ; corn ripened slowly, and indeed did not ripen
at all in some places, and not since i860 had there been
such a gloomy outlook for harvest. There was no chance
of making a start with the cub-hunting until late in Sep-
tember, and even then all the corn was not cut. They
began cubbing on the morning of the 27th at Westwoods,
where they found plenty of cubs, and had a good morning's

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

159

work killing a brace, and at times running with a good cry.
Very different was this season's cub-hunting to that of the
preceding one, and October was a capital month, hounds
having some first-rate sport, and killing their foxes well.
Corn was still standing in the Parlington district on the
13th: sufficient proof of the lateness of the season. They
continued to have good sport day after day till the 22nd,
when they had a day which would not have disgraced
December.

' October 22nd. North Deighton. Found in the Spring a very
' good show of cubs. After fifty minutes' quiei and good
'work, killed. Went to Stockeld Park. Found; went
' away through the coverts, left Spofforth on the left, over
'the railroad pointing for Deighton, turned back over the
'line to Stockeld Park, away on the Sicklinghall side over
' the Haggs, pointing for Cocked Hat Whin, turned to the
'right, and killed at Spofforth station. Fifty-five minutes;
'pretty run. Found in Limekiln Wood; ran a ring, to
'ground on the river banks below Woodhall. Good day.'

Two days later they met at Wilstrop Wood, and had a
good day, but Smith unfortunately had a bad fall on some
hard cobbles, and broke his shoulder. He was in consequence
kors de combat for some time, and Bartlett carried the horn
again, showing capital sport.

On the last day of October they had a very pretty forty
minutes from Ingmanthorpe Old Wood, killing at Braham
Wood ; and they had a smart burst on their opening day
at Cross Roads, Bramham Moor, on November 3rd, but
they did not get hold of their fox. Bartlett, however,
handled one in the afternoon after a somewhat ringing run.
Perhaps Bartlett's best run was from Tadcaster Bar, just
before Smith was sufficiently recovered to take the horn
again himself: —

'November 7th. Tadcaster Bar. Found in Bilbrough Whin;

l6o HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

'ran to Bilbrough Hall, and killed. Tried Catterton, blank.
' Found two bad foxes in Shire Oaks ; scent bad, and
' could not get them away for a long time ; at last away
' to Walton Wood, and killed. Found in Walton Wood ;
' ran very fast straight to the river, turned up to St. Helen's
' Ford, nearly to Walton village, turned to the left, chased
'him to the wood, and ran to ground in view. Forty-five
' minutes.'

It was a disappointing run both for hounds and huntsman,
for the fox was dead beat, and in another minute they must
have had him.

Smith was at work arain with his arm in a slinsj on the
1 2th, but he had not a very good day. Hard frost put a
stop to hunting on Saturday, 15th, but on Monday they
were at work again. They had fair sport till the snow
came again on the 22nd ; one of their best days being on
the 2 1st, when they met at Thorp Arch, where they found
at once. The fox was viewed a considerable distance, and
went up a tree on the river's bank. The keeper climbed the
tree and put him down, and then he swam the river, and
they let him go this time. They were soon on to another,
which they chopped at once.

Ingmanthorpe Willow Garth provided the next fox, and
him they ran past Lingcroft and Cowthorpe to Ingmanthorpe
Old Wood, and past the Whin to Geldart's plantation, where
a heavy storm put an end to the run. They found in
Bilton Wood the fox that gave them the run of the day.
At a good pace they ran past Wighill to Hall Park Springs
and Champagne Whin, and over the York road down to
the railway near Wetherby ; thence by Ingmanthorpe Whin
they ran in the direction of North Deighton, past Smiler's
Corse, and over the river to Ribston, where they lost after
a good hunting run of an hour and a half They were
only stopped by frost one day this time, and hunted on
without interruption till the 29th.

THE RULE (9/ Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. i6t

' November 29th. Peckfield Bar. Found in the Boot and Shoe
' plantation ; ran to Newfield, and lost. Found in Huddle-
' stone Wood, and killed. Found another, and hunted
'away to the quarry and back, then away to Castle Hill,
' over Ledsham Park, past Ledsham village, to Newfield ;
'back again to Huddlestone Wood and Quarry, chased him
'to the wood, and killed. Good hunting. Two hours.'

Then came the frost ni earnest, as it had done in the
previous season, and hounds were only out nine times in
December, and of these five were stolen days ; and on some
of them they had to go home early, as it was impossible to
hunt. Here is a typical hunting day of December, 1879: —

' December 30th. Wike. Found in Wigton Moor. Hunted
' towards Harewood. Found in the CarrWood, after drawing
' all round the park. Hunted a .short time in snow ; lost.
' Found in Wike Whin. Ran rather well in snow, pointing
' for Keswick, up to the Hollins Hall, Wike village, and to
' ground near .Scarcroft. Snowing fast.'

The new year opened with a brighter prospect, and sport
was good in the opening days of 1880. On January and
they killed a brace of foxes, the second one after a capital
hunting run of three hours from Champagne Gorse to
Hutton Hall. They had another fair day from Parlington
on the 6th, killing a brace of foxes ; and on the 9th they
killed a brace in the Tockwith country after plenty of hard
running, though Ijoth foxes ' zig-zagged ' a good deal. Then
came a hard day : — •

'January loth. Paper Mill. Found at Smaws. Ran to the
' river, and through Tadcaster, down the Ings to Grimston,
' and killed in the park. Found, and killed another in the
' park. Found in Renshaw ; away to Patefield and Saxton
' Carr, towards the village, turned to Castle Hill and Bullen
' Wood, back to Castle Hill, Renshaw, and to ground
' above the Cock Bridge.'

1 62 HISTORY OF THE BEAM HAM MOOR HUNT.

Mr. Fox makes no comment on this day's sport, but
Smith alludes to it as a hard day. The last day before the
renewed frost may as well be given, especially as it shows
how well hounds hunted under difficulties: —

'January 14th. CoUingham Bar. Fox jumped up out of hedge-
' row on Rigton Hill side. Away past Hetchell to Scarcroft
' and Wike Whin, back to Scarcroft plantations, and ringing
' about. Got up to a fox in Hetchell. Away to Thorner,
' Norwood bottoms, nearly to Saw Woods, turned to
' Bramham Park, Lindrick Hills to Westwoods, and after
' rings, killed.'

There was only a moderate scent, and the fallows were
quite hard with frost, and hounds had to work for their
fox, and thoroughly deserved him. On the following day the
storm which had been threatening for some time began in
earnest, and the York and Ainsty were driven home by snow.
Then for nearly three weeks did the Frost King prevail,
and it was not until February 3rd that hounds were able
to get out again. Then the morning was anything but a
promising one, and, to use Mr. Fox's words, it ' was thawed
' sufficiently to go out.' Scent was bad, and sport moderate,
but they managed, by dint of perseverance, to kill a brace
of foxes. The next day scent was still bad, but after an hour
and fifty-five minutes' good hunting, from Clap Wood, they
killed a fox at Stockeld. Then came a day's frost and fog,
which effectually put a stop to all proceedings. They were
at work again on the following day, the 7th, when they met
at the Cock Bridge. On this day scent was good, and
perhaps foxes were ' fat and scant of breath.' At any rate,
they had a smashing day amongst them, accounting for three
and a half brace, a leash of which were killed. With two or
three of these foxes they had smart scurries, but there is
nothing about the day's sport which calls for minute record.
For a few days scent continued moderate, but still hounds

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 163

killed their foxes well, and towards the end of the month
there were a few really good days, of which I give a couple : —

' February 23rd. Monk Fryston. Found in Gateforth Common.
' Ran hard down the covert, crossed the canal, ran below
' Burn, turned back, ran past Haddlesey, Birkin Spring
' and Byram, and killed on the Hillam side. Good hunting-
' run. Two hours.'

It may be remarked that Smith makes the time of this
run two hours and twenty minutes, and adds that ' we went
'over a lot of country.' This shows how difficult it is, even
for the most accurate, to time a hunting- run correctly. No
man knew more about hunting than Mr. Fox, or was more
careful over minute detail than he was, and the same may
with justice be said of his huntsman, yet in this run we find
a discrepancy in the time of twenty minutes. Of course the
huntsman would, in a large covert like Gateforth, see when
hounds had a line much sooner than anyone who was
standing outside the covert, and this may, in some measure,
account for the difference in the time.

' February 25th. Plompton Bar. Found in Bilton Banks. Ran
' into a drain near Starbeck. A hound was missing.
' AVhen we moved off, the hound and the fox came out.
' Ran up to Harrogate, and lost in some buildings. Found
' and killed in Bleach Ground Whin. Tried Spacey House
' Whin and Rudding Park — blank. A fox jumped up in
' some whins near Herbert's larches, and they ran him hard
' past Parkin's Wood, left the Cocked Hat on the left,
' passed the walls, across the Punch Bowl to Swindon
• Wood. Eighteen minutes ; no check. Through the wood,
' but he dared not go up wind ; turned, and ran to
' ground close to Kirkby Overblow. Thirty minutes. A i.'

The weather was wild in the beginning of March, but
sport was fairly good, and on the sixth they had one of the
best days of the season ; —

1 64 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' March 6th. Tolston Lodge. Got on the line of a disturbed
' fox near Smaws, hunted to Oglethorpe Whin, Clifford,
' Low Mill, Ingle Bank ; viewed him and chased him to
' Newton Kyme, and killed by the railway. Fifty-five
' minutes. Found in Wray Wood, ran into Grange Wood,
' round, and killed. Found another, and away through
' Mr. Wickham's plantation nearly to Compton ; turned to
'the left, running hard nearly to Clifford; turned to the
' right, and in the turnpike-road was chased by a cur dog
' into Thompson's farm buildings. Hit him off, hunted to
' Westwoods, ran hard in covert and back to Beilby Grange
' Wood, through it and away nearly to Collingham, past
' Compton to the low end of Westwoods, up the wood, away
' to Spring Wood, Dog Kennel Whin, and past Wothersome
' Dam to the gardens, and killed. Good scent and good
' work. Three hours.'

Sport continued to be good all through the month of
March. On the 12th they had a splitting five and thirty
minutes' ring from Horn Bank, killing at Flint Mill; and a
week later they had two hours' nice hunting, beginning with
a fox that was viewed as they went to draw Deighton Spring
for their afternoon fox. They rattled him along to Horn
Bank, where he was headed, and they ran him back to
Hatfield's plantation and Noble Wood, where there was a
brace of foxes on foot, and they probably changed. They
ran to Thorp Arch Hall again, and then back through Walton
Whin and Champagne Whin and up to Boggart House,
pulling him down behind Walton village. There was a
burning sun, and dust was flying, so that there is much
credit to all concerned in such a good day's sport. The
season was brought to a close on April 14th, at Almscliff,
where they had a very good day for the time of year. They
found the fox that gave them the run at Farnley, and ran
him well up to a drain under the road below Riffa. They
bolted him, and ran hard through Riffa and past Wescoe

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

165

Hill down to the river, where he gfot to oround again, and
they were obliged to leave him. ' A great disappointment for
'hounds,' writes Smith, 'as they were racing for their fox.'

The season was on the whole a disappointing one, as
hounds were prevented hunting twenty-five times by the
weather, but when they were able to get out they had a good
average of sport, killing their fo.xes well. Scent could scarcely
be said to have been good, but there was an abundance of
holding scents, and after all it is these that go to the making
up of a good season. They hunted ninety-five days, killed
sixty-three brace, and ran twenty-two and a half brace to
ground.

1880-81. The season commenced in .September in a
somewhat disappointing manner, for on the Friday before
Doncaster they went to Hazlewood and did not come across
any cubs, though they came across some old foxes, and
after a lot of work had to go home without blood. Next
day they had better luck at Westwoods, and after a hard and
good morning's work, they killed a brace. They had a good
day on October ist, at Woodall Bridge, killing two brace of
foxes, with the last of which they had a merry gallop from
Stockeld Park, running into him in the open at Deighton Bar.
On the average, sport was good throughout the whole of the
cub-hunting season, but on the .':7th they were driven home
by heavy snow. I give what was perhaps their best day
prior to the opening of the regular season, — certainly it was
the hardest : —

'October 22nd. Wilstrop. Found in the wood, ran to the
' river and back, and killed in the Rash. Found in Hutton
' Thorns, hunted past Hutton Hall, "Walton's farm, Angram
' Bottoms, came up to a fox near Duce Wood, ran through
' Shire Oaks, past the old Manor House, turned to the right
' back to Shire Oaks, through again, away to Nova Scotia,
' Bilton village, the wood, the Loft. Got up to a fresh fox,
' and ran him hard by Nova Scotia, Hutton Hall, nearly to
V

1 66 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

'Grange Wood, turned past Angram to Bilbrough, and
' stopped hounds at 4-30. Hard day.'

Scent was oood till the last fox turned down wind at
Grange Wood, and then, Smith says, ' though very tired, he
'walked away from us.'

The snow to which I referred previously, did not last long
enough to keep hounds at home, and they continued to show
good sport all through the early days of November, and
soon they were to have a clipper.

'November 12th. Deighton Bar. Found in Ingmanthorpe
' Whin ; away past Swinnow, Champagne Gorse, left
' Bickerton on the right, Tockwith on the left, Marston
' on the right, Hutton Hall on the right, and leaving
' Collier Hagg on the left, turned towards Healaugh ;
' leaving the village on the left^ hunted through Nova
' Scotia into Bilton Wood. Here there was a fox, and it
'was thought to be a fresh one. We lost a fine run.
' One hour and thirty-five minutes ; the first forty minutes
' very fast. Found in Walton Wood several foxe.s, and
' after running a ring over Inman's farm, got away
' towards Wighill village, ran fast past Healaugh, Angram
' bottoms ; left Bilbrough on the right, turned and left
'Askham on the right, nearly to Rufforth, turning to the
'right, and losing him beyond Hutton Hall. The hounds
'were alone seen chasing the fox, and no one knows
'how they missed him. A very good run. From finding
'first in Walton, two hours; from Walton to Bilbrough
'very fast, — about thirty -five minutes. Bad luck not
' catching him.'

Before getting to Hutton Hall the hounds ran near to
Collier Hagg, and up to the Angram road, and here fox and
hounds were all seen in a field together. What became of
him, however, was never found out. He might have clapped
or ran the road, probably he did the latter, for when the first
flight, who h;ul been thrown out by the Ano-ram drain, came

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 167

up to them, they were running a stale Hne back. It was a
grand clay's sport if it could only all have been seen.

It was not long before the frost came in earnest, and
caused a stoppage of a week, and after it broke up there
was a succession of bad and indifferent scentincj days till
December 13th. On the 3rd they had a fair hunting day
at Tadcaster Bar, and hounds behaved to perfection, hunting
well and closely with a wretched scent, and though they
failed to kill a fox, they marked one to ground.

'December 13th. Wescoe Hill. Riffa, blank. .V ringing fox
'from Almscliff Whin; scent bad; killed below North
' Rigton. Tried Beckwithshaw Bottoms and Thurtle's
'Whin, blank. Found in Walton Head Whin; ran very
' fast into Spofforth Haggs, left Kirkby Overblow on the
' left, across the Punch Bowl, heading for Harewood Bridge,
' turned to the right, left Swindon on the right, up the hill
' to Walton Head. Twenty-six minutes. Long check, the
' fox having skirted the whin and gone to Kirkby village,
'where we lost him. Found in the Punch Bowl; away
' to the river, past Harewood Bridge to Rougemont Carr,
' over Dunkeswick Hill, left Swindon to the right, Kirkby
' on the left, across the Punch Bowl to the river, and
' crossed. Stopped hounds near Cardwick. One hour and
' ten minutes ; dark.'

The cause of the long check was that the fox had
skirted Walton Head Whin, and run the road, in a drain
under which he had gone to ground. Intelligence to this
effect was brought to Smith, but when he arrived at the
drain, it was to find that the fox had been bolted by some
busybodies, and practically the run ended at Walton Head
Whin. In a few days frost came again with renewed energy,
and put a stop to hunting till December 24th, this being the
only day hounds were out from the 17th to New Year's
Day. And Christmas Eve was a clay to remember, for it
was one of the severest days of a season in which severe
runs were plentiiul.

l68 HISIORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

'December 24th. Wigliill village. Tried Shire Oaks, blank.
' Went to Hutton Thorns. Found ; and away at once to
' Hessay, nearly to Harevvood's Whin, turned to the right
'past Rufforth, Hutton Hall, over Marston Hill, Fairy
' Carrs ; left Duce Wood on the left, pointed for Deighton
' village ; came to a check by the drain before reaching
'Wighill coach road, hit him off, and ran Ijack, leaving
' Bilton on the left, past Marston and Hutton Hall, Collier
' Hagg, and Swann's Whin ; forward, leaving Grange
'Wood on the left, Askham on the right, to the Bogs,
'skirting the corner on to Copmanthorpe, turned to the
'right, ran hard to Bilbrough. ( )ur fo.x. was in Colonel
' Fairfax's garden, slipped out, ran a ring round the village,
'and got to ground in the small planting. The first fifty
' minutes to near Wighill was most severe, and few could
' live with hounds ; the country very deep. They continued
' to run on, and, I believe, a fresh fox jumped up in front
'of them as they ran over Marston Hill. Hounds (the
' bitch pack) ran without ceasing for three hours, — deserved
'their fox. All the horses were tired ; it was a tremendous
'hard run.'

There is little doubt but what hounds changed at least
three or four times. That they changed at Wighill, some-
where between the villao-e and the coach road, was .Smith's
opinion, and at Marston Hill there was no mistake about it,
as the fresh fo.x jumped up in view in a field of turnips.

They had three days in the early part of January ; on
the 1st killing a brace of fo.xes after good runs from Hook
Moor, and on the 5th they had a fair day from Cross
Roads, Bramham Moor, running a brace to ground. The
remainder of January was spent in grumbling at the pro-
lono'ed frost, and wonderino" when we should i^et to work
again ; and it was not till February 3rd that hounds were
able to make another appearance in the field. Then after
the sudden thaw the riding was bad. That, however, could
have be(Mi put up with if scent had been .satisfactory, but

THE RULE OF Air. GEORGE LANE FOX. 169

as is usual after a prolonged storm, scent was wretched, and
sport moderate the three days that hounds were able to
hunt, before another spell of sharp frost came to ' take the
'other away.' It lasted for three days, and then came a
run to talk about, one of those great runs which happen
now and then.

' February gth. Stocki^ld Park. After three days' sharp frost,
'it suddenly broke up. Found in Devonsliire Whin; hunted
'a ringing fox for an hour, and killed. Found in tlie
' Cocked Hat Whin a brace of foxes ; hounds dividing,
'six couples pointing west, and the bodv turning short in
'covert, awa\' at his brush over the Haggs, leaving Parkin's
' Wood to the left, past Herbert's Larches ; left Spacey
' House Whin on the left, the Viaduct on the right, over
'the Crimple, up the hill heading for Beckwithshaw, and
' straight for Haverah Park, through the Boar Holes,
' straight on past the line of fir trees, headed for Kamps-
' thwaite, and lost in Swarcliffe Park. One hour and forty
'minutes. Nine and a half miles straight; hounds ran
'fourteen miles; dog pack; a fine run.'

A fine run indeed, and if it had not been that the frost
was not quite out of the ground, and that hounds had to
work for the line when they got on to the higher ground,
they must have killed their fox. It is also quite likely. Smith
thinks, that they changed foxes in Haverah Park. There
was not much sport after this fine run until towards the end
ot the month, and scent was generally moderate, especially
on the plough, which was thoroughly saturated now that the
frost had broken up, and carried a good deal. On the 1 8th
they met at Thorp Arch, and had a good da)-. They killed
a ringing fox at Wetherby to begin with, and then they had
a sm^rt burst from Walton Wood, killing in the Loft at the
end ol fifteen minutes. Another fox went away from the
Loft, and after a nice hunting run of a couple of hours,
thev killed hlni at Walton Lodo-e Farm. Mr. Fox has a

I70 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

note to the effect that Mr. J. M. Richardson was out, and
was pleased with his day, which was certainly a good average.

March was ushered in by frost and snow, and it was not
till the 7th that they could get to work On that day they
met at Stockeld Park, and had two hours and forty-five
minutes' 'excellent hunting' from Plompton, by Birkham
Wood, Follifoot, and Stockeld, to Kirk Deighton, where the
fox beat them fairly. The run of that day week, which
was a great one, will be foimd in Chapter I., where it is
given from Smith's diary.

A capital season, in spite of the bother caused by the
weather, was brought to a close on Saturday, April iCth,
when they met at Buttersike Bar, and had a good day,
killing a brace of foxes, the last of them an old dog fox.
During the season they hunted one hundred days, killed fifty-
nine and a half brace of foxes, ran twenty and a half brace
to ground, and were stopped by the weather twenty -eight
days. They hunted on many a day when it was 'near the
way' from a riding standpoint, and therefore the excellence
of the season is all the more marked. It is worth notice
that most of their brilliant runs were on the Ainsty side
and in their Friday country.

188 £-82. Seventeen couples of young hounds, and
twenty couples of old ones, were taken into Westwoods at
five o'clock on the morning of the 7th of September, to
begin the season, and after five hours' hard work they got
on to the line of a tired cub, rattled him along smartly for
a few minutes, and made a good finish by killing him This
was lucky, for the morning was anything but favourable, and
they could only drag on the line of a fox at first.

Cub-hunting proceeded merrily, and good sport was the
rule, and moreover there was no sign of prolonged frost.
November was a little stormy and wild at time, and once
some snow fell, but not sufficient to prevent hunting, and

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 17,

sportsmen rejoiced once more in the prospect of an open
season. One good day in November I must give, and as
Mr. Fox's diary gives rather a meagre account of a day
that has one or two noteworthy circumstances about it, I
shall give Smith's account of it : —

'November i8th. Met at Bickerton Bar, with twenty-two
' couples of hounds. Found three or four foxes in Bickerton
' Spring, some of them without brushes, and ran one across
' to the small square covert between there and Hall Parks,
' and killed it. Came back to the Spring, got up to another
' fox, and ran him a ring nearly to Bilton Hall ; turned to
' the left, pointing for Tockwith, but bore round to his left
' back into the Spring, where he beat us. Then drew Bilton
' Wood blank. Found a brace of foxes in the Loft, and
' came away with one leaving Bilton Wood and the village
' to his left, bore to the left over the York road, leaving
' Tockwith to the right, and on past Bickerton village,
' pointing for Champagne Whin, but turned to the left
' through Hall Parks, and leaving W^alton Whin to his left,
' bore to the right, leaving Champagne Whin to the left to
' within a field of Ingmanthorpe Willow Garth, when he
' turned to the right to Cowthorpe coverts, where we killed
' him. Both these foxes were without brushes. Then went
' to Walton Wood, found a good show of foxes, and after
' running round the wood a time or two, came away for
' Walton village, but turned to the right by the Round
' Hill, leaving Walton Whin to his left and Champagne
' Whin to his right, over the road, round by Swinnow Hall,
' across the park and back over the turnpike up to the
' railway ; turned short to his left, and ran straight to Hall
' Parks, leaving Walton Whin to his right, and at Hall
' Parks he got coursed by a sheep dog, and he met the
' hounds, and they killed him. Time, one hour and five
' minutes. A good day's sport. A most unruly field in the
' morning, trying their best to spoil sport.'

This was a capital day, and I need scarcely say that it
is a very unusual thing to kill a brace of ' bob-tailed ' foxes

172

HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

in one day. Equally rare is it for that ubiquitous and
tiresome animal, the sheep-dog, to be of any assistance to
hounds. Time after time is it written in the diaries of
hunting men, 'coursed by a sheep-dog, and did no more
good'; so that the unique occasion when the sheep-dog
contributed to the overthrow of a fox deserves special mention.
The season went on in a satisfactory manner, one good
day's sport succeeding another, and many of the runs were
exceptionally brilliant. In the Harewood Bridge country
there were some splendid days, and the Ainsty side also
contributed its quota to the general total of good sport.
It is difficult indeed to select typical runs of this excellent
season, when nearly every day provided its good gallop. They
began December with a hard day from Wighill village, when,
after running one fox to ground, and hunting with frequent
changes for the rest of the day. Smith stopped them at dark.
On the next day they met at Cross Roads, Clifford Moor,
and after killing a brace, they had a clipping forty minutes
from Wike Whin to ground at Bardsey. Here follow a
couple of good days in December : —

' December 5th. FoUifoot. Found in Bleach Ground Whin.
'Away, heading for Spacey House Whin, turned to the
' right, ran in and out of the railroads, heading for
' Spofforth, but crossed the Crimple ; ran to Birkham Wood
' and Grimbold Crag, crossed the Nidd to Goldsborough
' Wood, ran into stick-heap at Ribston. Fox bolted, hounds
' chased him over the park and round plantations, back
' past the house, over the river, and killed by themselves
' in the middle of the grass ings. One hour and fifteen
' minutes. Found in Deighton Spring, away leaving- Xorth
' Deighton and Kirk Deighton on the right, past Ingman-
' thorpe Whin, headed fur Covvthorpe Woods, turned to the
' right through the Willow Garth to Duck Pond. Changed
'foxes, ran back through old wood to Ingmanthorpe Whin,
' left Wetherby station on the right, along the railway side,

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 173

' past Boggart House, left Walton on the right, checked
' near Walton Wood. The fox had been headed short,
' recovered his line, hunted down Rudgate, making his
' point again for Walton Wood. They rattled him hard
' round the wood, away to the little covert at the bottom of
' Wighill Park, and killed. One hour and thirty minutes.
'A good day's sport.'

A few days of sharp frost made men fear that there was
about to be a repetition of the severe winters which had been
experienced during the few previous years, but the frost soon
broke up, and they were only stopped a day or two, resuming
operations on

'December i6th. Wighill village. Hounds went on at twelve.
' The frost broke up quickly. Found in Catterton Spring.
' Ran nearly to the Wild Man, left Ann Buckle's on the
' right, round Swann's Whin to Collier Hagg, Hutton
' Thorns, Hutton Hall, past Marston village to Marston
• station, to ground under the railroad. A fresh fox bolted,
' and hounds ran hard to Poppleton, Grange Wood, Hessay
'Whin, Hutton Thorns, and back to the drain at Marston
' station. A couple of hounds had remained back in the
' drain, bolted the fox after we had gone on, and killed
' him. He was given up and broken by the pack, finishing
' a most severe run of two hours and fifteen minutes.'

There were other two or three frosty days in December,
but not much to take notice of, and good runs continued.
January began well, and one good run after another kept
hunting men in the best of spirits, though some perhaps
began to wonder how they were to get through the season
without replenishing their studs. On the 9th they had a very
nice hunting run from Riffa, killing in the gardens at Wood-
hall after a run of an hour and ten minutes, an eight-mile
point ; and on the 20th they had a severe day from Bickerton
Spring, finally losing their fox after two hours and fifteen
minutes' continuous running, having changed foxes more
than once.

174

HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

'January 30th. Wescoe Hill. Snow two inches deep all over
'that countr\'. Took hounds back to Plompton, where it
' was clear. Found in Braham Wood. Ran three fields to
' ground. Found in the small covert outside Stockeld.
'Ran into the park, and killed in the wood. Another fox
' viewed. Away, and hounds ran hard for Linton, turned
' to the right past Devonshire Whin to Clap Wood, past
' the Cocked Hat, over Spofforth Haggs, left Follifoot on
' the left to the Crimple side, chased him along the brook
' side, and killed him near the Bleach-ground. Fifty-five
' minutes. A pretty run.'

Evil fortune befell the pack early in February. On the
4th of the month they met at Led Mill, and after a fair
run with their first fox, and lo.sing him, they went to Huddle-
stone Wood, where they found at once, and ran their fox in
view down the railway cutting". An express train chanced
to be coming along at the time, and dashed right into them,
with the result that three couples were killed on the spot.
These were Viceroy, Solomon, Shiner, Champion, Marksman,
and Nimrod, all of them hounds of the highest class. Sailor
was caught on his head by part of the train, but he was
apparently no worse ; but Grappler, a very fine hound, and
a great favourite of .Smith's, had a narrow squeak, for he
was knocked senseless, and Colonel Giuiter nursed him in
his arms tor half an hdur before he .showed any sign of
returning consciousness ; he eventually came round. The
rest of the hounds went on and killed their fox in the
quarry at Huddlestone Hall. A week later they had a
good day.

'February nth. Hook Moor. Trotted to Kippax ; found in
' whin, ran round park, and killed in garden. Tried New-
' field, blank. Found at Boot and Shoe planting at five
' minutes past two ; hunted to Castle Hill, back through
' Ledsham Park to Newfield and back, to the plantations,
' Castle Hill, over the railroad, through Micklefield Wood,

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 175

'just touched Huddlestone Wood, back over the line, and
' again through Boot and Shoe planting, along the park,
* turned to the right, went below Paver's house nearly to
'Steeton, headed for Buttress Hill, came back to Newfield,
'ran him in covert, forced him out, and killed at quarter-
'past five. Three hours and ten minutes; good hunting.'

Smith miLi-ht well call him 'a most odd-runniny" fox,
'twisting about in all directions,' and hounds must have
hunted him with wonderful perseverance.

' February 2oth. North Deighton. Found; hunted to Ingman-
' thorpe Whin, and killed. Found at Stockeld ; lost below
' Wetherby. Found at Woodhall ; away fast to Welherby,
'and back to Lime Kiln Wood, then agahi up wind
'through West End planting; left Clap Gate on the left,
'across the Punch Bowl, through Swindon Wood, over
'Dunkeswick Hill and Weeton bottoms to ground in
'a drain. Pulled up tiles, fox bolted out, and slipped
' through the hedge, and awaj' back to Swindon, where
' Smith stopped the hounds at half-past five. The run up
'to the drain, an hour and twenty minutes ; good run.'

Good sport prevailed throughout March, and though the
ground was very dry scent served fairly well, and they had
several very good days, one of the best being the following: — ■

'March loth. Thorp Arch. Found in Walton Wood; away
'past Hall Park Spring to Boggart House drain, turned,
' left Walton on the left down to the river, ran along the
' Ings, crossed to Newton Kyme, over the Tadcaster road,
'leaving the Workhouse on the left, and killed him beyond
'Tadcaster Willow Beds. Fifty-five minutes; good run.
'Found a fox in a tree near Duce Wood; away close at
'him, left Healaugh Church on the right, over Angram
' bottoms up to Bilbrough, made a bend to the right, and
'killed near the Wild Man. Twenty-five minutes ; fast.'

This capital season was brought to a close rather earlier
than usual, the last day being on April 8th, when they met

176 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

at the North Lodge, Bramham Park. They found in
Wetherby Grange Wood at least four or five toxes, with
one of which they went away to Westwoods. Here there
were several foxes, and they probably changed. At any rate,
they ran to Lindrick Hill and into the gardens, where they
marked a fox to ground. Rut there was another fox there,
and him they ran through Blackfen, and leaving the Cross
Roads, Bramham Moor, to the left, through Becca and
Potterton, finally lost him pointing for Parlington. Smith
then held them on into Becca, where they soon got up to
a fox, and after giving him a good dusting in covert, they
rolled him over. A more satisfactory ' last day ' could scarcely
have been wished for. They had plenty of running, finished
the day with blood, and left a grand show of foxes for
another season. They hunted one hundred and seventeen
days, killed fifty-one brace of foxes, ran thirty-one and a half
brace to ground, and were only stopped hunting five days,
three of which stoppages were due to frost and the remainder
to fog.

1882-83. It was scarcely to be expected that such an
open season would be followed by one as open, and indeed
weather difficulties commenced with the opening day's
cubbing, which took place at Byram Park on September 7th,
when they had to wait from half-past five till eight o'clock
for the fog to clear. When it did clear they had a good
morning, finding a good show of cubs, and killing a brace.
The cub-hunting season was a very good one, foxes being
plentiful and hounds working well and accounting for them
handsomely. About the middle of October they had some
very good sport. On the 13th they met at Woodhall Bridge,
and after running a leash to ground they went on to Deighton
Spring, where they found a strong litter of cubs, and after
a lot of work in covert they got away with one of them, and
after a nice forty-five minutes in the open, they rolled him
over beside the Old Mound near Kirk Deighton.

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 177

On the next day they also had good sport. The fixture
was Wetherby Grange, and after killing a brace of cubs in
Langwith they went to Keswick Ox Close, and after some
hard work in covert they got a fox away by the river side,
and killed him in the open. Another good litter in School
House Whin afforded them plenty of occupation, and after
running a fox to ground in the covert, they rattled one along
to Harewood, ran him over the park, and killed him in
Simpson's ride.

The weather remained open, and throughout November
hounds showed good sport. They had a fair day on the
first, when they met at Bramham Park, killing their first fox
in the Raikes. Then they found in Blackfen, and ran hard
by Tolston and the Beehive to Newton Kyme and over the
river, and hounds were stopped. A third fox was found in
Hallowell Lees, and took them to Bowcliffe, where he beat
them, and a fourth was killed in the gardens at Bramham.
At Lotherton, on the 4th, they had a fair day, killing their
afternoon fox after a sharp burst from Saw Woods. On the
8th from Becca, and on the 15th from Peckfield Bar, they
had good runs, and accounted for their foxes by running
them on both days.

'November 17th. Wighill village. Found at Shire Oaks.
' Away, left Tadcaster on the right, Catterton on the left,
' ran parallel with the York road to Wild Man, turned to
' the left through Bilbrough AVhin, again made his point,
' ran forward over Bilbrough Hill, cros.sed the York road,
' ran through Colton Hagg, and killed two fields beyond
' Copmanthorpe Wood. One hour and twenty minutes.
' Found in Walton Wood. Ran hard in covert, and killed.
' A good day's sport.'

Smith describes the run from Shire Oaks to Copmanthorpe
as ' a good sporting run,' and remarks that it was an excellent
day for hounds. The next day there was a very sharp frost.

178 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT

and they could not hunt till noon ; and when they did hunt
it was to find scent of the worst, and they did not do much
good. The frost did not last this time, and no stoppage
took place. On the 22nd they had a fair day, finding their
fox in the Punch Bowl, and killing him near Herbert's
larches, after a lot of running ; and on the 29th they had a
good run of an hour and twenty minutes by Beckwithshaw,
North Rigton and the Punch Bowl, down to the river,
killing their fox below Woodhall Bridge.

December was a month of disappointments and worries
for the hunting man. Frost set in on the first, and though
it only lasted two days it returned on the evening of the
fifth, and deep snow prevented any hunting" till the 20th.
Then they were able to hunt till Christmas-day, but nothing
of any note took place. On the 26th there was another tall
of snow, but it was not so heavy as to prevent hunting ; and
on the 27th and two days later they had famous sport: — ■

' December 29th. Bickerton Bar. Found in Marston Whin.
' Away for Bilton, headed for Tockwith, back towards the
' whin, then turned down the hill and ran straight for Red
' House Wood, catching him by the little planting a field
' short of the wood. Fifty minutes. A good run, hounds
' beating horses. Found in Wilstrop. Away, leaving
' Marston station to the left, over the York road, and
' pointing for Red House ; turned back, was headed at the
'York road, and ran hard to the river. The fox crossed
' above Poppleton, and we had to stop hounds. Fifty-five
' minutes. A first-rate day.'

The river was very full owing to the breaking up of the
snow, or probably hounds would not have been stopped as
they were close at their fox, and in another field they must
have come up to him. They had some long hard days
during the early ones of the New Year and up to the 27th,
when snow again interfered a little with hounds. .

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

179

Of the January runs I can only give a couple : —

'January i2th. Marston. Found many foxes in Hutton
'Thorns; and got away towards Rufforth Mill, turned to
' the left, then headed for Marston, but ringing to the right
' ran hard nearly to the station, and turning for Hessay,
'came round again to Marston, and set to work at a
' rattling pace to Wilstrop, through the wood, down to Skip
' Bridge, crossing on the right hand, and chasing their fox
' hard ; killed in the open close to Green Hammerton.
' Found in Marston Whin ; away over the York road,
' turned towards Bilton, hunted through the Loft and across
' Wighill Park, got on good terms at Walton, made a short
' turn at the village, and rattled him through Hall Park
' Springs to Ingmanthorpe Willow Garth and Old Wood,
' and killed in Marston Whin. A very good and hard day.'

After leaving Ingmanthorpe Old Wood they ran through
Deighton Whin, where they had a narrow escape of changing,
as a brace of fresh foxes went away. Luckily, however,
they stuck to their hunted fox, and so were able to bring
a long hard day to a satisfactory finish.

'January 15th. Woodhall Bridge. Tried Woodhall, blank.
' Got on the line of a disturbed fox at Devonshire Whin ;
'walked after him, jjretty hunting past .Sicklinghall, and
'leaving .Stockeld on the right, Spofforth on the left,
' crossed the railway, hunted on the Crimple bank and to
' Deighton Spring ; got up to our fox, rattled him away
'pointing for Braham, turned to the left to Spofforth, past
' the station, and away over the Haggs straight for Clap
' Wood ; leaving it on the left, passed Clap Gate, turned
' to Woodhall, and twisting him round Lime Kiln Wood
'drove him out, and killed him in the open before he
' reached Linton village. An hour to Deighton Spring,
'then forty minutes' top pace ; a most capital run. Found
' in the old tree at Woodhall ; ran to Barrowby to ground.
' Thirty-five minutes.'

This was a very hard day for hounds and horses, and

o

1 80 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

the country was deep. Snow again bothered them towards
the end of the month, and when it broke up the country
was very much flooded ; so much so, indeed, that when they
went to hunt at Clap Gate on the 29th, they could not cross
the Wharfe at Woodhall Bridge. A hard frost set in on
the 31st, but was speedily gone, and February fully vindi-
cated its title as being the Foxhunter's month, for though
weather was wild and wet, there was an abundance of
good runs.

'February 12th. Harewood village. Trotted on to Rougemont
' Carr. Wet and wild. Found the fox going over Dunkes-
' wick Hill, and no scent at all. Found in Swindon Wood;
' away into the Punch Bowl, up the hill to Walton Head,
' past Spacey Houses, Thurtle's Whin, up Beckwithshaw
'bottoms, bearing to the left to Almscliff, down the hill,
' and turning to the right ran on to Baily's Whin ; left
' Riffa on the left, past Stainburn, headed for Lindley
' Moor, and making a large sweep to the right, came back
'to Almscliff, past the rock nearly to Baily's Whin again,
'viewed him in the bottom, ran back to Almscliff Whin,
' and to the rock, where he got in. One hour and fifty
' minutes ; good run.'

This was a good day's sport, the first hour having been
run at a very good pace. Good sport continued to the end
of the month, and after a fortnight or thereabouts of frost
and snow in the early part of March, hounds were again
at work, and had one or two very good days. Frost,
however, bothered them sadly all through the month, and
they frequently had to 'steal' a day, and as is often the case
under circumstances like these, they met with bad-scenting
days and indifferent sport. At the end of the month they
had a good day, particulars of which I give : —

' March 30th. Wighill village. A fox viewed outside Shire
' Oaks ; could not run a yard. Found in Collier Hagg ;
' no scent. A fox jumped up in a field as we went to

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. i8i

'Wilstrop, and was killed. Found in Marston Whin ; ran
' nicely to Wilstrop and Tockwitli, hunted back to Hutton
' Thorns, then ran fast nearly to Poppleton, turned towards
' Red House, and up to the left to Marston station ; into
' a drain. A good run ; an hour and five minutes.'

April was hot and dry from the commencement of the
month, and the season was brought to rather an early close
at Otley Chevin ; but after April set in sport was only poor,
and nothing took place worthy of record. The season was
a satisfactory one, taken on the whole, though frost interfered
considerably with sport at times. There were, however, no
lengthened periods of storm such as occurred a few years
earlier, and again a few years later. Hounds hunted one
hundred and nine days, were stopped by frost seventeen
days, killed fifty and a half brace of foxes, and ran twenty-
seven and a half brace to ground.

1883-84. A late harvest and a late start with cub-hunting
are synonymous in a country like the Bramham Moor, and
there was not much'of the country cleared when Smith took
the old hounds to rattle Byram on the loth of September.
Scent, however, served well, as it generally does in the
Bramham country after a very wet time, and hounds did
well amongst the cubs, accounting for them satisfactorily.*
They commenced the regular season en Friday, November
2nd, when they met at Thorp Arch. They met with ' fog, as
' usual,' to use Mr. Fox's words, but they had not much
scent, and spent most of the day about Cowthorpe.

On the 2ist, when they met at the Paper Mill, they had a
good day, killing a leash, and running one fox to ground.
At first matters were not very promising, for scent was very
bad, and after they had marked a fox to ground in the river
bank, they found a second fox with whom they could do

* During the cub -hunting season, Sir Watkin and Miss Winn visited
Mr. Fox, and saw a fair day's sport at Bramham Park on October 13th.

X

T,S2 HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT.

nothing. A third fox they killed directly in Ingle Bank;
and then they found on the river bank near to Wray Wood,
and after dodging about for some little time, they killed him
in Jackdaw Crag. They chopped a third fo.x in Wetherby
Grange Wood, whence they got away on good terms with
another, and ran hard past Clifford and Bramham, and past
Hallowell Lees to Hazlewood, not far from which hounds
had to be stopped, as they were pointing for Bullen Wood,
at which place a shooting party was due next day. It was
rather a disappointing finish to what would otherwise have
been a good, and perhaps a great run, for hounds ran fast.

' November 26th. Spacey Houses. Found in Almscliff Whin ;
' ran fast to Harewood Bridge, crossed the river up to
' the pleasure grounds, Carr Wood, out at the top of the
' covert pointing- for Eccup, turned to the right, and ran
' back through the wood ; to ground in an earth in the
'park opposite the house. Fifty minutes; good run.
' Found in Riffa ; hunted to Ahnscliff, left North Rigton
'on the right, passed Thurtle's Whin, pointed up the hill
' above Pannal, turned down through Spacey House Whin,
'Rudding, Plompton, Birkham Wood, and to ground on
' the banks of the Nidd, opposite Goldsbrough Mill. Two
'hours; pretty hunting.'

The weather continued very open, and though there was
one morning in early December when the roads were hard,
the frost did not prevent hunting, and went away entirely
the next day. Good sport continued, and it is difficult to
make a selection from the many good days of which I have
an account. A few, however, must be taken, and so good
was the average sport that they may almost be taken
haphazard, for from November to the end of February good
runs were the rule. After that dry weather set in, and there
was not much to record.

'December 21st. Bickerton Bar. Found, or got on the line
' of a disturbed fox at Marston Whin ; lost. Found in

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX.

183

' Wilstrop Wood ; away past Marston station, left Hessay
'on the right, nearly to Harevvood's Whin, then towards
'Poppleton, turning- to the right towards Red House
' Wood, brought him back fast towards Poppleton, turned
'him, and running hard, he crossed the riv^er, and ran to
' ground in view. A severe run ; an hour and twenty
'minutes.'

.Smith speaks of the going as being very deep, and
thuiks there is no doubt that hounds changed foxes in some
ot the small coverts near Poppleton.

' January 4th. Deighton Bar. Found in middle of field opposite
' Swinnow Wood. Away past Champagne Gorse to Ing-
' manthorpe, turned to the left past Swinnow to ^\'etherby
' town end, then to the right straight to Deighton Spring,
' through it to the Crimple, along the side, and killed by
' the farmyard just over the Boroughbridge road. Fifty
' minutes ; good run. Found in Champagne Gorse, ran
' towards Bickerton Bar, turned to Hall Park Springs, past
' Walton to Horn Bank, to the right away down to Swinnow.
' Gave it up, fog becoming too thick. Fifty-five minutes ;
' good.'

'January iith. Bickerton Bar. Found in Wilstrop Wood.
' Away at a good pace to Hutton Thorns, gave him a turn
' in covert ; away, past Rufforth, pointing towards Angram
' and back, and killed near Rufforth village. Found a fox
' in a hedgerow near Hutton Hall, and leaving Marston on
' the left hunted over JMarston Hill, past Clay Field earths ;
' back, leaving Hutton Hall on the left, past the Thorns,
' ran hard past Marston station pointing for Red House,
' turned to the left and ran hard to Skip Bridge Whin,
' where our fox got to ground. A good run ; an hour and
' twenty-five minutes. A fox jumped up in a field next
' Marston Whin, but scent failed.'

' February 2gth. Thorp Arch. Found on railway bank. Hunted
' slowly to Hatfield's planting, got up to him, ran to Old
'Wood and Ingmanthorpe Willow Garth. Several foxes.

184 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' Away towards Cowthorpe, then towards Armitage's
' planting, back to Ingmanthorpe, and killed. Found in
' Bickerton Spring, ran to the Loft, over Wighill Park,
' through AValton Wood, past Hall Park Springs to Ing-
' inanthorpe, and killed at Kirk Deighton. Fifty-five
' minutes' pretty gallop.'

The season was brought to a close on Thursday, April
loth, vi^hen they met at Cross Roads, Clifford Moor, at eight
o'clock ; but though they found plenty of foxes they could
do nothing with them as the ground was so dry. During
the season, the most open on record, — as they were never
once stopped by frost and only once by fog, — they hunted
one hundred and twenty-four days, killed fifty-two brace of
foxes, and ran thirty-seven brace to ground.

1884-85. The summer of 1884 was a very dry one, and
when hounds began the cub-hunting season the ground was
so hard that in some countries there was a talk of stopping
till rain came, and I believe in one or two cases this was
done. The Bramham Moor commenced their season on
August 26th, making a start from the kennels at the early
hour of 2-30 a.m., the venue being Byram. They did not
get many foxes on foot, but they managed to kill a cub.
Then a wonderful thing took place, for they went out three
mornings running, and never killed. They got hold of one
on the fourth morning (the fifth they had been out) at West-
woods, after a very hard morning's work, and after being
disappointed with their first fox ; and then the cub-hunting
went on merrily enough, hounds killing their foxes well.
Foxes, however, were not good to find, and the reason of it
was that during the dry summer they had got into the way
of living in the drains, which, of course, were comfortable
enough. On one occasion they ran a fox to ground in a
drain, and bolted Jive.

They commenced the regular season at Bramham Park

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 185

on Monday, November 3rd, after what Mr. Fox describes
as the driest season ever remembered. The ground was as
hard as iron, and a water-famine seemed imminent. They
had not a great day's sport, but they killed a leash of toxes.

The dry weather continued all through November, and,
of course, had a prejudicial effect on scent, but they had one
or two good days for all that : —

'November 12th. Beckwithshaw Bar. Found several foxes;
' ran to ground. Found on Rigton Moor ; away very fast
'for Moor Park, to the right along Beckwithshaw bottoms
'to Pannal, to the left to New Harrogate, past the cricket
'ground, and killed before he reached Harlow Carr. Forty-
' one minutes; no check; a very excellent run; few saw it.'

This was a good run indeed, grass all the way, and there
is little wonder that the company grew very select long
before the end came. So hard and dry was the ground that,
when a sharp frost came on the 29th, it really made little
difference, and hounds were able to hunt at Stutton Mill,
where they had a hunting-run ending with a kill.

On the first of December snow came, and though it was
only for a short period, it had its effect on scent, which was
very bad for a few days.

'December 19th. Walton. Found in Marston Whin; ran,
' leaving Wilstrop on the left, towards Marston station,
' swinging for Skip Bridge, then to the right to ]\Ioor
' Monkton, where the fox crossed the river, and hounds
'were stopped. Tried Wilstrop and Cowthorpe, blank.
'Found in Champagne Gorse ; hunted to Bickerton, Nova
' Scotia. A fresh fox jumped up, and ran to Duce Wood.
'Dark. Smith's horse slipped up, and he has hurt his
' shoulder.'

Smith got his fall as he was going through a gateway,
and he was unable to hunt hounds again till the 29th.
Nothing much took place during the few days that hounds

1 86 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

were hunied by Charles Hawkes, until the last clay he
hunted them, which was on St. Stephen's-day. They had a
capital day's sport, and singularly enough Hawkes hurt his
shoulder, and had to take hoLUids home in consequence : —

'December 26th. Bickerton Bar. Tried Marston Whin, blank.
' Found in Hutton Thorns ; away at once towards Hutton,
'turned to the left past Rufforth, left Harewood's Whin
' on the right, passed Hessay, pointed for Red House
'Wood, turned up to INIarston station; to ground under
' the railway. Forty-five minutes ; fast. After we had
' moved off to draw again, the fox bolted. Charles, riding
' fast to get hounds on to their fox, forgot the big drain ;
' his horse failed to clear it, — he was pitched on the bank,
' and hurt his shoulder badly. Hounds killed the fox.'

They ran up to Hessay station, racing all the way, and
close to the station they ran into their fox. A sharp frost
came on at night, and for once in a way a frost was
opportune, for there was no one able to take hounds on to
Bishop Woods on the 27th, if that had been a hunting day.
The weather was very unsettled in the latter part of
December and the beginning of January, though there were
no long stoppages. The unsettled weather affected sport
considerably, and it was not till late in the month that they
had a really good day : —

'January 27th. Frost all gone. Met at Kirkby Overblow.
' Found in Swindon Wood. Ran a very fast ring nearly
' to Parkin's Wood, round to the right, and to ground in
' the hanging covert above Punch Bowl. Twenty minutes.
' A fox viewed. Awajr, ran across the Haggs to Spofforth,
' FoUifoot, over the Crimple, turned to the right to gTound.
'One hour. Found in Linton Spring Wood; killed in
' Stockeld. Found another in Devonshire Whin ; ran to
' Stockeld, then a ring and awa)', leaving Wetherby on the
' right, past Ingnianthorpe Whin, and to ground close to
'Cowthorpe in the old drain. Good run; one hour.'

THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. 187

'January 30th. Bickerton Bar. Found in Marston "Whin;
' ran to Bilton, the Loft, past Duce Wood ; killed near
'Catterton. Twenty minutes. Found in Hall Park Springs;
' killed in covert. Away with another towards Walton,
'past Bog-gart House, Hatfield's planting, to Champagne
' Gorse, over the road to Ingmanthorpe Willow Garth; the
' Old Wood, pointed for Kirk Deighton, then to Geldart's
' planting, nearly to Cowthorpe ; turned at Goose Moor,
' back to Ingmanthorpe Willow Garth, and killed. One
' hour and ten minutes. Good day.'

-Speaking of this day, Smith says that there was a very
wild field out, and hounds were terribly overridden in the
first run, so much so that he thinks it was very creditable on
the part of hounds to kill in such a satisfactory manner. Of
the last run, he says, ' It was a very good finish to a capital
'day's sport.' I should be inclined to think that this was
the best day they had had up to the date.

' February 7th. Kiddall Fane. Found in the thick hedgerow,
'near the old hall, a lame fox; killed. Found in Saw
'Woods; ran to ground in Thorner, bolted ; killed. Found
'in Mr. Naylor's grounds near Seacroft,ran into Mr. Wilson's
'coverts; turned up the hill, and ran fast past Merrick to
' Barnbow, headed for Barwick Mill, turned back to Sea-
' croft, back to IMerrick, and back to where we found, and
'lost. Found at quarter to four at Kirkby Hill ; ran up to
'Thorner, short back to Eltofts, .Scarcroft plantings, Wike
'Whin, turned to the .School House Whin, left Bardsey on
' the left, Ruler on the right, to Norwood bottoms ; left
' Bramham Park on the right, Westwoods on the left, to
'Boston Spa, and killed in Padman's garden. A good
' hunting-run of an hour and thirty-five minutes ; horses
' tired.'

Perhaps the run of the season took place on the second
of March, and that notwithstanding that their fox fairly
beat them : —

' March 2nd. Woodhall Bridge. Found in the Punch Bowl, a

1 88 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' ringing fox, no scent. Found in Rougemont Carr. Ran
' ring, no scent. Found in .Swindon Wood. Away at once,
' the fox being viewed as we left the wood ; crossed tlie
' Punch Bowl, left Kirkby on the left nearly to Parliin's
' Wood, turned to Walton Head, left Swindon on the left,
' up Dunkeswicli Hill, over Weeton bottoms, past the station
' nearly to Almscliff, left it on the right, passed Baily's
' Whin, left Riffa on the left, and straight for Lindley Wood,
' leaving it on the left. Lost the line, scent failing entirely.
' K tremendous run, one hour and ten minutes. Few horses
' with them. A grand line, and grand fox. Dog pack.'

.Smith's diary says that it was on the edge of Leathley
Moor that they lost their fox, and he gives it as a nine-mile
point, and eleven miles as hounds ran.

The season finished on April 14th, when they met at
Alwoodley Crag, and finding in Scotland Wood, ran to
Meanwood and back to Weetwood, and killed. They had a
smart burst with their second fox ; finding him in Mosley
Wood, and running to ground at Dr. Clifford Allbutt's
house. They hunted one hundred and twenty-one days, and
were stopped fourteen. They killed fifty-seven brace of
foxes, and ran forty-four and a half brace to ground. It
was a bad scenting season on the whole, but they had several
good runs, and as is not infrequent in a season when the
weather is so changeable and unsettled, the good runs came
on unlikely days.

This practically brings the diaries to an end, for Mr. Fox
only kept his until the December of 1885, and Smith his
until 1889, when he only kept it for a part of the season.
The History of the Hunt from this date to 1896 I shall
have to give from other sources ; and though the diaries
will be called upon when they are available, it will be better
to leave this part of the History for another chapter.

CHAPTER VII.

FROM 1885 TO 1896.

The ten seasons which the present chapter covers will
necessarily be briefly treated, as but little has been written
about the Bramham Moor during the period, and information
is but scanty, especially during the earlier portion of the time.

1885-86. The season commenced on September 7th,
when the old hounds were sent on to Byram, and had a
rare morning amongst the cubs, getting hold of three, scent
serving well. Two days afterwards they were at Byram
again, as there was so much corn standing in other parts of
the country that they could not hunt elsewhere. Byram
answered well to the call made upon it, and again they
found cubs, one of which they killed.

On November iith they had a good day. They met at
Wescoe Hill, and found in Riffa, runninof hard in covert for
half an hour. Then they forced their fox out into the open,
and ran him fast by Lindley Wood, killing at Snowden Carr
after a fast fifty minutes. A second fox was found in Rouge-
mont Carr, and him they hunted up to North Rigton. Here
V

IQO HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

there was a long check, the fox having turned into Huby
village. Getting on the line again they ran fast past Baily's
Whin, and killed within a field of Lindley Wood. This was
a good run of an hour and twenty minutes, and made up
a capital day's sport.

I must now give some extracts from Mr. Fox's diary ;
two of them descriptive of excellent days' sport, and the
other interesting as the last entry in a diary which has been
kept with the greatest care, and which reaches over a period
which but few hunting diaries cover : —

' November 20th. Deighton Bar. Found in Ingmanthorpe
' Wood. Away fast to Sandbeck Wood, and swinging to
' the right left Ingmanthorpe on the left, and ran straight
' past Cowthorpe Woods to the river, crossed, and ran to
' Hunsingore. Scent changed. Ran to Ribston, back to
' Hunsingore ; nearly caught him, but he beat us and got
' to ground. Found in Armitage's plantation. Ran to
' ground by Walshford Bridge. Found again, hunting run,
' but were beat. First run very fast.'

' November 30th. Weeton. Found fox. Headed from Rouge-
' mont Carr twice. Went to Swindon. Found. Ran nicely
' to Stockeld to ground. Found on the Haggs a fox that
' had been on his legs and killed. Found in Cocked Hat
' Whin, and ran to Stockeld to ground. Found in Limekiln
' Wood. Away very fast to Swindon Wood, nearly to
' Hare wood Bridge; along the river side, up the hill to
' Clap Wood, and again round by Kirkby to the Punch
'Bowl; two lines. Dark, and horses tired ; stopped hounds.
' A very hard day. One hour and eighteen minutes.'

'December 28th. Woodhall Bridge. Found. Ran to West
' End Planting, Sicklinghall, Stockeld, to the railway, and
' lost. Very .stormy ; came over the bridge. Tried Keswick
' Ox Close and Langvvith, blank. Found at Wetherby
' Grange ; gave it up.'

They hunted on till April 17th, when they brought the

FROM iSSs TO i8g6. 1 91

season to a close at Beckwithshaw Bar, whence they had a
fair clay's sport. They found in Harlow Carr, and drove
their fox out over the Harrogate road straight to Birk
Crag ; but they soon had him in the open again and ran
nicely, pointing for Killinghall Moor. There he was headed,
and they made a short turn to Birk Crag and Beckwithshaw,
and back again to Birk Crag, where they ran into him after
a smart gallop of thirty minutes. A second fox was found
in Killinghall, and him they took away smartly through
Birk Crag and Beckwithshaw and over the road into
Haverah Park. Here they made a sharp turn to the left
over the wall on to Rigton Moor, where they ran a ring, and
then over the ditch on to Stainburn Moor, where they killed.
Almscliff Whin held a fox, and him they ran by the Crag
and through Baily's Whin to Huby, and there they lost.
Bates's Wood, at Pannal, provided the last fox of the day.
He went away at once in a westerly direction to the edge
of Moor Park, where they made a sharp turn to the left,
and crossed Rigton Moor into Almscliff Crag, where the
fox undoubtedly went to ground, as though hounds had a
line over the moor it was undoubtedly a stale one.

The season was a satisfactory one, and throughout sport
was good and scent served fairly. They hunted one hundred
and nine days, were stopped by frost twenty-nine days, killed
sixty brace of foxes, and ran thirty-one brace to ground.

1886-87. — -The following season was a good one, though
again there were many disappointments owing to the
weather. Indeed, perhaps such a series of disappointing
seasons scarcely ever was known as that which is treated
of in this chapter.

The opening day was on Monday, November ist, the
fixture being North Deighton. Deighton Spring held foxes,
and with one of them they raced away smartly to the covert
at the opposite side of the road, and pointed for Stockeld

192

HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

Park ; but after crossing the Harrogate railwaj- they turned
short along the line side, re-crossing it at Spofforth and
ran over the Crimple Beck, running into their fox on the
beck side after a pretty burst of twenty-five minutes. They
then went to Stockeld Park, where they soon found, and
after a good deal of work in covert they ran a fox to ground
between Wetherby Park and the railway. Cocked Hat
Whin was next tried, and here they found, and ran hard
over Spofforth Haggs to Spofforth. Turning over the
Haggs they crossed the Harrogate railway and pointed for
Follifoot, but turning short to the right they ran down to
the Crimple Beck, over Spoflbrth Beck, and across the
railway again nearly to Stockeld, where the fox began to
run short, and they rolled him over.

On January 29th they had a cracker. They met at
Wike, and after a short spin with a fo.x there, which resulted
in hounds being beaten, they went to Harewood. In the
plantation near Eccup reservoir they found three foxes, and
one was chopped at the start. With another they got away
smartly, and ran him hard by Greystone and through
Burdon Wood, giving the field the slip completely. Through
Rawdon Gill they ran, and by dint of hard riding Smith
and the first flight got to them when they got to Burdon
Bank. From there they ran over Arthington Park, through
Bow Shaws, Breary Spring, and over the Leeds and Otley
road to B ram hope Moor. Here the pace, which had slowed
down a little, began to quicken, and they ran due west to
None-go-by-us, leaving the house on the right, and pointed
for Rawdon Hall in Airedale. Headed here, the fox turned
down towards the river at Apperley, and they ran him to
ground in Apperley Crag Wood. He was barely a hundred
yards in front of hounds when he reached the friendly earth.
It was a ten-mile point, and out of a large field only fifteen
were up to hear Smith's 'who-whoop.' The season finished

FROM iS8s TO i8g6. 193

at Bramham Park on April 15th, but they had only a
moderate day's sport. They found in Blackfen, and after
an hour's running in the woods they killed. They found
attain in Westwoods, and ran about them and the neigh-
bouring- woods all day with a moderate scent.

During the season they hunted ninety-nine days, killed
sixty-six brace of foxes, ran to ground twenty-nine and a half
brace, and were stopped twenty-seven days.

1887-88. — The next season was remarkable for an almost
unprecedented incident in the history of the Hunt. They
had a blank day for the first time for many years. But
thouoh the weather was more troublesome than it had been
the two previous seasons, and scent was only catchy, they
had some good sport, and accounted well for their foxes.

The opening day was at the Cross Roads, Bramham
Moor, on Wednesday, November 2nd. After drawing Ogle-
thorpe Whin blank, they found in Bramham Willow-beds and
ran across to the Westwoods, where there were several foxes
on foot. They stuck well to one however, and ran him
through Pickle Rash on to Lindrick Hill. Here they turned
back to Westwoods, where there were again three or four
foxes astir. They rattled away merrily through the wood
to Lindrick Hill, and through Bramham Park and Whittle
Carr to Blackfen, where the fox got to ground. Hounds
hunted well and stuck to their fox well under difficulties.
There was another fox in Blackfen, and after a couple of
sharp turns in covert they ran over the Park and through
Whittle Carr, pointing for Saw Wood, and then scent failed.

On April 13th the season finished at Hook Moor. They
found in Ledsham plantations, and ran sharply through
Ledsham Park back to the plantation and to ground. They
went away with another, which they ran fast to Castle Hill
and back. Then a fresh fox jumped up in view, and hounds
divided. One lot went by Newfield, leaving Ledsham

194 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT

village on the left, and ran smartly on to Buttress Hill,
where they were run out of scent on the dry fallows. The
other lot ran a ring round Ledsham Park, and were stopped.
Castle Hill, Micklefield Wood, Daniel Hartley, Westwoods,
Ringhay, Hayton Wood and Hazlewood were all drawn
blank, and hounds then went home after a very hard and
disappointing day. They hunted one hundred and ten days,
killed fifty-nine and a half brace of foxes, ran twenty-four
and a half brace to ground, were stopped thirty days and
had one blank day.

1888-89. The weather did not interfere so much with
sport during the next season, when hounds were only kept
in kennel about a third of the time that they had been
in the preceding ones. There was a fair scent throughout
the season, and sport on the whole was satisfactory. I have
been unable to get particulars of any run during this season
in which hounds were out a hundred days, having been
stopped twelve days by frost. They killed fifty-nine and a
half brace of foxes, marked twenty-two and a half brace to
ground, and had not a blank day.

1889-90. Still more propitious was the weather in the
season under notice, and taken on the whole it was a very
good one. They commenced cub-hunting on September 3rd,
and the regular season on Monday, November 4th, when
they had a good day's sport, of which I give Smith's account :

' November 4th. Woodhall Bridge ; the opening meet. Found
' a lot of foxes at Woodhall, and killed a brace. Took
' another away, and ran to ground beyond Sicklinghall.
' Found again in Stockeld Park ; had a nice thirty-five
' minutes to Walton village, and hunted slow after to
' Walton Wood to ground. Found in Smith's Whin. Ran
' a ring nearly to Kirk Deighton, through Armitage's and
' over the river, and stopped hounds. F"ound a nice show
'of foxes in Deighton Spring; took one away a twisting
'run to Kirk Deighton, and killed. A fair, good hard
' day's sport.'

FROM 1SS5 TO i8g6. 195

On January 31st they had a very good day. The fixture
was Tockwith, and after drawing Wilstrop Wood blank, they
proceeded to Marston Whin, where they soon found, and
were as quickly in the open, running at a great pace over
the York road and past Marston village, pointing for Hutton
Thorns. Bearing to the left a little, they looked once like
making for Wilstrop Wood ; but instead of crossing the
road they kept on in an easterly direction, running at a
capital pace, and bearing to the right they ran on by
Rufforth and Knapton, below which village they pulled him
down after a severe forty minutes over a big and deep
country. As they went to draw Hutton Thorns they got
on the line of an outlying fox, and ran him fast, pointing
first for Askham. They soon turned, and ran in the direction
of Healaugh, and turning sharp back again passed through
Swann's Whin and Askham, and out to Hutton Thorns and
back again to Rufforth, and finally they marked their fox
to ground between Angram and Healaugh after a good but
somewhat twisting run.

During the season they hunted one hundred and fifteen
days, killed sixty-seven brace of foxes, ran thirty-three brace
to ground, and were stopped nine days.

1890-91. From this date I have little more to go upon
than my own notes and a few statistics which have been
furnished by Smith. The season under notice, which is the
first in which I hunted regularly with the Bramham Moor,
was a very good one, though for one reason or another I
chanced to miss their best thinos : a circumstance which is not
entirely without parallel amongst hunting men. The weather
played havoc with the season in some measure, as hounds
were confined to the kennel twenty-eight days. They hunted
one hundred and six days, killed sixty -seven brace of foxes,
and ran thirty-five brace to ground. They had one blank
day. Two very good gallops in February may be given as

ig6 HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT.

specimens of a good season. On the 27th of that month
they met at Bickerton Bar, and after drawing Marston Whin
and Wilstrop Wood blank, they found two, if not three,
foxes in Hutton Thorns. One of these they soon had in
the open, rattHng him along at a good pace in the direction
of Marston, but bending to the right they carried a good
head through Wilstrop Wood and on to Tockwith. Leaving
that village to the right they raced on over a big country
to Marston Whin, through which they drove their fox without
a pause, and they ran into him two fields farther on, after
a very pretty forty-five minutes. A second fox was found
in Nova Scotia, and at a good pace they ran through Bilton
Wood and on to Bickerton Bar. Here the fox made a short
turn to the right past Bilton Hall, and pointed towards
Wighill, hounds finally marking him to ground at Healaugh.
My notes say that these were two very good gallops.

1891-92. A lot of satisfactory sport with a good serving-
scent, is Smith's opinion of this season, the epitome of which
is as follows : — They hunted one hundred and five days,
killed sixty-five brace of foxes, ran twenty-seven and a half
brace to ground, and were stopped twenty-six days.

One run this season was a typical Bramham Moor run,
and was one of the best I saw that season. Indeed, take it
all round, it is a run which stands out as the ideal of what
a run should be, for hounds hunted steadily, and raced when
scent served. They met at Thorp Arch on Friday, November
6th. A fox was hallooed away from the Hall Wood as
hounds were moving off, and at first there did not appear
to be much scent, for hounds had to work hard for the
line. They hunted on steadily and patiently till they crossed
the Harrogate and Church Fenton railway at the Trust
Farm, and then the pace began to improve, and they were
soon going at a good hunting-pace along the Wharfe side
to Esedike. Here they checked, and there was a halloa

FROM iSSs TO iSg6. 1 97

forward to Shire Oaks. Hounds soon picked up tlie line,
though there was some suspicion that we had left our fox
in some thorns at Esedike. They ran a ring round Shire
Oaks, and soon made it too hot to hold the fox, forcing him
out in the direction of Wighill village, which they left on
the left hand, pointing for Walton. Bearing to the right,
they left Wighill Park on the left and ran hard to Duce
Wood. Here there were two or three foxes, and Smith
hovered a moment to see whether his fox was left in the
wood. But hounds came out carrying a rare head, and it
was ' catch them who can ' as they crossed Catterton Drain,
which was not jumped by everyone, and raced along to
Catterton Spring. The pace slackened a little as they ran
on parallel to the old Roman road to Bilbrough Whin, but
it was quite fast enough for those who were there, and horses
began to jump short and falls came with nearly every fence
up to Ainsty Spring. From here two or more foxes went
away, and hounds were soon away with one over the
road, by the Wild Man, and into the York and Ainsty
country. Leaving Street Houses to the left, they ran nearly
to Colton Hagg House. There they turned left-handed,
and hunted slowly past Bilbrough village (quite fast enough
for the few who were left, though) to Askham Richard, and
then, with a left-hand turn, back to Ainsty Spring, where
they ran into him after a capital run of three hours. Very
few were there when the fox was eaten, and a large part of
the field was left at Wighill village.

1892-93. 'A real good season, and capital work for
' hounds,' says Smith of the next one, though for one reason
or another, hounds were not out so many days as they had
been in the previous one. They hunted ninety-nine days,
killed sixty-eight brace of foxes, ran twenty-four and a half
brace to ground, and were stopped twenty-four days.

A good day's sport in this season, though it must by
Z

198 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT

no means be thought that it was the best, or even the best
in the Friday country, was that on March 3rc^, when the
fixture was the Wild Man. They found their first fox in
Bilbrough Spring, and at racing pace they ran him past the
hall to Angram village, where he took refuge in a drain.
Here they left him, but they had not got a couple of hundred
yards away from the drain mouth before he bolted of his
own accord, and they ran hard for a few minutes and again
marked him to ground in a rabbit-hole midway between
Askham and Bilbrough, whence they speedily scratched him
out and killed him. Then they went to Collier Hagg, and
in the New Plantation adjoining they found. Running-
first to Hutton Hall, they worked through the gardens and
over the road, and thence hunted a somewhat twisting line
to Marston Whin. Not much time was spent here, and
they were soon running at an improved pace to Hilton,
and over the Park to the York and Wetherby road,
which they crossed. Leaving Tockwith on the right they
ran down to Munster Hagg, and bearing right-handed all
the time, passed Broad Oak down to the banks of the
Nidd. They ran merrily along the grass on the river banks
to Cattal, and over Nether Carr and past Stank House to
Tockwith village. Here they made a short turn back, and
ran parallel to the road to Munster Hagg, and then crossing
the Bickerton and Cattal Lane they ran on to Ligmanthorpe
Willow-garth, and pulled their fox down on the beck side
between that covert and the Ingmanthorpe New Plantation.
It was a pretty hunting-run of two hours, in which a lot of
good country was crossed, and it made up a good day.

1893-94. Wild weather and at times a catchy scent were
the chief characteristics of the season now under notice, but
frost did not interfere so much with sport as it had done in
the few preceding seasons, hounds only being confined to
the kennel eleven davs. Thev hunted one luuKlred anil one

FROM 1SS5 TO i8g6. 199

days, killed seventy-one and a half brace of foxes, and ran
thirty-one and a half brace to ground.

On Monday, December 4th, they had a capital day's
sport from Kirkby Overblow. The first draw was Walton
Head Whin, and here a crowd of foot-people had taken up
their stand on the down-wind side of the covert, which was,
of course, the likeliest place for a fox to break. So Smidi
took up a firm position, and refused to put his hounds into
the covert until they moved, and gave the fox a chance.
The foot-people moved, and hounds had not been five
minutes in covert before a fox broke at the very place where
they had been standing. Hounds could only pick out a line
at first, I)ut as soon as they got over the field where the
ground had been foiled by the foot-people they started to run
hard, and racing their fox over Spofforth Haggs, they left
Parkin's Wood on the right, and twined to the left over the
Haggs road, and crossed the Wetherby and Harrogate
railway at the tunnel end. Touching Rudding Park they ran
over Follifoot Bridge and through Bleaching Ground Whin,
leaving the Knaresborough and Leeds railway to the left
and crossing the Plompton road. Here a slight check took
place, the fox having threaded the garden hedges in the
neiohbourhood. But Smith cauoht sicrht of him, with arched
back and dracrgrjed brush, and racino- from scent to view,
they rolled him over in the open at Forest Moor after a
brilliant forty minutes. They drew Abbey's plantation blank,
but Smith had barely got hounds out of the covert when
a fox was seen to get out of a hedgerow. He was a twisting
customer, and took a very 'devious' line to Harrogate Stray.
Then they turned down to the railway, where they had a
very narrow escape, as a train was coming out of the station
best pace. Smith, however, managed to avert the disaster,
but of course some little time was lost. Hitting off the line,
they hunted back to where they had found, and then, bearing

200 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

to the right, they crossed the railway again, pointing for
Spacey Houses. Holding to the left they ran through
Spacey House Whin, and over the edge of Spofforth H^iggs.
Here they turned to the left, and ran back to the Harrogate
and Wetherby railway, which they crossed and recrossed
three times, and then, swinging to the left, they ran down
to the Crimple Beck, and alongside of it for three miles,
sometimes at one side and sometimes at the other, the pace
being first-rate now. Bearing to the right they crossed the
Harrogate and Spofforth road, and ran by Poorest Moor to
the Knaresborough railway, where they got a view at their
fo.x, and rolled him over within a quarter of a mile of
Starbeck station, after a sporting" run of an hour and ten
minutes.

1894-95. The most disastrous season, perhaps, so far as
the weather was concerned, was this one. For eight weeks
hounds were never out of the kennel, and they were stopped
altogether thirty-four days. It was, however, a good season
for sport, especially after the storm. Hounds hunted ninety-
five days, the shortest season I have had to record ; they
killed fifty-one brace of foxes, and ran thirty-seven brace
to ground.

Of two runs in this season I am able to give a brief
account from a letter written by Mr. George Lane Fox to
a friend : —

'My hounds,' says he, 'people think, have had very good
' sport. You will have heard of the run from Parlington
' Hollins to the Electric Railway Station, killing close to the
' engine at Gipton Wood. Fifty minutes ; one check. But
'the run was on December 3rd, from the little covert near
' Weeton station to Riffa. Left Leathley and Farnley on
'the left, passed Lindley Hall, turned from the wood, and
'ran straight for Almscliff; and leaving North Rigton on
' the right, rattled along the valley, and killed at the quarry

FROM 1885 TO i8g6. 20 1

' between Thurtle's Whin and Pannal. Fifty-five minutes.
' I hear all the horses were fairly beat. One or two of the
'"thrusting scoundrels" say it is a disgrace to their horses
'and the Hunt. My old-fashioned opinion is that it was a
' real good run, and most creditable to the hounds. They
' were never checked and never spoken to. Nobody could
'touch them, even the roadsters were beat.'

1895-96. This season, the last of which 1 shall have
to speak, was a remarkably open one ; but it was also a
most unfortunate one, for that fell disease, mange, had broken
out amongst the foxes, and as a matter of course sport
suffered. Foxes were bad to find ; they had two blank
days, and frequently drew most of the day before they did
find. But, notwithstanding these various drawbacks, they
had some excellent runs. They hunted one hundred and
nine days, killed thirty-five and a half brace of foxes, and
ran thirty-two brace to ground, and they were only stopped
four days.

Perhaps the run of the season was that which they had
in the first week of the New Year. The fixture was Tock-
with, the date, Friday, January 3rd. They drew Wilstrop
"Wood and all the coverts in the neighbourhood of the meet
blank, and were proceeding to draw Hutton Thorns when
an outlying fox was viewed a field from the covert, and so
good a start did they get with him, that he was only some
twenty yards in front of them when they entered Hutton
Thorns. He made the best of his way, though, and had
put some little distance between his pursuers and himself
before he broke at the Rufforth end of the covert. Crossing
the road he pointed for Marston station, but after crossing
the drain they turned to the left and ran past Marston
village and by Clump Hill, pointing for Marston Whin, which
they left half a mile to the left, and crossing the Wetherby
road ran across Fairy Carrs and over the hill between Nova

202 HISTORY or THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

Scotia and Healaug-h villao-e down to Uuce Wood. Here a
large herd of cattle caused a check, and hounds were brought
to their noses as they hunted on at the other side of them
through the small enclosures behind Healaugh village.
These difficulties overcome, they ran on at an increasing
pace, crossing the Catterton drain at the Hell Hole. Bearing
left handed, they raced over Normans Farm to the Askham
road, along which the fox ran to Angram lane end. Thence
they ran over the Angram road into the York and Ainsty
country, and into Swann's Whin, where there was at least
a brace of fresh foxes. Hounds stuck to their hunted fox
however, and rattled him back over the Angram road,
leaving Askham Richard to the left, and on to Bilbrough ;
leaving the Hall on the left, and crossing the Catterton road
to Ingrish Hill. Here there were two lines, but Smith got
them together without loss of time, and they just got a look
at their fox. They skirted Bilbrough Whin, and ran into
the old Roman road, down which they kept for some
distance, and then turning to the right they ran on in the
direction of Catterton village. The fox was now twisting
and turning in every field and down every hedgerow, but
he managed to reach Catterton Wood, where they pulled
him down after a brilliant gallop of an hour and twenty
minutes. It was not quite straight, but it could only be
seen by riding the line, and the skirters were clean out of
it. As hounds ran it would be something like thirteen or
fourteen miles.

With this run I must bring my account of the doings
of the Bramham Moor in the field to an end, hoping that
I have not wearied my readers too much with a record of
sport, which for such a difficult country, is unique indeed.

eM^

"•«, ,,r-'

yi -v"r^';v^''^i^^f^i>^o ', ■• "•^' i. . & • J .. yj^^-j^^^.

CHAPTER VIII.
Mr. Fox as a Horseman and Coachman.

' Here's to the arm that can hold 'em when gone,
Still to a gallop inclined, Sir!
Heads in the front, with no bearing-reins on,
Tails with no cruppers behind, Sir!
Let the steam pot
Hiss till it's hot ;
Give me the speed of tlie Tantivy Trot.'

Egcrtoii IVarburfim .

Mr. Fox was a thorough horseman In the best sense of the
word. He thoroughly understood all the details of the stable
as well as of the kennel, and I have heard him tell how,
when a boy, and hunting on his rough -coated pony, — for in
his early days it will be remembered that clipping was only
in its infancy, — his father insisted on him 'dressing' the pony
himself when he came in from hunting, and used to watch
the operation, seated on the corn-bin, to see that it was done
properly. Mr. Fox held that it was the right way to train
a lad to be a sportsman, and I think there is no one of
experience who will not agree with him No milk-and-water
sportsman was he, and he was justly severe against some of
the modern methods which prevail. ' How many men are
' there in this big field,' he once asked, ' who could attend
'to their horse, and make him comfortable after a hard day,

204 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' if it so happened that he finished in an out-of-the-way
'place, and could not get home that night? 'Now-a-days,'
he added, ' it is usual, as soon as a boy is born, to provide
' him with a second horse, and a portmanteau of sandwiches,
'and a sherry cask.'

Mr. Fox was never at any time what is known as a
' bruiser,' and he had not much sympathy with those whom
he used to call the 'thrusting scoundrels,' who ride regardless
of spoiling sport ; but he liked to see a man ride well up
to hounds, and he himself was a fine horseman. His weight
of course handicapped him a little, but he rode good horses,
had a remarkable eye to hounds, and though he did not go
out of his way to seek them, if big places came in his way
he did not 'gallop round.' He had beautiful hands, and
liked a horse with a bit of temper about him, recognising,
doubtless, that high-spirited horses carried him best through
a run. But no matter how unruly a horse might be, he
never 'did anything' with Mr. Fo.x on his back, — the secret,
of course, beinsr the beautiful liajht hands for which he was
famous. During the London season he frequently visited
the late Newcome Mason's establishment, and he dearly
loved to have a gallop on one of the pullers, if there was
one of that sort in the stable. It is needless to say that in
Mr. Fox's hands he was as steady as could be wished.

An instance of Mr. Fox's consummate judgment as a
horseman is given on a preceding page, where it is related
how he got through that good run from Marston to Stockton
on the Courtier. His cousin, who was a light weight and
a good horseman and well mounted, killed his horse, whilst
the Courtier was able to come out again in his turn.

It has been said that the hands of a horseman are born
with him, and that, like • poets, they cannot be made, and
there is a great deal of truth in the saying ; but in all
probability the fine hands for which Mr, Fox was distin-

Mr. FOX AS A HORSEMAN AND COACHMAN.

205

guished were much improved by the practice he got in
driving coaches from a very early age. Mr. Fox, it mubt
be remembered, was the connecting link, if I may be allowed
to use such a term, between the old and the new methods
of quick travelling. Gentlemen of a preceding generation
travelled in their own carriages drawn by post-horses, and
it was not till 1786,3 little above a hundred years ago, that
the real glories of the road began. In a few years the
improvement in public conveyances was so great, and the
service was so much better, that they became generally used
by all classes, but it was not till Macadam had rendered
himself immortal by his new system of road-making, that
the words of Nimrod, ' Coach travelling is no longer a
' disoustino- and tedious labour, but has lono- since been
'converted into comparative ease, and really approaches to
■something like luxury,' could be said to apply literally.

Mr. Fox's first experience of a stage coach has been
told before, I believe, but the story is such a good one, and
is, moreover, so typical of the change which was rapidly
coming over the country with the development of the
coaching system, that it must be given once more, and in
the squire's own words : ' 1 was shivering under the archway
' at Wetherby, when ten years old,' he writes, ' my father
' having sent me to meet the Glasgow mail, just put on
'the line from Doncaster, running via Pontefract, Aberford,
'Wetherby, &c. " Coachey" was at breakfast. My father's
' servant was ordered to book me an inside place to London
' on my way to Eton, and to give the guard a guinea to look
' after me. A stout fellow with red face came up, and said,
' "Are you young Fox?" "Yes." "Why, you've booked inside !
' "a gentleman rides upon t'box ; come wi' mea ! " He went
'to the office, and said, "This young gentleman has made a
' " mistake ; he wants outside to London, not inside ; give us
'"back two guineas." (Inside fare was four guineas, outside

2o6 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

'two). He handed the two guineas to me and said, "There,
'"spend that when you get to school." Dear old Jack! I did
' not forget him. My father was told that I had been seen on
'the box of the mail, talkino; to the coachman. He wrote
' me, regretting that I should have to travel by a public
' conveyance, but to sit cheek by jowl with the coachman
' was the vulgarest thing I could do, and desired me not to
' do it again. My father could only travel with four post-
' horses in a chariot by Barker. How sudden the change
'was! Old Jack let me "take hold" of quiet teams as soon
' as I was strono- enough, and I did love the old Glasgow
' mail. Several times I have driven her from Alconbury
' Hill to the Cross Roads, Clifford Moor, — one hundred and
' forty-five miles.'

Within a very few years coaching became a chosen and
favourite occupation with gentlemen, and Sir St. Vincent
Cotton, the Duke of Beaufort, Mr. Foljambe, Sir Charles
Ibbotson, and others too numerous to mention here, used
frequently to drive the public coaches, and great coachmen
as the gentlemen I have mentioned undoubtedly were, none
of them were superior to or keener than Mr. Fox. Indeed,
it was with him fox-hunting first, and coaching next. As he
truly said, ' The love of driving is born in some people,
'but there are plenty who cannot learn;' and curiously
enough he seems to have been the only enthusiastic coach-
man in the family, and he remarks himself that he does
not know one of his relatives who cared for driving.

It is to this love of driving which is born in some
people that the modern revival of coaching is to be attributed,
and though Mr. Fox did not take a very active part in it,
his interest was keen, and he had every sympathy with
it, and he had one or two journeys on the coaches which
ran out of London during recent years, notably the Tunbridge
Wells coach, when Mr. Charles Hoare drove it.

Mr. FOX AS A HORSEMAN AND COACHMAN. 207

How dearly Mr. Fox loved the rattle of the pole-chains
may be better gathered from two extracts from those letters
which I have had the privilege to look over: 'A well-
' appointed coach, not too full, or the dear old mail, was a
' pleasant mode of travelling, and the pleasure of rattling
' along, stage after stage, bound to keep time, roads in good
' order, to a creature born with love of coaching in him,
' was delightful.' . . . ' How charming four horses, trotting at
' a good pace, well able to do the work, just feeling the work-
' man's hand, getting over the ground without any appearance
' of being in a hurry.'

Mr. Fox's anecdotes respecting the road, and his graphic
descriptions of the old stage coachmen, are very interesting,
and one would fain linger over them, as indeed one would
over anything that emanated from his pen, so graphic
and terse are his descriptions ; but a couple more extracts
must suffice ; one an anecdote of the road, and the other a
description of a coachman named Conway, who was the son
of a clergyman, and who used to drive the Leeds and
Manchester mail. ' He drove the mail to the end,' writes
Mr. Fox, ' forty-four miles in four hours to a minute, over
' Blackstone Edge. He was a splendid fellow : no talk,
' no nonsense, his attention devoted to his job ; his power
'great, nerve grand, and most delicate hands.' Whoever,
that has sat on a coach or handled a team, cannot see
Conway handling his horses over Blackstone Edge, after
reading this vivid description of him !

On one occasion when the squire was driving the mail,
an outside passenger gave him half-a-crown, of which he
was very proud ; as was his friend, the late Mr. George
Lowther, when a clergyman gave him the same sum once
when he got to his journey's end at Bridlington.

But to the anecdote, which is as follows : ' Your leader
' that cantered off reminds me of a skewbald leader of Billy

2o8 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

'Cooper's. " First time I have seen him trot for a fortnight."
' What has been the matter .'' ' " Why, John Bastard was
'coming- up, and he drove quietly until we got nearly to
'Charing Cross, when a man in a trap tried to pass, Johnny
'let go his whip, and the horse has never settled till to-day."
'Johnny,' adds Mr. Fox, 'was neat with his whip, and it
'often did harm.' A hint this that young coachmen will do
well to bear in mind, for when a man can handle his whip
well, and it is by no means an every-day accomplishment,
he is rather apt to show his capabilities in that line.

It would be an impertinence to say that in all matters
connected with the management of a country Mr. Fox was
thoroughly at home, and the management of a country is
often a more difficult task than the management of the
hounds in the kennel and the field. There are conflicting
interests to keep balanced, shooting men and shooting tenants
to oblige, and countless other thinp's to do, which call for
the exercise of the greatest self-denial. A master of hounds
has no bed of roses, even in so sporting a country as the
Bramham Moor, and doubtless much of the diplomatic
part of the work was irksome to a man of Mr. Fox's
straightforward nature. He has been heard to say, when
sorely put on, and feeling that he would like to give
expression to his thoughts, that the position of a master of
foxhounds in these days was nearly as degrading as that of
a Member of Parliament. He could, however, and some-
times did, hit out rather hardly when a man laid himself
particularly open to reproof.

The following letter shows how masters of hounds are
sometimes treated, and also shows that Mr. Pox at least
knew how to reply to impertinent suggestions. I, of course,
suppress names, date, and locality, as no good purpose could
be served by making either public.

Mr. FOX AS A HORSEMAN AND COACHMAN.

209

' Bramham, April, 18 — .
' Dear Sir, — -A master of hounds is a servant, and must
' expect to be treated to fault-finding. I regret that you do
' not approve of my mode of hunting the country, but your
'pamphlet, though it informs me that you found the remains,
' and that your dog disturbed a fox, that from tittle-tattle

' with other people you were able to inform me that

' and did not allow their foxes to be destroyed : am

' much obliged to you for stale news. But do not suppose
' all this throws me off the line. Business is business, —
' you wrote to say you had twenty foxes, and many litters of
' cubs bred on your ground last summer. My foxhounds,
' at the earliest opportunity, drew your coverts blank. Again
' I arranged a meet purposely to draw your coverts, — again
'blank. If you had twenty foxes when you wrote to me,
'you and your keeper are pretty clever to have got rid of
' them so quickly.

' I believe my hounds — excuse me standing up for
'what you call "my dogs" — " 'Ounds, sir!" (as Jorrocks
' said to the lawyer).

' I agree with you about the great pleasure of seeing
' pointers or setters work, especially on a moor, and how
' delightful to see the clever performance of a good retriever.
'If I was your age again, I should enjoy shooting over dogs
' as I have done before you were born, and still support
' fox-hunting, a fine sport, and giving enjoyment to many.

' I thank you for offering to educate a foxhound for me.
'You may be good at breaking pointers or retrievers, you
' may train a poodle dog, but you are ignorant about fox-
' hounds and fox-hunting. I have to break one hundred
'foxhounds, that is, I have to secure the service of a clever

' man who can do it. I have bred hounds for years

'with great care, and in this bad-scenting country could do
'nothing without "nose." Sportsmen do not find fault with
' my hounds. They are celebrated for hunting a cold scent,
' and chasing hard when near their fox. This has been a
' bad scenting season, but the number of foxes my hounds
' have killed makes them (the hounds) laugh at your sneers,
'luckily for the people who enjoy a cheerful day out hunting.

2IO HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' The greater portion of the landowners do not permit
* their servants to interfere with foxes. Before you were born

' Woods, Wood, , , &c., were full

'of foxes, and rare sport hounds had, and how the farmers
'enjoyed it! Then came the selfish gun, poison, and blank
'days. Many good farmers with capital gave up their farms,
'and I venture to say the neighbourhood was not benefited.

'Present my compliments to your friend, "the hunting
'"man and rare sportsman, and a member of your Hunt,"
' and tell him I should be glad if he will tell me how to
'hunt the country. I know some people will be more happy

'without a fox or a cheery hunt. I only wish , his

'friend, -, , and if you like had ^10,000,

'a year in Norfolk.'

' I have run into a pamphlet, and apologise.

'Yours truly, G. Lane Fox.'

The last gentleman alluded to in the letter, I need
scarcely say, was the recipient of it.

As it is somewhat connected with the troubles which
masters of hounds have to encounter, and the unjust
criticism they have to put up with from the ignorant, I may
perhaps be forgiven if 1 give an extract from a letter of
Sir Charles Knightley's on the subject. It is unnecessary
to say that .Sir Charles, who hunted the Pytchley country
for one season, was one of the hardest men in the shires,
and that on those two well-known hunters of which Dick
Christian speaks, Sir Mariner and Benvolio, he was a very
awkward customer to tackle. His opinion upon the question
of sport, therefore, is especially entitled to respect, as he was
a riding as well as a hunting man : —

' Do we ever see runs like those of old in the present day r
' If not, what is the cause r Hounds never were better
' than now, or altogether better managed. The sole reason
' is this : where in former days there were fifty men out
'there are now three hundred. Formerly five or six men

J/r. FOX AS A HORSEMAN AND COACHMAN. 21 1

'used to ride hard, and if tliey knew but little of hunting,
'they generally knew when hounds were on scent and
' when not. At present everybody rides hard, and out of
' three hundred, not three have the slightest notion whether
' they are on or off scent. Although probably there are not
'three horses which could live with them through a clipping
' run, there are an ample number good enough to ride over
'them, and prevent their settling to a scent. When hounds
'are up to the mark they are apt to have a little fling
'and fly in them, and to go over it, and if they have room
' will come back again and catch hold of it ; but how is
' it possible with three hundred red-coats close to their
' sterns ? When there is a lack of sport one man abuses
'the hounds, another the huntsman. A few days ago I
' overheard one man, speaking of Derry, say, " He is a slow
' " fellow, and does not know what to do with his hounds
' " when he comes to a check." The next week I was out
' with Mr. Drake I heard another sportsman say, " There's
'"no chance of sport with these hounds; that fellow
' " Wingfield will never let his hounds alone, and is always
'"lifting them, so that they will never put their heads
'"down." If they had but room neither Derry nor
' Wingfield would be found fault with. It is difficult to
'know what to do with an immense ungovernable field.
' If you do not cast your hounds the steam of the horses
' and the noise of the crowd will prevent their hunting
' through it, and if you do cast them too much they are
'always looking for the huntsman. If therefore there is
'want of sport, let people attribute it to the right cause,
' which is the jealousy and ig/iorancc of the sporisi/ieii, and
' not the badness of the hounds, or want of science in the
'huntsman. If hounds were let alone and not ridden upon,
' they would rarely miss a day's sport. I remember a
' flash day at Brooksby Gate. Jack Raven took the best
' pack, eighteen couples, almost without a fault. They were
' so overridden they had not one atom of sport. The same
'day old Stephen Goodall went out with the wildest of the
' young hounds who wanted work, and a few old hounds :

212 HISTORY OF THE BEAM HAM MOOR HUNT.

'Gayman, vStormer, &c. They found near Prestwold.
'Stephen said, "Let them alone; let 'em lose him if they
'"will." They had a hunting run of three hours, and
'killed him. Sixteen miles from point to point. I mention
' this to show that if about two hundred and fifty of the
' Nimrods of this day would go to the splashing shop
' instead of going a-hunting, they would save themselves
'a world of trouble, anxiety, and expense, and would allow
'those who reallv love hunting to have a constant and
' uninterrupted fund of enjoyment.'

Which homily I leave for the careful consideration of
culprits and others, in the hope that they will profit thereby.

CHAPTER IX.

B RAM HAM Moor Huntsmen.

The Bramham Moor Hunt has generally been fortunate in
its huntsmen. They have almost always been men who
have spent long years in the country in one capacity or
another ; and this, it need scarcely be said, is a very important
factor in the well-being of a pack of hounds. Of the earlier
huntsmen but little record remains, and until Treadwell's
time there is not much to be learnt about them beyond their
names, and in some instances, the length of their service.

The first huntsman whose name comes down to posterity
is Martin Walkerley, a heavy man with a remarkably fine
voice ; and as that is specially mentioned of him, it is to be
presumed that he was not chary in the use of it. He was
huntsman to Mr. James Lane Fo.x, who, though never
himself a hard-riding man, was particularly careful to have
his servants well mounted, a tradition which, it need scarcely
be said, is maintained to this day. In the kennel he was
a good man, as indeed he had need to be with so particular
a master, and he showed good sport, as is evidenced by
the old records of the Hunt.

Luke Freeman, it may be stated here, was huntsman to
Sir Thomas Gascoigne, though whether it was when that
B 2

214

HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

gentleman hunted the Bramham Moor country, or later when
he hunted that country which is now divided between Lord
Middleton and the Holderness, I have not been able to
ascertain. Indeed, the mention of these heroes of a bv2one
day is very infrequent, and the information about them is
of the vaguest, whilst a date is scarcely, if ever, to be found.

Luke Freeman may, however, be mentioned incidentally
here, as it is a well-known West Riding name. That he
was a good huntsman we have excellent authority, for Tom
Grant, who hunted the Goodwood hounds so ably during
the latter part of the last and the early years of the present
century, speaks of some capital hounds that went from
Sir Thomas Gascoigne to Goodwood, and relates that Luke
Freeman was an immense weight for a horse to carry, but
was a very clever huntsman: — 'As good there might be,
'but better, never!' High praise this from a brother pro-
fessional.

The first of Lord Harewood's huntsmen of whom I
have been able to learn anything was George Payne, who
was many years with the pack, and carried the horn for six
or seven seasons. For reasons which I have given in the
preface I have been unable to give as many particulars
respecting this huntsman as I could wish. That he was not
a hound man I think seems to have been pretty generally
acknowledged by his contemporaries, though he was ' uncom-
' moh keen.' It was the riding part of the business that came
more especially in his line, and it Nimrod is to be believed,
he carried his keenness to the verge of rashness. Nimrod,
it is true, was a 'superior person' who did not find much
eood out of the shires, but that, notwithstandino-, there seems
to have been a general concensus of opinion by those 'old
' hands' whose memories have been rubbed up, that as a
huntsman Payne was not a conspicuous success.

Will Bamford, who was the immediate predecessor of

BRAMHAM MOOR HUNTSMEN. 215

Treadwel], carried the horn for many years, and was with
the second Lord Harewood up to the time of that noble-
man's untimely death. He was a good horseman, and an
indefatigable and persevering' huntsman in the field, and a
rare hand at killing his foxes, though as a scientific hound-
breeder he does not bear a great name. He was as keen
as the second Lord Harewood, which is saying a great deal,
and no day was too long for him. He had implicit con-
fidence in his hounds, and once made a bet that they would
kill forty brace of foxes before Christmas, and the season
luckily remaining open, he was enabled to win his bet.
After the death of Lord Harewood he retired, and was
succeeded by Charles Treadwell.

Treadwell was the son of a man who had made for
himself a great name as a huntsman in the difficult country
presided over so long by Mr. Farquharson. For his father
he acted as whipper-in, and on the retirement of the squire
and old Jem Treadwell, he hunted the South Wiltshire.
Like many as aspirant to fame he found that hunting a
pack of foxhounds was not quite such an easy task as it
looked ; and a story is told of him which would-be huntsmen
may well lay to heart. The squire and old Jem retired at
the same time, and when relieved from the cares of office,
and in a position of greater freedom than responsibility, they
were wont to go out on their cobs, and criticise the proceedings
confidentially. Instead of being the criticised, they became
the critics. No doubt the younger bloods had thought old
Jem slow, and perhaps he had lost the dash of his youth.
So they would, as is the manner of the impatient, talk freely
to the coming man of getting on, &c. On one occasion,
Mr. Farquharson and old Jem went to see the South
Wiltshire. There was a very bad scent, and Charles, in a
hurry to kill his fox, and pressed by the hot spirits,
impatient as usual, made one or two very wild casts when

2i6 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

his hounds came to a check. The squire shook his head,
and said, ' I am sorry for you, Treadwell, that your son
' Charles should act in such a manner ; he is a foolish
' young man.' 'He is, squire,' replied old Treadwell. Then
came another check, and a wilder cast than ever. ' Tread-
' well,' said the squire, 'your son Charles is a fool.' 'Yes,
'squire, he is a born fool,' replied the old man. Anon came
another check, and after a mad cast forward, the fox, who
had slipped back, was lost. The squire approached his old
huntsman with a look of commiseration on his countenance,
and said, ' I am sorry to have to say it, Treadwell, but your

'son Charles is a d d fool' 'You are quite right, squire,'

replied the old huntsman, disgusted at the display his son

had made, 'he is a d d fool'

So spake these old veterans of Charles Treadwell in his
first season as a huntsman ; but he soon grew to be a past
master in his profession, and his moderate start only served
to accentuate his future success. He continued to hunt
under Mr. Horlock for a few seasons, and then he went to
the Ouorn, under the mastership of Lord Suffield. After
he had been here one season. Lord Suffield sold his hounds
to Mr. Robertson, of Lady Kirk. It will be remembered
that this was the pack which the great Ralph Lambton had
made famous, and which could not take kindly to the ways
of a Leicestershire field, and sold to Lord Suffield. But
in their new country they did well, and it was with them
that Treadwell first came prominently before the world as
a skilful huntsman. For six seasons he and his pack made
the lives of the Berwickshire foxes a burthen to them during
one half of the year, and then Mr. Robertson retired, and
Treadwell went to Lord Harewood. For six seasons he
hunted the hounds for Lord Harewood, and then he went
on to Bramham when Mr. George Lane Fox succeeded to
the mastership. During the twenty-three years in which he

BRAMHAM MOOR HUNTSMEN.

2iy

carried the horn he showed excellent sport, and he also did
much to bring- the pack to that state of perfection which it
has ever since maintained.

A heavy man, Treadwell always managed to be with his
hounds, and Mr. Fox never found him an expensive man to
mount ; and though he was a man who would ride up to
his hounds, he never rode jealous, nor, to use the words of
his biographer in ' Baily,' tried to ' cut down the cornets.'
He did not like hounds to have much cry, and was wont
to say that he hated a hound that spoke twice where once
would do. The consequence was that he got his hounds
very light tongued, which is scarcely an unqualified advantage
in a woodland country. He was quick and rather cheery
with his hounds, and on a bad-scenting day, when hounds
could just own a line after getting through a fence, he would
carry them on to the next without hesitation. Nor was his
confidence ever misplaced, as the fine record of sport which
he showed during the twenty-three years he hunted the
Bramham Moor country amply proves, and in ' Daily's
Magazine' he is fittingly spoken of as 'that truly great man
' in his profession.'

On Treadwell's death, in June, 1865, Mr. Fox engaged
Stephen Goodall, who had been fourteen years in Ireland,
where, at the time Mr. Fox engaged him, he was hunting
the Duhallows for Lord Doneraile. Goodall showed good
sport in his way, and was energetic and persevering, but his
way was not the way of the squire of Bramham. In the
kennel he was a good man, as indeed what Goodall is not ?
and he was, like most of his family, a fine horseman. But
he was one of the flash school of huntsmen, who thought
he could catch his fo.x himself, and who was constantly
galloping in the contrary direction to that in which his fox
had gone in his endeavour to do so. To do him justice
he killed a fair number of foxes, and gave his field plenty

2i8 HISTORY 01 THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

of galloping ; but Mr. Fox could not put up with the wild
casts he made. ' There goes the stag,' he would say. when
Goodall was galloping with his hounds in the contrary-
direction to that in which the hunted fox had gone, followed
by an excited field. After a couple of seasons, Goodall, who
by the way was the brother of Will Goodall of the Belvoir,
and Frank Goodall who hunted the Royal Buckhounds, left,
changing places with Pred Turpin, who was for some time
with the Fife when Mr. Anstruther Thompson was master,
and who went from Scotland to the V.W. H. Turpin's
career in his new place was but a short one, but he made
a very favourable impression, and would doubtless have
made for himself a name in his new country had it not
been for his sudden death. He was found in an unconscious
state near Chestnut Grove, and it is believed that he had
taken a fit. He, however, never recovered consciousness.

His successor was one of the famous Morgan family.
This was Goddard Morgan, son of old Jem Morgan, whose
name in hunting history will ever live. He was huntsman
to the Old Berkeley till he was seventy-six years old, and
Goddard started his career by whipping-in to him when he
was hunting for Mr. Conyers, who, it seems unnecessary to
say, was one of the foremost sportsmen of his time, and
with whose name hunting in Essex is inseparably connected.
He afterwards whipped-in to the Belvoir, and then he
went back to his father as first whipper-in to the Old
Berkeley under Lord Lonsdale's mastership. Subsequently
he hunted that country under Lord Lonsdale, and afterwards
Lord Maiden From the Old Berkeley he went to the
Bramham Moor. In the kennel he had no superior, and he
was undoubtedly a fine huntsman ; but some of the hard-
riding spirits thought him getting slow, and perhaps he was
not quite so quick in getting away from the big woods as
some of his predecessors. At any rale he left after three

BRAMHAM MOOR HUNTSMEN. 219

seasons and went to the York and Ainsty, and after that to
the Berwickshire, where he hunted for Mr. Watson Askew
for several seasons. On leaving Mr. Watson Askew he
practically retired, though he acted as stud-groom to Lord
Derwent, then Sir Harcourt Johnstone, for a short time.

Morgan was succeeded by George Kingsbury, who had
whipped-in to him and his predecessors Kingsbury com-
menced by riding second horse to Treadwell, and then he
went for a time to the Blackmoor Vale. He then came
back to Bramham in the capacity of second whipper-in, and
was quickly promoted to the place of first whipper-in. He
was very quick as a whipper-in, indeed he sometimes took
upon him the huntsman's place, and went away with hounds
when he should have stopped behind. When Morgan left,
Kingsbury had been back to Bramham six years, and though
young, it was determined to give him a chance. Indeed,
he was a oreat favourite alike with master and field, and
when he took the horn he proved himself a capable hunts-
man. After hunting hounds for six seasons he retired.

He was succeeded by Tom Smith, who is a descendant
of a long line of huntsmen who have made their name
famous in their native Brocklesby country. Smith commenced
by riding second horse to Philip Tocock, when he hunted
the Brocklesby, and he afterwards acted in the same capacity
to his father in the same countr\'. A season as second
whipper-in to his father gave him his first chance in the
more practical part of his profession, and after that he went
as second whipper-in to the Burton, and there he remained
for five seasons. From the Burton he went to Sir Watkin
Wynn, where he was first whipper-in under Charles Payne
for seven seasons. That he got a good schooling under
that distinguished huntsman there is no doubt, and that he
profited by it those who have hunted with him can bear
ample witness. From Sir Watkin Wynn he came to the

2 20 HISTORY OF THE B RAM HAM MOOR HUNT.

Bramham Moor, and when he came into Yorkshire he had
no fewer than eight huntsmen's places offered to him.

It is needless for me to say much about Smith as a
huntsman. Quiet and painstaking in the kennel and in the
field, he is very patient, and he always knows what his
hounds are doing, whilst on a bad-scenting clay his skill is
marvellous. He always gets to his hounds, yet he does not
' ride jealous,' and perhaps I may best sum his capabilities
as a huntsman up by saying that from first to last he
enjoyed the thorough confidence of Mr. George Lane Fox
and his family.

(A.»v**J^^y^.

CHAPTER X.

Some well-known Supporters.

' Each tongue relates, with ardent breath,

'Midst loud applauding cries,
Who came the foremost to the "death,"
And gained the noble prize.

' How Dick, the parson, jolly soul !
Did dash through thick and thin ;
And Tom, the huntsman, reached the goal,
With Jack, the whipper-in.'

With ' the System of Meynell,' which, as I have shown, was
so closely itdentified with the early history of the Bramham
Moor Hunt, was also introduced that hard, not to say jealous
riding, which may be said to have developed under the rule
of the first great master of the Ouorn. As in the kennels at
Wothersome, Harewood, and Bramham was to be found one
of the best packs in England, so in the field were to be found
some of the hardest riders and the choicest spirits of their
time. To most of them nothing came amiss. They were
equally at home over the stone walls and moors of the west
as they were over the drains of the Wighill and Selby
c 2

222 IT I STORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

countries, and when they went into the latter districts they
never made the excuse that they had ' left their water-
' jumpers at home.' Indeed, in the Shires or out of them, it
would have been difficult to have found a ' harder ' or more
sporting field than that which followed the fortunes of the
Bramham Moor.

Perhaps the pride of place should be given to ' the old
' offender,' which was the name by which Mr. Tom Fairfax
of Newton Kyme was known amongst his hunting friends ;
a name, too, which seems to have been pretty well deserved
from what can be learnt of his doings in the field. ' Resolved
' to be first,' was his motto, and it was his boast that, from
twenty to seventy, he would never allow any man to go in
front of him at a fence. He was as fine a horseman as he
was a hard one, and no horse ever refused with him. In
his dress he was rather peculiar, for instead of the orthodox
top-boot he wore boots which came up to his thigh, some-
thing^ after the fashion of the celebrated Lord Alvanlev, with
whom he was a contemporary. Spurs he always eschewed,
and he used a straight cutting-whip instead of a hunting-
crop. One of the most jealous riders of his time, he kept
going longer than falls to the lot of most men, and he
occasionally harassed his son. Colonel Fairfax, when the
latter was Master of the York and Ainsty, as he had harassed
the Lords Harewood and the Lane Foxes in the days of
his youth.

He was a very abstemious man, in an age when abste-
miousness was not a conspicuous virtue, and he was athletic
withal. Like a distinguished statesman, he was partial to
the felling of trees, and was very skilful at this occupation.
Indeed, there were Yorkshiremen who would have backed
him against the statesman in question, and it is highly
probable that he would have had the best of it. Descended
from a long line of soldiers and statesmen, Mr. Fairfax

SOME WELL-KNOWN SUPPORTERS. 223

inherited the literary ability for which some of his ancestors
were distinguished, as well as their pluck and hardihood ;
and the verses which are given elsewhere are not only
sporting in tone and character, but they are well turned and
graceful, and show remarkable powers of satire.

Foremost amongst the hard riders of his day was
Mr. Fenton Scott, a typical Yorkshire squire of the olden
school, an ardent believer in Englishmen and English ways,
more especially if the Englishmen hailed from Yorkshire.
A patriot of a type now extinct was Mr. Fenton Scott, as
the following anecdote goes to prove : —

A dinner was given at Leeds at which the Dutch
Minister was a guest, and speaker after speaker had flattered
His Excellency with a fulsomeness which was very offensive
to the downright and plain-spoken Mr. Scott. At last it
was his turn to speak, and he proved quite equal to the

occasion. ' Mr. Chairman,' said he, 'I say all foreigners,

'and,' looking full at the Dutch Minister, 'especially

"the Dutch.' The feelings of the guests at that meeting
had better be left to the imagination of my readers, for they
beggar description. I may add, however, that Mr. Fenton
Scott was something of a fire-eater, and was always ready
to back up his words and actions with his pistol. He had
fought many duels ; and it is related of him that on one
occasion when he considered himself insulted, he took up a
joint of veal and threw it at the gentleman who had offended
him. Of course a hostile meeting was the result, and
Mr. I""enton Scott was shot in the leg. ' I would not have
' cared if the beggar had not shot me in the sound leg,' was
the remark he made. He was a bold horseman, one who
stopped at nothing, and was very keen.

On one occasion Mr. Scott went to hunt with the Belvoir.
The horse he was riding was a bit of a screw, but he could
both gallop and jump, and after hounds had been running

2 24 HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT.

some time, he pounded the field, which, as may be believed,
was no easy matter. When they once more got to Mr. Scott
they found him seated on a gate, with his horse tethered to
it, and the fox laid over his knees. ' Here's your fox,
' Mr. Goosey,' were the words with which he greeted the
huntsman.'

Another keen sportsman who frequently hunted with the
Bramham Moor in the olden time was Sir John F. B.Johnstone,
a bold dashing man to hounds, but not a particularly fine
horseman, — his son, Lord Derwent, and his grandson, the
present Master of the Hackness Hounds, being his superiors
in this respect. The Maxwells, Joe and Henry, from
Scarthingwell, relatives of Lord Herries, could always take
their own part. They were big fine-looking men, standing
over si.x feet, and with Mr. Edwin Lascelles, brother to the
third Earl of Harewood, made a trio it were bad to tackle
when hounds ran hard over a big country. And here I
may remark that though it is a big country to cross, and _has
a large proportion of plough, the Bramham Moor country
has always been famous for the heavy weights that could
hold their own in it, however fast the pace.

Another fine horseman and bold rider whose name is
closely associated with the Bramham Moor hounds, was
Mr. Edwin Markham, of whom it can be said with truth
that to him naught came amiss. He was hard as nails, and
was a prominent man in the Hunt. His father. General
Markham, was a distinguished soldier, as well as a distin-
guished fox-hunter, and I may remark passim that the
combination is well known in the present day. He was
Colonel of the 32nd, and was sent for out of Central India
to the Crimea, when things were not going too well with
our army there, but died as soon as he reached, or just
before he reached, the seat of war.

Of the late Mr. Egremont Lascelles it may be said that

SOME WELL-KNOWN SUPPORTERS. 225

no keener sportsman, and tew better horsemen, ever crossed
a horse ; yet, strange to say, he gave up riding hard when
quite a young man, after going for some seasons with the
best of them. A light weight, and an elegant horseman, it
was a sight to see him sailing over a country in that
effortless style which is so rarely to be found, even in the
first flight. Quite as keen, though heavier and perhaps not
quite so elegant in .style, was his brother, Mr. George Edwin
Lascelles, who, I am glad to say, is still amongst us, taking
as lively an interest in the sport of kings as he did in the
days of his youth. A good man, especially on a rough horse,
Mr. Lascelles in his younger days could

'Tame the wild young one, inspirit the old;
The restive, the runaway, handle and hold.'

and in its proper place it is told of him how he got to the
end of a famous run on a kennel pony.

The ' Cheeryble Brothers*' were very keen, and no men
were more popular in the Bramham Moor country than these
warm-hearted and charitable gentlemen, who were as well
known by the title I have given them as they were by their
patronymic of Cooper. The brothers were well nigh in-
separable, and they hunted a great deal. But into the Wighill
country they would not come. Over the stone-walls and
fences of the west they could do well enough, but the wide
and deep drains of the Ainsty were to them anathema.
It is related of them that on one occasion they got into
the Wighill country in spite of themselves. Where hounds
met that morning I am not able to say, but the fox, with
the perversity of his kind, and without consulting the con-
venience of the 'Cheeryble Brothers,' made straight for the
Wighill country. Catterton drain and its tributaries were
becoming unpleasantly near, and James, who had gone well

* Messrs. ^^'illiam and James Cooper, of Gledhow.

2 26 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

up to this point, seemed inclined to stop. Not so William,
who, acting on the 'In for a penny in for a pound' maxim,
shouted to his brother, 'Come on, James, don't be cowardly!'
The two went on to the end, but I have not been able to
learn whether they ever conquered their aversion to a ' big
'drain country.'

The Yorks of \\'ighill were also very prominent sports-
men in their time. Mr. Edward York, whose son hunted
the York and Ainsty for part of a season* was a big man
and a fine sportsman, but he never rode hard. He, however,
always got to the end of a run, though he rarely jumped a
fence, and no man knew the run of foxes better than he
did. He was a hospitable man, keeping almost open house
as his father had done before him.

Mr. 'Abraham' Brown, of Beilby Grange, now known, by
the way, as Wetherby Grange, was a great supporter of both
Lord Harewood and Mr. George Lane Fox. He bought
Beilby Grange and went to live there, taking with him a
useful stud of steeplechase horses. Of course there is always
something which wants schooling in a stud of chasers, and
Mr. Brown soon became highly popular amongst the younger
members of the Hunt by the liberality with which he placed
his horses at their disposal. He was himself a good man
to hounds. It seems scarcely necessary for me to add that
he afterwards sold the Grange to Col. Gunter, who is now
generally seen out with the Bramham Moor whenever they
are within reachable distance of him.

Harder riders and better fellows than the Gascoignes,
Dick and Tom, it would have been difficult to find, even in
hard-riding and hospitable Yorkshire. They were both in
the Blues, and they brought half that sporting regiment to
Parlington, whence they hunted right merrily, and I have

* Col. York, of Hutton Hall, took the York and Ainsly in 1885, and died
during his first season.

SOME WELL-KNOWX SUPPORTERS. 227

no doubt, upon occasion, caused master and huntsman to
lose their tempers when scent did not serve. For they were
hard-riding men, those same Bkies, though they found their
match amongst the country squires of the West Riding.
And, by the way, may not the hard and straight riding
which prevails in the Bramham Moor, York and Ainsty,
and neiohbourinp; countries, be in a gfreat measure attributed
to the friendly rivalry which has existed between ' the
' soldiers' and their civilian friends, a rivalry which is as
ancient as hunting itself .'' And so may it long continue,
provided always that hounds are not overridden, and masters'
patience is not tried too much.

The Olivers of Lotherton were good men and true,
'uncommon fond of hunting,' and found worthy rivals in
the Elands of Kippax, and the Ramsdens of Ledstone.
The brothers. Stanhope and Martin Hawke, were also
regularly to be found at the Bramham Moor fixtures, and
always together. The elder of the two bred and owned
that good racehorse. The Marquis, who won the Two
Thousand and St. Leger of 1862, and succeeded to the
title as fifth Lord Hawke. He was a very fine horseman,
with the best of hands, and always with hounds. His
brother Martin, however, never had much of an eye for a
country, but he was hard enough, and would go anywhere
that Stanhope, whom he always selected as his pilot, went.
An eye to country, however, it was not his lot to possess.
He was killed in the hunting-field, his horse fallino- across
some rails over which he had followed his brother. This
sad accident took place with the York and Ainsty hounds
on the 19th of November, 1857. It is not a little curious
that in the Badsworth Hunt song there should run a verse
to the following effect : —

' And next him, on Morgan, all rattle and talk,
Cramming over his fences comes wild Martin Hawke,

if

228 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

He'll break his neck, sure, either sooner or late,
For he'd rather ride over than open a gate.'*

It is related of Martin Hawke that he always had a
keen eye for anything- relating to sport, and that he had
little regard for anything else. On his return from the
Grand Tour, which in his younger days it was de rigueur
for every gentleman in his position to make, he was asked
what he thought of the Continent, and what he had seen
there ? His reply was that he had seen a very good pointer
at Vienna !

The keenest of the keen, as he was the most hospitable
In a country famous for its hospitality, was Mr. Lamplugh
Wickham, of Chestnut Grove. He kept open house, and
there was always 'oceans' of claret for the followers of the
Bramham Moor, whether natives or visitors, in which to
drink the favourite and time-honoured toast : ' Bramham
' Moor and five-and-twenty couple.' Claret Grove was the
name which Mr. George Lane Fox bestowed upon this
hospitable mansion. Mr. Wickham was not only keen and
a good man to hounds, in which respects his descendants
follow his excellent example, but he was one of those men
who are invaluable in a Hunt. If any little thing wanted
smoothing down, or there was anything which required doing
for the benefit of the Hunt, Mr. Wickham was the one to
take it in hand, and bring it to a successful issue.

The Leeds contingent was not such a strong one in
those days when railway accommodation was not, but there
were some good men and true from the capital of the West
Riding who threw in their lot with the Bramham Moor.

* Another member of the Hawke family met with his death by a fall from
his horse. This was Chaloner, thiid son of the first baron. The song from
which the quotation is made w-as written by Mr. Martin Hawke, who, ' with
George Osbaldestone, was the life and soul of the Hunt Club at Beverley,' in the
early days of the Holderness. He was uncle to the Martin Hawke who was
killed.

SOME WELL-KNOWN SUPPORTERS.

229

Foremost amongst these was Lawyer Payne, who, though
no great horseman, was very fond of the sport, and always
ready to lend a helping hand whenever his services were
required for the benefit of the Hunt. Many a memorandum
is to be seen in the old records to the effect that 'Mr. Payne
'was to be consulted,' or that 'Mr. Payne said'; — in this
respect the Leeds solicitor making common cause with
Mr. Lamplugh Wickham whenever money was to be collected
for a specific purpose, or anything was to be done for the
good of sport. It is always a sign of a man being a 'good
fellow' when his friends know him by some other name
than his own. Mr. Payne was known as 'Champagne,' and
the famous Champagne Corse was named after him. The
history of that well-known covert is as follows : — ■

Mr. George Lane Fox promised to give the land for
the covert if the Hunt would find the money to plant it.
Mr. Payne at once offered to find the money, and such was
his persuasive eloquence that he was not long in getting it.
It would have been a sad mistake had not his name been
perpetuated in connection with it, for no better sportsman
ever followed the Bramham Moor.

Amongst other Leeds supporters was Dr. Chorley, a capital
sportsman, who, however, was handicapped by the circum-
stance that he had only one leg. This, of course, is sufficient
to account for the fact that he was not a great horseman,
but it did not affect his keenness in the least. Mr. Jowett,
too, was a very good man, and so at a later date was
Mr. Robert Goodson, a heavy man and a bold rider, who
was always mounted on the best of horses. He was scarcely
to be called a fine horseman, but he was always in front,
and sometimes so much so as to call forth sarcastic reproof
from the master. His death took place a few years ago
in the hunting-field.

Though not contemporaries with most of the celebrities

230 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

of whom I have spoken, this seems a fitting place to mention
two good sportsmen whose names occur to the mind as soon
as the Bramham Moor hounds are mentioned. I allude to
the late Mr. Georo-e Low'ther and the late Mr. Tom Kennedy.
Mr. Lowther was as devoted to hunting as is his brother,
Mr. James Lowther, to the turf, and he knew as much about
hounds and hound pedigrees, and was as keen of talking about
them, as Mr. James Lowther does about the thoroughbred.
Never a fine horseman in the best sense of the word, and
never a hard man after I knew him, there was no man keener,
and I do not know of anyone who saw so much sport. A
capital pilot if you chanced to be thrown out, he seemed
to have an instinctive knowledge of the run of a fox, as
well as a very sharp eye to see when hounds turned.
There was no better judge of the capabilities of a Hunt
servant than he was, and he was quick to recognise merit
in the subordinates. He was not one of those sportsmen
who postpone their hunting operations till November, for
though he was an all-round sportsman, hunting with him ever
stood first. It was never too early in the morning for him
to go cub -hunting, and he was generally attended by
Mrs. Lowther and some of his family. I remember him
asking me once on a fine October morning if I was going
to the second October Meeting at Newmarket, and I shall
never forget his reply when I answered in the affirmative:
'I think the October Meetings are the best,' said he; 'but
'they have one great drawback. If it is a fine hunting
' morning as you walk or ride across the heath, you feel that
' you ought to be doing something else, and that you have
' no business to be racing- when there is a prospect of
'hounds running.' It seems almost superfluous to add that
Mr. Lowther was a fine 'whip,' and that he used to run the
Bridlington coach for many years. There is an anecdote
told of him when driving the coach which I perhaps may

SOME WELL-KNOWN SUPPORTERS. 23 1

be permitted to repeat, as I do not think it has ever been
told in print : —

On one occasion a parson occupied the box-seat, and
Mr. Lowther, who liked an appreciative listener, began to
tell him a good deal of the history of some of the country
houses they passed on the road, as well as of the families
to whom they belonged or had belonged. On their arrival
at Bridlington, the parson, who was evidently a man of not
much discernment, congratulated Mr. Lowther on ' being a
'most intelligent man for his station in life,' and handed
him halfa-crown, which was received with becoming gravity
and an amusement which can be better imagined than
described.

Mr. Tom Kennedy began to hunt rather late in life, and
his ddbut was not a very promising one, for he fell with a
regularity which became monotonous during his first season.
But he possessed that invaluable attribute of the horseman —
a nerve that nothing could daunt, and having naturally light
hands, he soon became one of the best men of his day ; a
day, alas ! which was all too short. As well as being a good
man to hounds, Mr. Kennedy was a fine polo player, and
one of the finest judges of the game in his day ; and he was
also an excellent tennis player as well as an Alpine climber.
As a rider to hounds he was absolutely without fear, and his
horses soon found that there was no such word as ' refuse '
known to him. His ideas on jumping were of a liberal
nature, and he seemed to think no place impracticable.
Considering the width of his views on the subject of
jumping, he got very few falls, a fact to which his fine
hands contributed no little. He was the most unselfish of
men, and would lose his place in a good run to succour a
friend who was down. None who knew him will fail to
endorse Lord Harrington's opinion, expressed in a sympa-
thetic article in 'Baily,' that 'he was the best sportsman

232 HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT.

' and the most unselfish one, in the true sense of the word,
'that he had ever met.'

This seems a fitting place to insert a spirited hunting
poem, which, though it treats of the York and Ainsty,
contains allusions to most of the sportsmen who were well
known in the Bramham Hunt at the time : —

The Second Edition of a Poem by F. Ford, Esq.,

revised and enlarged by a brother sportsman.

The wind is at east, but seems surely to know

That courtesy bids that it scarcely should blow,

When the rest of the elements kindly conspire

For once to give vent to the fox-hunting fire

That burns in the breasts of the crowds that tiock in,

When the Ainsty are drawing Swann's favourite Whin.

High beats every heart, yet there breathes not a sound,

"Save Chanter, who challenged: says Wilson, 'He's found.'"

Then Restless and Dimity join in the cry,

Nor the gallant fox needs further notice to fly.

'Gone away,' echoes high o'er the crash of the throng,

And hounds, horses and riders are streaming along ;

But the Muses, alas ! so ill-natured are grown.

That they won't lend their horse, and we've none of our own ;

So we e'en must recount what we can, standing" still.

And sketch some of the talent from Bilbrough Hill.

One who knows what a start is, leads off in the chase,

And defies all the field to take from him his place.

A vain-glorious boast, though, he silently feels,

Whilst Thompson and Somerville press on his heels ;

Ah ! too surely they'll give him the slip unawares.

For his black is no match for their flying grey mares ;

And thin as he is, they'll e'en say he'll look thinner,

From the loss of his rest and the spoiling his dinner.

Half a field wide, see Gilbert, with natural grace,

" O'ertopping each fence, and securing his place";*

* The lines in inverted commas are in the original edition. The rest is
from the pen of Air. J. T. Fairfax, of Newton Kyme.

SOME WELL-KNOWN SUPPORTERS. 23

So easy his seat, nor presume we to mock it,

When we warn him 'gainst chucking his neck from its socket.

On his favourite mare there's the dangerous Joe,

'And rattling Tom Dayi-ell, whom all of us know';

A true Marston Moor zealot, who'd charge his own church

Much rather than risk being left in the lurch.

Then Ridsdale appears, pressing on in the van,

And ne'er turning the head of rejected Sedan ;

Never known from a brook or a bullfinch to swerve.

See him smoothly creep on, — the true pattern of nerve.

A prime workman we hail, too, on yon mealy nag,

Who'll lead them a dance ere they reach Brocket Hag ;

Whatsoe'er be the pace, not a binder he breaks.

Though distinguished of old as the Swan-with-two-Necks.

There's no check, not a pause, they're increasing their speed.

Not a tail-hound the gallantest horse to impede.

Bill Scott, half persuaded he's riding a race,

Lays Ainderby out at a good four-mile pace ;

And that miracle Wyndham, his poor mare must smother.

In spite of their contract to carry each other.

Johnny Forde, too, though placed in the very first flight,

Can't help cursing the oysters he'd eat overnight ;

And fearing that Paddy can scarcely get on,

Now the scales have pronounced him a good thirteen stone.

But what horse in the front rank refuses so flat ?

'Tis Tom Gascoigne, we'll swear to the coal-heaver's hat.

See, his cousins brush past him, nor notice dare take,

While the credit of Hawke and the Badsworth's at stake.

Par nubile fratntni I — but Parlington still

Sends another you'll mark by his loose deshabille;

Yes, on Dobbin the generous Dick's crowding sail, — ■

Hair, neckcloth, reins, ribands, all loose in the gale.

Now Lloyd makes his start, nor need longer delay.

Having counted his sons, and his hounds all away ;

He ne'er finds the fence that he scruples to face.

Though he'll not be seduced into quickening his pace ;

For he knows well of old, on £i high scenting morn.

That his horse is more easy to blow than his horn.

2 34 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

Now we catch 'em again, as for Colton they're making,

Earth and air, reins and tails, seem in sympathy shaking ;

And we recognise clearly the resolute look

Of the gallant young hand who is charging the brook ;

Though in houdahs through jungles accustomed to ride,

Bold Plymouth ne'er seems an offence to his pride;

See, he fearless confides to this Leicestershire sticker,

And calculates coolly on clearing the Vicar.

Then his seat, a la cici, unobtrusively keen,

Comes a rector, whose hat would fain make him a dean ;

He'll tell you this sport saved his life— that Gibbes knew it ; —

Now we question. Are three-year-olds likely to do it ?

But whatever befall him, he'll stick to the track.

For he knows he's in reach of the Boroughbridge pack;

And as for a gate, why he needn't to fear it,*

With Jacob and Bentley, his sureties, to clear it.

And sure none would o'erlook that next merry young fellow.

Were his waistcoat less radiant with scarlet and yellow;

So laughing his mood, there no jump he looks grave at.

Though he don't like his fences as stiff as his cravat.

But why lingers yon slow bulky sportsman behind ?

Both his horse and his dress of funereal kind:

'Tis strange, for he showed signs of life when they ' found,'

And he don't look a man that could make up his ground ;

All in vain : — Nat, you dare him to join your third flight ; —

No, he'll not budge a inch while a horseman's in sight ;

For twenty-six seasons he's brought up the rear.

And professes a system of riding by ear ;

But he knows by its name every Bramham Moor cover,

And he boasts there's no hedge that he hasn't led over.

But ah ! surely ye know only half of the fun.

Who for ever were struggling the first in the run.

What tempers, what passions, it brought into play !^

Here rapture and triumph, there grief and dismay.

There were pips, purls and crowners, each after their kind,

There were fences of all sorts, — live, staring, and blind ;

* It is related of tliis reverend i;enllenian that when he made a detour to
avoid paying the toll-bar, the two gentlemen said to him, ' We would have
' been your surety for three-halfpence.'

SOME WELL-KNOWN SUPPORTERS.

235

There was flying and creeping, and balking and spurting,

There was craning and cramming, and tailing and skirting.

Oh ! it left far behind the famed hunt of the Trossachs,

We'll compare it to naught but the French and the Cossacks.

Now Spur, Walker and Wilks for the turnpike are dashing.

And Kitchinman recklessly hazards a splashing.

There's Judd, Hardman and Bartman and Cowper abreast.

And Strickland, whose bellows are none of the best.

But to name all the polls and the places they took,

Would be worse than the great Grecian bard's Second Book.

And the feats and the fates of the glorious few.

Our Parnassus could no longer offer to view.

So no more. Let's away, — but what's this that we meet.

With his scrambling posthorse and postillion's seat r

Some accident, sureh' ; — the devil to pay ; —

For ' the devil ' is all we can get him to say.

A groom, on a chestnut, he always keeps nigh,

When we ask him, he tells us the devil knows why;

Now he rattles away round a fallow, full tear, — -

When we ask him, he tells us the devil knows where ;

But at night he'll recall all the run and the row; —

If you ask tis, we must say the devil knows how :

But to this we'll agree, be his tale what it may,

That this sure may be counted the devil's own day.

The Rev. Thomas Dayrell, who is mentioned in the
above spirited poem, was the Rector of Marston, and was
a very hard man. He used to ride a roaring horse, one that
made a great noise, but was as clever as they are made, and
good=looking to boot. The story goes that once when the
hounds met at Bishopthorpe the rector was riding this horse,
and Archbishop Harcourt, who had a keen eye for every-
thing good in horse and hound, immediately spotted him,
and went up to his owner to have a talk about him. After
hearing the archbishop's laudatory remarks, he replied that
he was a good-looking horse, but that, unfortunately, he
was a roarer. 'Ah!' replied the archbishop. 'What is the

236 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' shortest time it has taken you to stop him ? ' ' Ten minutes,
'your Grace,' was the reply. 'Well, I've stopped them in
' seven minutes, Mr. Dayrell,' was the Archbishop's answer.
Archbishop Harcourt can scarcely be said to have been
a follower of the Bramham Moor ; but during the time that
he ruled over the province of York, viz., from 1808 to 1847,
he was sure to have been 'riding that way' when Mr. James
Lane Fox and the Earls of Harewood were rousinof the
echoes in Bilbrough Whin or Hutton Thorns. In the early
years of his life he was an ardent sportsman, though that he
never neglected the duties of his profession is evident from
the eminence he attained in it. After he was appointed to
the archbishopric I believe he never attended the meet of
any packs of foxhounds, but when hounds met within reason-
able distance of him, he generally took a ride that way for the
sake of his health, and his knowledge of woodcraft enabled
him to see a good deal of the fun. It is recorded of him
that once when he was riding along a lane he viewed the
hunted fox, and hallooed. Hounds had checked, and the
huntsman was almost at his wit's end, but he brightened
when he heard the halloa, and exclaiming, ' That's gospel,

' by ! ' galloped on, and ultimately killed his fox. The

story is an old one, and it may not be true, but I think
there is likely to be some foundation of truth in it, for it is
well known that the archbishop was as ' keen as mustard '
as long as he lived. Another story has been frequently told
of him, but it will bear repeating : — It is well known that
the Rev. Sydney Smith, who, by the way, owed his first
preferment in the Church to Archbishop Harcourt, who
presented him to the living of Foston, was a bad horseman,
and was wont to be very sarcastic about those of his clerical
brethren who were his superiors in this respect. Indeed,
he is said to have gone so far as to say that clergymen
should not ride at all. The archbishop having heard of this,

SOME WELL-KNOWN SUPPORTERS. 237

asked him if he thought it was permissible for an archbishop
to ride? 'Yes, your Grace,' replied the wit, 'provided he
' does not ride too well.' It is needless to add that Arch-
bishop Harcourt was a fine horseman.

A name which must not be omitted from this chapter
is that of the late Mr. Brady Nicholson, of Stourton Grove,
Mr. Nicholson came of a hard-riding Lincolnshire family,
anci was as good a sportsman as ever buckled on a spur.
Many years ago I had a slight acquaintance with him, when
he used to judge at horse-shows. He was a fine judge, and
a fine horseman, always in front and often alone. I have
not been able to gather any particulars about him, but an
anecdote about his brother. Field Nicholson, may perhaps
be interesting. Field Nicholson, who lived at Melton Ross,
was a prominent man with Lord Yarborough's hounds,
and very hard. He was also very friendly with Charles
Dickens, whose acquaintance he had made at Harrogate ;
and some of my readers may care to know that it was
from Field Nicholson's house, at Melton Ross, that Dingley
Dell was drawn. But this by the way. Field Nicholson,
C. Dowson, the late G. Nelson, and one or two others,
amongst whom I believe was the late Capt. Skipworth, went
to have a day with the Burton when Lord Henry Bentinck
hunted that country. The North Lincolnshire contingent
were 'on the ride,' — that goes without saying-, — and un-
fortunately there was only a catchy scent. Field Nicholson
consequently was frequently rather nearer to hounds than
he should have been, and this provoked Lord Henry
Bentinck's ire, which, by the way, was no very difficult
matter. Turning to William Nicholson, of Willoughton,
who was one of the most prominent farmers in the Burton
Hunt, and was a 'right-hand man' with Lord Henry, he
asked, 'Who is that red-faced fool, Nicholson ? ' ' Nicholson,
' my Lord,' was the reply. ' A disgrace to the name ! a

E 2

238 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

' disgrace to the name ! ' replied his Lordship. Afterwards
he tackled the redoubtable Field Nicholson himself, but the
latter was nothing daunted, and answered, ' You are mad,
' my Lord, because my ^1 5 crock can beat your ^^500 horse ! '
As Nicholson had rather a curious lisp, and Lord Henry had
a peculiar falsetto voice, it may be imagined that those who
were present were witnesses to an amusing scene.

Another poem has come into my hands, the authorship
of which I cannot learn, but certainly judging from internal
evidence, it looks as if Mr. Tom Fairfax had had a hand
in it, and that notwithstanding he is alluded to somewhat
.sarcastically : —

Recollections of a Run with Lord Harewood's Hounds,

1846.

To the famed Harewood pack we are off with the lark,

The meet'.s in a paddock nicknamed ' Wighill Park';

But how changed is that meet in two fleeting years ;

How we miss well-known faces of yeomen and peers !

Where's the gallant old earl r Where veteran Scott ?

Where's Pantaloon York r Where Fairfax r Who got

The old English gentleman's title and name r

Where others, whose feats are recorded by fame ?

Time has run them to ground ; but bitter the tears,

House of Gascoigne, are those we give to thy heirs.

Lamented and loved, you'd stout hearts, open hand,

But nor wealth, manly courage, nor youth could withstand

Of the hunter of men that dire ' whoo-whoop '

To which prince and peasant must equally stoop.

But the first covert's tried, sly pug leaves the brake,

Let us note a few horsemen that ride in his wake.

No country in Britain like Bramham can boast

Of well-mounted welters so goodly a host : —

Thynne, Dayrell and Fox are never found slack,

Nor Carroll, though he sits his horse much like a sack.

But, imprimis, to light weights we'll give our attention,

And Newton Kyme's Crichton will claim the first mention.

SOME WELL-KNOWN SUPPORTERS.

239

His garment of pink no longer is donned,

As he says that by all hunting ought to be shunned,

Unless six daj's a week you're provided with carrion.

And estate unencumbered by jointure and marrying.

If you don't mean to hunt, but ride for a lark,

Why not gallop your nag, my good sir, in your park :

For so jealous a rider might keep within bounds.

When he could not ride over, for lack of the hounds.

Then, snarling, comes Gilbert, a gallant, turned fifty ;

He could ride in his day, but's become somewhat shifty ;

Still he follows the chase because it's the fashion.

And with him an excuse for being aye in a passion.

Not so courteous Brown, who is in a good place,

And on Jacob Faithful is going the pace.

Then we've Ma.\.well and Markham, with true spirit burning,

A Lane, though a long one, not given to turning ;

With Calcaria's lawyer, whose nerve must be good.

Hunting twice in a week, with one screw for a stud.

The Olivers twain, too, we can't but admire.

Although in the ' Blues,' they ride with much fire !

In Badsworth they're bred, where sport must abound.

As the country is hunted by both Hawke and hound.

From the regions of smoke we've both blood and bone,

Beau Atkinson well for the former is known ;

Of natty appointments so ardent a lover,

One would swear in a band-box they'd brought him to covert.

Ned Jowitt, at starting, sets off with a dash.

Forgetting, in girth, he resembles Lablache ;

But a drain stops him short, though no wider, in truth,

Than the brim of the hat he wore in his youth.

With his knees to his chin, and paunch like an apple.

See Fenton, the image of Sancho, on Dapple.

But who's in such haste on reeking-hot steed, sir r

What ! not know our jovial friend, Billy Read, sir r

Of the law and the turf a component matter,

A limb of the former, and a leg of the latter.

And who goes so listless, of the field keeping wide }

'Tis the Squire of Fairfield, once of Ainsty the pride ;

But quite sick of sporting, he fee'd his physician,

240 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

And was cured by conversion into a magician.

He takes it thus easy because, if thrown out,

His mesmerised servant can point out the route.

See Barlow's laird bruising along in the van,

Though backing a 3'oung 'un, why, catch him who can;

Full of pluck at a burst, of joke at a check,

As if his broad shoulders did not prop a neck.

Game Colton's Marine, too, is scorning to creep,

And at twelve miles an hour is ploughing the deep ;

Whilst with whiskers well combed, and hat cocked genteelly.

The pink of good humour, rides Captain Bob Healy.

His neighbour, John Roper, comes up with such speed

That he clears both the fence and the head of his steed ;

If he supped late last night and's well primed with champagne.

He'll recover his saddle, and do it again.

Johimy Clough to the left takes a line of his own.

Though he owes to the sport a warped nose and crooked bone ;

Still he rides like a hero, but has nearly got spilt,

O'er a wall which, 'tis said, his grandfather built.

His partner in trade takes it easy the while.

With an eye to a gate for at least half a mile.

As the Swan's a mute fowl, and not .given to riot,

This must sure be a goose, for its tongue's never quiet.

Whilst these with the hounds are enjoying the spurt,

Squire York has been robbing the lanes of their dirt ;

Yet declares that of hunting he's not had his fill,

And anxiously asks if they've managed to kill ?

Ah ! bred in the bone is delight at brutes slaughtered.

For a Leeds butcher's axe on his 'scutcheon is quartered ;

But his wish is accomplished, and pug finds repose

At length, in the maws of his clamorous foes.

Though the field at the time is consumptive and thinnish.

Some hundreds contrive to ' nick in ' at the finish ;

Return to their homes, and brag o'er their port.

Of fences ne'er faced, and invisible sport.

Whilst Lotherton Billy, in telling his wife

He ne'er before saw such a run in his life,

Lauds his glorious luck in escaping a pip,

For he rode down a field and encountered a grip !

SOME WELL-KNOWN SUPPORTERS. 24 1

The writer of the poem is certainly somewhat severe on
many good sportsmen, but his satire is good humoured
enougli, and there is no sting in it.

The following quotations from the Badsworth Hunt
song, written by the Hon. Martin Hawke, and a verse of
which has been previously quoted, may fitly conclude the
chapter, especially as Mr. Hawke has had the knack of
hitting-off his hunting contemporaries in a few happy words :

' Never heeding a tumble, a scratch, or a fall,
Lying close on his quarters comes Scott, of Woodhall ;
And mark how he cheers them with ' Hark to the cry ! '
Whilst on him the peer keeps a pretty close eye ;
And close on his heels see Bob Lascelles advance,
Dressed as gay for the field as if leading the dance ;
Resolved to ride hard, nor be counted the last,
Pretty sure of the speed of his favourite, Outcast.'

Mr. Lascelles, of Sowerby Hall, near Thirsk, is the
gentleman alluded to in this verse. He was a very hard
man, and was one of the half-dozen who saw the end of a
long and hard run with Sir Mark Masterman Sykes's hounds
in 1806; the others being Lord Hawke, Mr. Treacher, of
the Life Guards, Sir F. Boynton, Mr. Best, Mr. Batty, and
Will Carter, the huntsman.

' Then Bland and Tom Gascoigne I spy in the van,
Riding hard as two devils at catch as catch can ;
But racing along to try who can get first,
Already I see both their horses are burst.'

Mr. Thomas Davison Bland, of Kippax Hall, is the
gentleman alluded to. According to Mr. Hawke's estimate
of him — and it must be remembered Mr. Hawke was a
good judge in these matters — he was a very hard man.

The last verse I shall quote refers to two gentlemen
from a distance who apparently took up their quarters in

242 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

the Bramham Moor country when the hunting season came
round, and it is for this reason that I give it : —

' See Starkey and Hopwood, so full of their jokes,
From Bramham Moor come to be quizzing the folks ;
And when they return the whole chase they'll explain,
Though they saw little of it, to crony Fox Lane.'

The gentlemen alluded to in this verse are Mr. James
Starkey, of Fellifoot, Westmoreland, and Mr. Hopwood, of
Hopwood, Lancashire.

t

A.

K-»^~-~ ^^ *)

CHAPTER XI.

On the Flags and in the Show Ring.

' How gay they bustled round him ;
How gallantly they found him ;
And how stealthily they wound him
O'er each brake and woody dell.

' Oh ! how they sped together,
O'er the moor, among the heather.
Like birds of the same feather.
And their music like a bell.'

A History of the Bramham Moor Hunt would be incom-
plete without some reference to the hounds, which, in the
kennel and in the field, have had a world-wide reputation
for upwards of a century and a half. Unfortunately there
is not much to be gleaned about individual hounds during
the earlier years of the Hunt. One of the earliest hounds
of which I can learn anything is Ringwood, Lord Yarborough's
Ruler — Bonnymaid, a narrow snipy-nosed blue-pied hound,
that was a wonder in his work, and remarkably stout. He
ran at the head of the pack for ten seasons, and when he
was well advanced in years he led them over Saxton field
at a great pace, never speaking.* His blood went into the

* Captain Fo.x tells me that Ringwood had plenty of cry, so that this would

seem lo have been a special occasion.

244

HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

Duke of Buccleuch's kennel, but I have not been able to
trace any hounds by him in the Duke's kennel-books ; and
as 1 have already said the Bramham Moor kennel -books only
date back to 1841.* In the Duke of Buccleuch's kennel-
books the names of Lord Harewood's Benedict, Gilder and
Merlin occur as sires, but of them or their pedigree nothing
can be learnt.

The hounds purchased when Mr. Wyndham gave up
have been noticed already, but a few of Mr. Lane Fox's
early sires may be mentioned, and their pedigrees may be
of interest to those who care for that most fascinating
of pursuits, — scientific hound-breeding.

The first hound to be named is Streamer, by Mr. Fol-
jambe's Rifler — Lord Henry Bentinck's Airy, a hound that
was most likely obtained in a draft, for he figures as a two-
year old in Mr. Lane Fox's first hound-list. He was used
for several seasons at home, and was also used in the Duke
of Buccleuch's kennel. Baronet (1851), by the Duke of
Rutland's Prompter — Bonnymaid, by Lord Lonsdale's Limner
— Bonnylass, was also a good hound. Another, that was
descended from a bitch of Lord Harewood's, was Charon,
by Lord Henry Bentinck's Charon — Resolute, by Badsworth
Lubin, a famous hound in his day ; her dam. Ringlet, who
was bred by Lord Harewood, and was by Benedict — Rosebud.
Both these hounds were a good deal used.

Later on there was a good hound in Grappler (1856), a
rare bred one, by the Duke of Rutland's Guider — Susan, by
Mr. Foljambe's Streamer ; her dam, Blowzy, a bitch bred
by Lord Harewood, by Lord Yarborough's famous hound,
Bluecap — Careful. Ronitm, by General (by Ringwood, by
Lord Yarborough's Ruler) — Rosamond, by Sir Richard
Sutton's Albert, her dam, Rarity, by Mr. Wyndham's
Remus — Blowzy, was also a good hound. These were both

* There is a list of James Lane Fox's liounds in 1808.

ON THE FLAGS AND IN THE SHOW RING.

245

exceptionally well-bred hounds, and did good service in
other kennels as well as in the home one. Unfortunately,
however, there is nothing forthcoming about their merits
beyond what the Stud Book has to record.

Guider and Helen were a couple of remarkably good-
looking young hounds, as their portrait shows. They were
shown at Pontefract in i860, and won for the best couple
of unentered hounds. This Show, however, must not be
mistaken for the forerunner of the Peterborough Hound
Show, which was held in connection with the Cleveland
Show until 1S64. Guider was by General (the hound, it will
be remembered, who figures in the presentation-portrait ol
Mr. Fox) — Cowslip, and Helen was by Mr. Percy Williams's
H elpmate — Bantling.

But it would be tedious to give a bare list of the hounds
that have made themselves a name at the stud, so I will
hasten on to a later period, when something more than mere
name and pedigree can be related. When Smith went to
Bramham he found a famous sire named Mountebank. He
was by Mr. Leigh's Merryman — Affable, by Lord Poltimore's
Archer. A bi"-, fine hound, he was used a great deal both at
home and in other kennels, but he was about worn out when
Smith went, and he saw little of him in the field. A younger
hound was Gaylad, by Gamester — Affable, and consequently
a half brother to Mountebank. Gamester was by Gainer —
Stately, and Gainer was by General. Gaylad was a powerful
hound, with a good neck and shoulders, well ribbed, and
with plenty of bone. He was a good hound in his work,
and was a resolute hound from the first.

One morning, after a lot of work in Hazlewood, they
went to Haighton, where they found a cub, and after a lot
of work in covert, they forced a cub out into the park and
into a pond, where hounds lost view of him. But Gaylad
was all there, and catching sight of the fox swimming, he
V 2

246 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT

swam after him, and brought him to land Hke a retriever.
More than once is Gaylad mentioned as having- done
something good. In the same year (1873) was entered
Monarch, an useful hound by Manager — Woodbine, who was
much patronised by Mr. Foljambe and Lord Yarborough.
.Struggler, by Sampson — Gladsome, was a very good-looking-
hound, of whom much was expected as a sire, but he did
not do much good,

In 1875 Damper was perhaps the best of the dog entry.
He was a good-looking dog, and as good as he was good-
looking. He was by Diver — Primrose. His sire was a son
of the Blankney Damper, and on the dam's side he strained
back to Lord Poltimore's Warrior. He was used a great
deal, and his stock turned out well.

Musket (1876), by Monarch — Dulcet, by Fencer, descends
through his grandam, Dahlia, from Lord Poltimore's Warrior.
He was a capital hound in his work, and many hounds in
the pack go back to him on one side or the other. His
three sisters. Muslin, Myrtle, and Mistletoe made up an
excellent litter, and it is a testimony to their good qualities
that, with the choice there always was at Bramham Moor,
they were all bred from.

Chanticleer (1877) was by Racer— Chorus, through whom
he traced his descent from the Meynell Chorister. He was
a big hound, standing fully twenty-four inches, but he was
level and a good shaped one, and had a lot of bone. He
was used a great deal both in his own and other kennels.
The year 1877 was prolific in good hounds. The litter-
brothers. Gallant and Gambler, by Gaylad — Primrose, could
scarcely fail to make good foxhounds, for their dam was the
dam of Damper, and it would be superfluous to again refer
to the deeds of their sire. Gambler did a lot of good service
in the York and Ainsty kennel, and several good hounds
were sired by him. Then Harbinger, by Lord Portsmouth's

ON THE FLAGS AND IN THE SHOW RING. 247

Harbinger — Damsel, by Rallywood ; and Rasper, by Random
— Graceful, by Gamester, were both good hounds that were
in high favour amongst hound-breeders.

But amongst the entry of 1877 was a hound that was
destined to make a greater name than any of these, good as
they were ; and wherever foxhounds are bred the name of
Bramham Smoker is a 'household word.' He was by Dread-
nought (by Blankney Damper — Ruin, by Rocket) — Starlight,
by Sportsman — Wisdom, by Roman. He was an August
puppy, and was scarcely looked at ; indeed, it was thought
that he would never grow into a hound. But he did grow
Into one, and Smith expresses it as his opinion that he was
one of the very best foxhounds he ever saw. He was not
a particularly handsome hound, just an useful one in appear-
ance, but in his work he was a wonder. He had an excep-
tionally fine nose, and was full of drive. As an instance of
his fine hunting powers may be given an incident which
took place in a run, the date of which is not at hand, though
there is no doubt about the fact. Hounds had run over the
York road to Colton Whin, through which they drove their
fox on to the lane leading to Copmanthorpe. On the lane
scent failed, and no hound could own the line save Smoker,
who carried it on for half a mile by himself, a circumstance
which Mr. H. Preston will doubtless remember, as he was
much pleased with the performance at the time. Smoker, it
need scarcely be said, was a great success at the stud, and in
most of the kennels in England there is some of his blood
to be found.

In 1S78, Grasper, by Gaylad — Famous, by Fleecer, stands
out as an useful hound both in the field and at the stud.
He unfortunately got 'stifled,' and was then sent to the
Duke of Buccleuch's kennel, where he did good service.

Dancer, by Damper, a grandson of the Blankney Damper
— Merrylass, by Mountebank, a very well-bred hound, was

24S HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

used a good deal both at home and in other kcnneh,
especially the Goodwood and the Heythrop; but even his
good qualities pale before those of one of the same year
(1879), Sailor, by Smoker — M istletoe, a litter-sister to Musket.
He was not a big dog, but he was a rare-shaped one, full of
quality, and Smith says enthusiastically when speaking of
him, 'a gentleman all over.' He was a good worker, as
indeed with his fine pedigree he could scarcely help being,
and as a sire he takes a foremost place amongst the hounds
of his time. He was used all over the country, and his
stock all turned out well. In the Pytchley country they
swear by him, and with Mr. Wright, of the Badsworth, he
was an especial favourite ; also with Lord Willoughby de
Broke.

Crowner (i88r), by Chanticleer — Marigold, by Monarch,
strains back to old F"encer on the sire's side, and to
Mr. Leigh's Merryman on the dam's. He was a very good
hound, and was used a good deal ; but he was scarcely so
good as Grappler, by Grasper (by Gaylad — Primrose) —
Ruthless, by Rocket (by the Belvoir Rallywood, by Brock-
lesby Rallywood) — Rosamond, sister to those good hounds,
Roman and Rifler. Many of the best hounds in the pack
00 back to this CTood and well-bred hound, and he also did
eood .service in Lord Portman's kennel.

Conspicuous amongst the entry of 18S2 were Sparkler
and Ranger. Ranger was by Blankney Rallywood (by
Rifleman, a son of Regulus, — Careful, by Belvoir Contest)
— Sophy, by Struggler, a grandson of Belvoir Senator —
Gravity, by Lord Portsmouth's Gainer, by Puckeridge
Gulliver. He had a capital nose, and was a rare hound at
head, and indeed he was, take him altogether, an excellent
fo.xhound. Sparkler, by Sailor — Daffodil, by Dashwood, a
son of Grove Druid — Musical, by Mr. Leigh's Merryman,
was a big hound, standing fully twenty-four inches, and very
full of quality.

ON THE FLAGS AND IN THE SHOIV RING. 249

Granby, by Grappler, who was used after his first season,
as was also Smoker, an exceptional proof of merit, — Muslin,
sister to Musket and Mistletoe, was a good hound that was
used freely in the home kennel, though he did not take so
well with other packs. In the same year (1883) there were
a couple of large litters by the Uuke of Beaufort's Render,
a hound that was much used at Badminton. He was
by Lord Portsmouth's Render, who was by Rocket,
by Sir Watkin Wynn's Regent — Caroline, who strains back
to Cottager on the sire's side, and to the Blankney Warrior
on the dam's side. One ot these litters was from Primula,
by Racer — Primrose, and the other from Harmony, by Lord
Portsmouth's Harbinger — Damsel, by Rallywood. The dogs
were not much used, but all the bitches turned out well,
and were bred from.

In 1 88 5 there was a very well-bred hound put forward
In Gleaner, by Grappler — Sorceress, by Sailor — Sophy. He
was a fine hound, very level and shapely, but a trifle light
of bone. He was a great favourite, and was much used,
Mr. Chandos Pole being very partial to him. Next year
three good hounds call for notice : the first being Coroner
by Contest (by Chanticleer — -Vestris, by Victor — Ruthless) —
Sorceress, a very good dog, both In the field and on the
flags. Then comes Hospodar, a hound that has made himself
a great name at the stud. He was by Ranger — Heedless,
by Lord Galway's Slasher, a son of Lord Portsmouth's
Clasher — Artful, by Brocklesby Ambrose — Hasty, by Har-
binger, straining back to Magic, litter sister to Mountebank.
Hospodar was a thick-set powerful dog, and was certainly
one of the best sires of his day. Nearly the whole of the
Bicester entry one year were by him, and he was much used
by Lord Chesham and Lord Wllloughby de Broke. The
prize unentered dog-hound at Peterborough, this year (1897),
the Warwickshire Tuscan, was descended from him, through

250

HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT

his grandsire Warlock, who was a son of his. Spokesman
was a rare-bred one on both sides. His sire was Lord
Galway's Spokesman, by Bramham Smoker — Ransom, by
Lord Coventry's Rambler, and his dam was Dangerous, by
Sailor — Delicate, by the Grove Saracen, a son of the
Puckeridge Saracen — Damsel, who strained back to Lord
Poltimore's Warrior. He was an excellent foxhound, and
a great favourite.

\\\ 1887 Aimwell stands out as a good hound. He was
by Brocklesby Autocrat, a son of Holderness Sambo and
Alpine, who strains back to Ambrose through her sire
Alfred — Haricot, by Rasper. He was a big powerful dog,
rather on the leg, but a rare-made one, and he did a lot
of good both at home and in the Duke of Buccleuch's
kennel, whither he subsequently went. Salisbury, by Sparkler
— Clara, by Lord Galway's Clasher, was also a very useful
hound.

Albert (1888), by Brocklesby Artist, a litter brother of
Autocrat — Clara, was a rich tan dog, with fine quality, that
was used a lot, and that was about the best of his year.
Folkestone, by Grappler — Fearless, by Lord Radnor's For-
ester, was another very good hound, but he unfortunately
got lamed in his shoulder, and was sent to Mr. Langridge
in Ireland, where he did a lot of good. Gainsborougii and
Gayman, by Gleaner — Rosemary, by the Duke ot Beaufort's
Render, were also a couple of very useful hounds, both in
the field and at the stud.

Herald (1889), by Brocklesby Hermit (by Mr. Foljambe's
Major — -Hopeful, by Ambrose) — Handmaid, the litter sister
of Haricot, is a badger pie, full of quality, and one of the
most taking hounds in the pack. His elegance, combined
with size and substance, make him an exceptionally good
sire, and in the field he always ran at head. Roderick and
Rasselas, by Ranger — Speechless, a litter sister of Spokesman,

ON THE FLAGS AND IN THE SHOW RING. 251

were a remarkably useful and level couple that did well at
the stud, several very good hounds straining back to them.
Rambler, by Brocklesby Rubicon — Symphony, by Sparkler
— Vestris, was another good dog of the same year, and one
of the hardest, for though eight years old at the time, he
scarcely ever missed his turn last season (1896-97).

Amongst the older hounds in the pack at the commence-
ment of the season of 1896-97 may be mentioned Druid
(1890), by Lord Galway's Druid, by Grafton Druid — Mer-
maid, by Musket, a powerful well-bred hound, with nice
quality, and Driver, by Cayman — Dormouse, by Lord
Galway's Clasher, a remarkably straight hound, with good
ribs and shoulders, a good one in his work and with plenty
of cry.

Herald's excellences are well represented by his son,
Harper (1892), whose dam, Gracious, was by Grappler. A
well-bred hound, he represents both quality and substance.
A good hound and a rare worker is Speaker, by Spokesman
— Handsome, who is in the same year. Amongst the younger
hounds one that shows great promise is Dramatist (1894),
by Rasselas — Darling, by Gayman. Coming from such a
good strain, a great deal is naturally expected of him, nor
will those who expect much be disappointed in him, for he
is very shapely, and full of quality, with plenty of power and
substance. Monarch and Marmion, by the Belvoir Discount
— Midnight, by Coroner, Norman, by the Belvoir Noble —
Gracious, and Rifleman, by Rambler — Handsome, are very
promising young hounds that were entered in 1894, and
that have proved themselves to be good in their work. Of
them it is not difficult to predict success at the stud as well.

It has been stated that Mr. Fox never showed his
hounds, but this is not correct. Mr. Fox was one of the
earliest and staunchest supporters of the Foxhound Show,
and, indeed, had it not been for him, it is highly probable

"r

252 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

that it would have fallen through when Mr. Thomas
Parrington resigned the Secretaryship of the Cleveland
Agricultural Society, and that Society declined to continue
the Hound Shows. All the time the Foxhound Show was
held in connection with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society's
Show Mr. Fox was an active supporter of it, and for many
years he was President. After the Show went to Peter-
borough he took a great interest in it, but he never exhibited
out of Yorkshire. He, however, visited the Show occasionally,
and was President one year.

The first time the Bramham Moor appeared on the Show
benches has been already alluded to. At Yarm, in iS6i,
Mr. Fox showed largely, and took some prizes, though I
have not been able to get a correct return. They were
highly commended for the best couple of one or two season
hunters with Guider and Hero; the prizes going to Mr. Hill's
Charon and Merrylass, and the Milton Hercules and Stately.
In the class for brood bitches, which was a very good one,
the Milton Harpy was first, and the Bramham Moor
Royalty, by Belvoir Clinker — Royalty, was second.

At York, in 1866, some hounds were shown, but they
gained no honours ; but in the following year, at Thirsk,
they were first with two couples of entered dog-hounds,
— with Rector, by Rector — Blowzy; Stormer and Stripling,
by Belvoir Stormer — Royalty ; and Flasher, by York and
Ainsty Comus — Baroness; and in the class for unentered
bitches the second prize went to Sportly, by Gainer — Stately.
In 1868, at Wetherby, they took no honours; but the
following" year, at Beverley, the first prize for unentered
bitch went to Syren, by Sportsman — Bluebell. In 1871,
when the Show was held at York, the Bramham were well
to the fore. In the class for two couples of entered dog-
hounds, they were second to the Brocklesby, with Rally-
wood, by Rocket — Rosamond ; Striver, by Gainer — Stately ;

ON THE FLAGS AND IN THE SHOW RING. 253

Gamester, an own brother, two years younger, and Falstaff,
by Fencer — Whimper. They were also first in the class for
entered bitches with Syren, Dainty, by Fencer — Dahlia;
Gracious, a litter sister of Gamester, and Wisdom, by Roman
— Winifred, and they took second prize with Diver, by
Mr. Chaplin's Damper — Ruin, in the class for unentered
dog'-hounds.

They were in good winning vein at Malton in the
following year. Nobleman, by Lord Portsmouth's Nobleman
— Dulcet, won in the class for unentered dog-hounds ; and in
the class for the best two couples of entered dog-hounds
they were first with Guider, a litter brother of Gamester and
Gracious ; Statesman, a litter brother of Striver ; Singer, by
Sailor — Lawless; and Marquis, by Mr. Leigh's Merryman —
Streamlet. Statesman and Gamester were first and second
in the class for stallion-hounds ; and in the class for two
couples of entered bitches they were second with Gracious,
Sunbeam, by Sportsman— Wisdom ; Whimsey, by Fugleman
—Welcome ; and Magic, a litter sister of Mountebank.

At Sheffield, in 1874, no score was made; but in 1877,
which was the last year in which the Foxhound Show was
held in Yorkshire, and consequently the last year in which the
Bramham Moor were exhibited, they had a capital record.
In the class for unentered bitches they won with Cymbal,
by Racer — Chorus, and a litter sister of Chanticleer. The
class for two couples of entered dog-hounds was a wonderful
one, and the judges were unable to come to a decision as
to the respective merits of Lord Fitzwilliam's The Mitton
exhibits and the Bramham Moor, so the prizes were put
together and divided : an unique experience at a Hound
Show. The hounds shown by the Bramham were Gimcrack,
by Lord Portsmouth's Gainer — Dulcet, Struggler, by Sampson
— Gladsome, Marquis, and Dulcimer, by Dashwood — Musical.

So it will be seen that the Bramham Moor took their
G 2

^54

HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

full share of show honours, and that in the show yard, as
well as in the field and on the flaos, they were well in the
van. Indeed, in later days, when they have not courted
show-yard honours, the Bramham Moor blood has been well
forward at Peterborough, and in the Warwickshire kennel
there is a great deal of the blood of old Sailor, who was
much used by Lord Willoughby de Broke for two seasons.

CHAPTER XII.

PUPPV-WALKING AND THE BkAMHAM MoOR HoUND-ShOW.

The making of a pack of foxhounds begins when they are
out at walk. The Master may be a keen and scientific
hound-breeder, sparing neither trouble nor expense in his
attempt to secure the best blood in the kingdom. The
huntsman may be his equal in zeal, and may take all the
pains possible with his charges before they go out to walk
and after they come back to the kennel ; but unless the
puppies are well walked all their labour will prove in vain,
and it will be a mixed lot that they will have to take into
the field.

The great improvement which is apparent in hounds all
over the country is undoubtedly due in no small degree to
the increased number of walks which are obtainable for
puppies, and to the increased care which is taken in walking
the puppies. For some reason there is now no difiiculty
in getting a puppy walked, and walked well ; anil in some
Hunts that I know of walks are more numerous than puppies,
and it is an easy matter to walk from fifty to sixty or
even seventy couples of young foxhounds every year. This
of course admits of a large choice when the day comes for
drafting, even allowing for the ravages which distemper is
sure to make.

256 HISTORY OF THE B RAM HAM MOOR HUNT.

As with everything else connected with hunting, there is
much more generous and scientific management of the puppy
at walk than used to prevail a few years ago, and there is
now seldom to be seen the over-fed, clumsy, and 'crooked'
puppy, whose appearance was at one time wont to trouble the
mind of master and huntsman when the young lot came home
to kennel, and made them wonder, not which they were to
draft, but which they were to keep. In those days an
unfortunate puppy was not infrequently shut up in a small
outhouse as soon as he went to his quarters, and I have
seen one chained to a barrel which did duty for a kennel.
But that is a sight rarely, if ever, witnessed now-a-days, and
the puppy out at walk generally has a 'good time.'

When the young puppy is first taken to his quarters,
which is at a very early age, he should be kept for a time
to a diet of milk, which is his natural food at that period
of his existence. It would, of course, be to his advantage
to give him new milk for a time, and those who do so will
find their reward in his fine glossy coat, satisfactory growth,
and generally healthy appearance. He should never be
allowed to distend himself with large quantities of washy
food, and the less churn milk and such like sour stuff he
gets, the better will be his health. One very important
thing is that he should lie warm and dry : many puppies
suffering from a damp bed and a cold kennel to such an
extent as to affect their growth, or even to kill them
altogether. A hunting stable is a sufficiently good sleeping-
place for them when they are big enough and sensible
enough to keep out of the way of the horses ; and if they
are allowed to sleep in a hunting stable, and encouraged to
follow the hunters when out at exercise, so much the better
for both hound and horse, for the hound will get sufficient
exercise to keep him out of the more troublesome of those
mischiefs to which he is prone by nature, whilst the hunter

PUPPY-WALKING AND THE HOUND-SHOW. 257

will get accustomed to having the hound he knows about
him, and so will not be alarmed at, and so likely to kick,
hounds when in the field. For this reason, if for this reason
alone, every hunting man ought to walk a puppy wherever
he has the convenience.

When the young foxhound gets past the milk stage, he
generally feeds well on the scraps which are so plentiful
about a farmhouse. Care, however, should be taken that he
is not fed too heavily, and that he does not get too much
flesh. Raw flesh is to be avoided under all circumstances,
and a little boiled cabbage mixed up in his food will be
found to keep his blood in order, and prevent outbreaks of
mange, eczema, and other skin diseases. If ever oatmeal is
given, it should be given in very small quantities.

One thing that is necessary to the successful rearing of
the young foxhound is exercise. He should on no account
be kept fastened up, or all the trouble that has been taken
will be of no avail. It is also a sine qua noii that he should
never be allowed to go about with the sheep-dog, who will
soon teach him to chase sheep, and with a foxhound to
chase sheep means, sooner or later, to kill them. But it is
an excellent plan to walk out amongst the sheep with the
foxhound puppy as a companion : he will get used to them,
and will soon come to take no notice oi them.

It is in the nature of puppies to be mischievous, but
they are easily managed by a little firmness. It is better
never to have a puppy at all than to hammer him with a
broomstick as I have seen a puppy hammered, for the very
venial offence of running away with a dishcloth which a
careless servant had left within his reach. If ever a puppy
should take to running sheep, or to any other mischief which
becomes too troublesome, he should be sent in at once. The
necessary discipline to bring him to his senses is better
administered by a man who understands the breaking and

258 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

management of hounds. One thing the man who walks
puppies should constantly bear in mind, and that is that in
any case of illness, such as distemper, he must at once send
to inform the huntsman, and not attempt to do any 'doctoring'
himself A little tincture of rhubarb will do no harm if a
puppy is a little staring in his coat ; but that is about as
far as the average puppy-walker should venture in the
way of administering medicine. lo sum up the whole art
of walking puppies in a few words : — it is wholesome food,
warm and dry lying, and above all plenty of exercise, which
go the building up of the perfect young foxhound.

One of the great functions of the year at Bramham
Park, a function which was looked forward to by all the
hunting world, was the Annual Hound Show, which was
held in the month of August. It was a function unique in
itself, and then the squire had always something to say witty
and pungent about the affairs of the nation as affecting
farming and fox hunting. Prizes for the best puppies which
had come in from walk were no part of the programme ;
Mr. Fox being of those who hold that there is considerable
amount of luck in the gaining of such prizes. But every
man who walked a puppy, and puppy-walkers who are aii
fait at the business are as plentiful in the Bramham Moor
Hunt as leaves in Vallombrosa, was asked to the luncheon
which was provided in a large marquee near the kennels,
and there they met the Master and his friends and chief
supporters. It need scarcely be said that Mr. Fox's speeches
were always looked forward to with the keenest interest, for
he never talked round any subject, and the practical advice
he had to give about everything appertaining to the sport
to which he had devoted so much energy during his life,
was treasured up by all whose privilege it was to hear him.
Luncheon and the speech-making over, the hounds were had
out, and the yoking entry keenly criticised, and the day was

PUPPY-WALKING AND THE HOUND-SHOW.

259

brought to a conclusion with a garden-party in the beautiful
grounds of Bramham Park. A more enjoyable way of
spending a summer afternoon could not well be imagined.
Sportsmen met each other who had not come together since
the lengthening days and April sun had brought about the
summer of their discontent, and indulged in reminiscences
of past sport, and anticipations of the forthcoming season.

A few extracts from Mr. Fox's speeches on the occasion
of these reunions at Bramham Park may prove interesting.

The first is from the speech which was delivered on
August 20th, 1886: —

'Once again,' said Mr. Fox, ' I am delighted to welcome
' you here. Once again I have the pleasure of thanking you
' for the manner in which you have supported my foxhounds
' and me. There are puppy walkers and puppy walkers.
' There is the man who gives his hound good exercise, and
' who takes him amongst his sheep, and whose wife won't
' grudge to give him a drink of milk. (Laughter and cheers.)
' Then there is the puppy walker who shoves his puppy in
' the pig-stye, and after a few weeks sends him back, and
'says, "He's eat a sheep ! " (Laughter.) I am certain there
'is no such man in this tent. (Hear, hear.) Consider what
' capital fellows puppy walkers are. There are a great many
' gentlemen here who are not puppy walkers, and who want
' to get their names up as jolly good fellows and puppy
' walkers. I don't see why people should not do so. A
' foxhound gives an air of respectability to the place. Ladies
' are fond of walking puppies ; they like them. It is mar-
' vellous how foxhunting has increased of late years. There
' is more interest taken in it, and Til tell you why. Where
' twenty years ago one lady hunted, twenty hunt now, and
'where they go the men will follow them.' (Laughter.)

The next extracts I give are from the speech made in
the Jubilee year, when some words of wisdom fell from the

26o HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

Master. His political opinions are well known, and he was
a very hard hitter on occasion, and there were some political
allusions in the Jubilee year, as a matter of course. Those
however may be passed over till we come to the practical
side, and Mr. Fox's speech of August 20th, 1887, is worthy
of the careful attention of all practical men : —

' I know in all directions,' said he, ' we hear that the
' large landed proprietors are very much reduced in circum-
' stances. I have had several instances. A friend of mine
' who keeps a pack of hounds in the south of England has
' let his house, and now lives in the cottage adjoining the
' kennels, declaring he will stick to his hounds as long as
' he can. (Applause.) Another man, a son of a great friend
' of mine, had large farms, scientific farms, splendid farms
' thrown on his hands, and what did he do ? He did not
' run away to Monte Carlo, and pot his hat on the table.
' (Laughter.) No, he stuck to the land, and undertook it
' himself and worked like a farmer, attending to the cultivation
' of his land, and riding over it day and night himself (Hear,
' hear, and applause.) Here is my friend, Lord Harewood
' (applause), who sticks to his estates, and stands by his
' tenants. He does not go to Monte Carlo, or up in a
'balloon. (Laughter.) He stays at home, and stands by
' his tenants, and though not so young as some of us he still
' supports fox-hunting, knowing that it keeps good-fellowship
' in the country. (Applause.) Can you get at your landlords
' if they are wintering in Rome ? (Laughter.) What is the
' use of asking a fellow who is spending his time in Rome
'or Paris for a new gate ? (Laughter.) Wish you may get
'it! (Renewed laughter, and applause.) I thank you for
' walking puppies for me. I have a most capital entry, and
' have had many masters of hounds to see them lately, and
' they were very pleased with them. Great credit is due to
' you for this And I must not leave out the great credit

PUPPY-WALKING AND THE HOUND-SHOW. 261

' due to my huntsman, Smith (applause), who will show you
' this afternoon the young hounds, full of muscle — none of
' your Peterborough fat — full of muscle, and fit to go ; and
' this is only to be attained by great painstaking and
' attention.'

Failing health prevented Mr. Fox from taking his accus-
tomed place at the head of the table and greeting his
guests in person the following year ; and the speech from
which the foregoing extracts are taken was the last of the
many he made to his staunch supporters during the forty-
eiofht seasons that the Bramham Moor flourished under his
Mastership. But if he did not feel equal to making a
speech he wrote a characteristic letter, which was read by
Captain Fox to the assembled guests. This letter I give
without curtailment : —

' Age and influenza have nearly snuffed me out. I am
' not able to join your party at luncheon, but will ask you to
' tell them that I am as keen as ever to keep up the good
' feeling which exists in this neighbourhood between all good
' fellows who ride, walk, run or talk about fox-hunting. I
' have lived to see many changes. The great men of years
' back who determined to use the abilities that were given
' them to crush the Agricultural interest, invented the game
' of Free Trade, declaring that the whole world would derive
' benefit, and that our example, if we started Free Trade,
' would at once be followed. I have lived to see there is
' no such thing as Free Trade. It is false trade. The
' manufacturing interest has derived great benefit in conse-
' quence of steam and science, but the owners of land have
' been hit hard, and are reduced. For some years farmers
'have been asking their representatives in Parliament to
' help them. But what can they do ? England has a very
' eccentric House of Commons. What are they ? Have
' they any firm opinions ? IMy advice is to stick to farming
H 2

26?

HISTORY OF THE BR AM HAM MOOR HUNT.

' as a very useful, healthy occupation, not a lucrative one ; —
' to carry a "spud," not a i;un. Thistles are increasing since
' guns became the fashion. Let every cheery fellow remember
' that by walking a puppy he is doing a generous thing. He
' is liberally supporting fox-hunting, keeping money spent in
' the neiofhbourhood, and encouraging the breed of well-bred
' hunters, which will always be of value. Long life to all
' puppy walkers ! '

Though not able to be present at the luncheon, Mr. Fox
was at the garden-party in the afternoon, where he was
cheery as ever when he met his guests.

A pathetic figure indeed is that of the man whose life
had been spent in his own neighbourhood, doing his utter-
most to provide good sport for his friends and neighbours,
and ruling over an important country firmly and wisely for
nearly half a century, taking his last public leave of the
hounds and country he had loved and ruled over so well !

A-iAi^i>

CHAPTER XIII.
Death of Mr. George Lane Fox.

The hunting- season of 1896-9; had a g-loomy beginning,
for on the opening clay the Squire of Bramham passed away
from the scenes in which he had been so long a ruling
power. He had suffered from influenza more than once,
and he had a pretty sharp attack in the latter part of the
summer, but he got out again, and was as cheery as ever
on the afternoon of the annual Puppy-walkers' luncheon, in
August. On the Great Ebor day, when hunting men fore-
gather more perhaps than on any other day throughout the
racing season, many were the enquiries as to his health, and
from the answers it was hoped that we might have him
with us for a short time. He had begun to pay his regular
visits to the kennel again, and was very keen about the
young entry, but Smith thought him feebler, and he never
really regained his strength. Towards the end of October
it was evident to his anxious friends that the end would not
be long, and on the second of November, at four o'clock,
he passed quietly away.

With the death of Mr. Fox I bring the History of the
Bramham Hunt to a close. I have endeavoured to show
what his friends and he had made of the country and of the

264 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT.

pack. Difficulties with them only existed to be overcome,
and now that they have all gone, — he, the head, the last of
all, — the pack remains, as a fitting memento of what can be
done by energy, skill, and the true sportsman's spirit.

The History of the Bramham Hunt is to a certain
extent the Life of Mr. Fox. Whatever he did, he did
thoroughly, and his whole energies were devoted to the
promotion of the sport he loved so well, and of which he
was so distinguished an ornament. Any eulogy would be
superfluous. From the extracts from his diary and letters
which I have given, those who knew him can learn more
about him than from whole pages of eulogy, and those who
had not the privilege of his acquaintance may learn in some
measure what manner of man he was from the same source.

How he was beloved and respected it is needless to tell.
The crowds of mourners of every class who filled the pretty
little- church at Bramham on that drearv and wet November
morning when he was laid to rest, speak more eloquently
than any words can do on that point. Never perhaps was
there such a representative body of all that was best in
English sport assembled. From the Prince of Wales down
to the humble follower of hounds on foot, every class was
represented.*

What better epitaph could a man have than a funeral
such as this .''

• One foot hunter walked all the way from Leeds in the pouring rain to
pay the last tribute of respect to the typical English gentleman who for eighty
years had lived amongst his own people.

FINIS.

INDEX.

Accidents, Chap'er of, 79, 136
Aimwell, 250
Albert, 250

Baronet, 344

Beaufort, Duke of, 2o5

Beckford, Peter, 32

Bilton, 17

B.ngley, Lord, 30

Birkin, 19

Blands of Kippax, The, 227

Blubber Houses, 22

" Bob-tailed George," 137

Bob-tailed Foxes, 171

Boggart House Drain, 16

Bramharn Moor Hunt, Origin of, 30;

Subscription to 1852-53, 61
" Brooksby," 24
Brown, Mr. Abraham, 226
Buckingham, The Duke of, 26
Byrani, 19

Catterton Drain, 16
Champagne Gorse, 229
Chanticleer, 246

Cliarlton Hunt, The, 28 •

Charon, 244
Chorley, Dr., 229
Coaching Anecdotes, 207
Conway, 207

Cooper, The Brothers of Gledhow, 225
Cotton, Sir St. Vincent, 2o5
Courtier, The, 68, 69
Crowner, 24S

Curious Illness of the York and Ainsty
Whipper-in, 53

Damper, 246
Dancer, 247
Dayrell, The Rev. Thomas, 235

Deputation to Mr. James Lane Fox, 14
Digging out, 142
Druid, 251

Entry of 1S77, The, 246
Exercise, Necessity of, for young hounds,
257

Fairfax, Mr. Tom, 222
Fairfax, Capt. : his Harriers, 98
Foljambe, Mr., 206

Fox, James Lane, 30, 31 ; His hounds, 35 ;
Retirement of, 35

Fox, George Lane, Master, 47 ; visit of to
Sir Tatton Sykes, 57 ; laid up with
bad knee, 67 ; with harriers on foot,
99 ; hunts his own hounds, 109 ;
presentation to, 120 ; foot hunters
give new horn to, 125; visit to Lord
Galway, 130; last exiract from Diary,
190; letter from, 200; as horseman,
203 ; his good " hands," 203 ; visits to
Newcome Mason, 204 ; first ride on
a coach, 205 : on coach, 207 ; his
management of the countiy, 208 ;
letter from, 20S ; death of, 263;
funeral, 264

Fox, Mrs. George Lane, Presentation to
by tenantry, 69

Fox, Capt., accident to, 64; the serious
accident to, 96

Fox in house, 77

Fox-hunting, Early mention of, 27; in the
days of William lil. and Oueen Anne,
29; Literature of, 29

Friday Country, The, 17

Gallant, 246

Gambler, 246

Gamester, 245

Gascoigne, Sir Thomas, 30

Gascoigne, R. & T. , 226

Gaylad, 245

Gayman, 250

266

INDEX.

Gleaner, 249

Grappler, 244

Grasper, 247

Guider, 245

Gunter, Co]., nurses Grappler, 174

Harbinger, 246

Harcourt, Archbishop, 235

Harewootl, The second Earl of, assumes

Mastership, 35 : dealh of, 44
HarewooJ, The third Earl of, succeeds to
the Mastership, 44 ; succeeded by Mr.
G. Lane Fox, 45 ; presentation to, 45 ;
accident to, 71; dealh of, 71
Harper, 251
Hastings, Roger, 27
Hawke, The Hon. Martin, 227, 228
Hawke, The Hon. S'anhope, 227
Helen, 245
Herald, 250
Hospodar, 249

Hound Shows, 251; at Yarm, 252; at

York, 252 ; at Beverley, 252; at York

ill 1871, 252; at Mallon, 253;

Sheffield, 253 : last in Yorkshire, 253

Hounds poisoned, 74; killed by train, 174

Huntsmen: Payne, Geo., 41, 214

Treadwell, Charles, 41, 44 ;
take, hounds to Bramham,
47; accident to, 64; persever-
ance of, 77 ; death of, 8S ;
with the South \Vdts., 215 ;
with Mr. Horlock, 216;
with Lord Suffield, 216; with
Mr. Robertson, 216; goes
to Harewood, 216 ; to Bram-
ham Park, 216
Bamford, Will., 43, 21, 214;

his bet, 215
Goodall, S., 90; leaves Bram-
ham, 99, 217 ; Mr. Fo.\ on,
218
Turpin, Fred, 99;

106, 21S
Morgan, Goddard,
dents to, 107;
again, no, 218
Kingsbury, George, 115, 219
Smith, Tom, 147; patience of,
148; first good run, 149;
off work, 154; breaks his
shoulder, 159; has bad fall,
1S5, 219
Walkerley, Martin, 213
freeman, Luke, 213

Ibbotson, Sir Charles, 206
Ingmanlhorpe, 15

death of,

106; acci-
at work

Johnstone, Sir John T. B., 224

Kennedy, Mr. Tom, 231

Knightley, Sir Charles, on lluntins, 211

Lascelles, Hon. G. E., 44, 225
Lascelles, Hon. Egremont, 224
Leeds and Manchester Mail, 207
Lowther, Mr. G., assists to stop Hounds,
157, 230; and the Parson, 231

Mange, 74

Markham, Mr. E., 224

Marston, 17

Maxwell, Mr. J., 224

Maxwell, Mr. H., 224.

Meynell, Mr. Hugo, 31

Monarch, 246

Monday Country, The, 18

Monmouth, The Duke of, 28

Mountebank, 245

Musket, 246

Nicholson, Brady, 237

Nichokon, Field, with Lord Htnry

I'entinck's Hounds, 237
Nimrod, 41, 44

"Offender, The Old," 222
Olivers of Lotherton, The, 227
Otley side. The, 22

Palmerslon, Viscount, Visit of to Bramham,

76
Payne, Mr., 229
Pickering disafforested, 28
Puppy- Walkers' Luncheon at P.iamliam

Park, 258; Mr. Fox's speeches at,

259, 260; Letter from Mr. Fox read

at, 261

Ranger, 248

Render, Litters by Duke of Beaufort, 249

Richardson, Mr. J. Maunsell, visits Bram-
ham, 170

Ringwood, 243

Road, The Glories of the, 205

Romnn, 244

Roper, Mr., 28

Runs, Great, 84, 93, 105, 114, 115, 116,
127, 131, 132, 139, 140, 171. 179, iSo,
187, 192, 196, 199, 20I

Saturday Country, The, 19
Scott, Mr. Fenton, 223

INDEX.

267

Selliy Country, The, 53

Sheep dog, fox killed by, 83; does good

for once, 171
Sinnington Hunt, 26
Skipwovlh, Capt., 237
Smith, Rev. S)(lney, on riding, 236
Smoker, 247

Southern part of the Country, Tlie, 24
Sparkler, 248

Standing oats, hunting in, 76
Streamer, 244

Sutton, Sir Richard, visit to Bramliam, 55
Sykes, Sir Tatton, 57

Thomson, Mr. J. Anstruther, visit of, 74
Thornton, Colonel, 39 ; His Hunting

Matches, 37, 38
Thorp Arch Woods, 15
Tockwith, 17
Towton, 20

Unruly field, 171, 187

\'avasour, Sir William, 30

Walking a fox to death, 50
Walking puppies, 254
Warde, John, The blood of, 48
Wednesday Country, The

Wetherhy, Grand Naliiin.Tl Hunt Meeting
at, SS

Whippers-in : Shepherd, 43

Scott, Will., 43

Johnson, Ned, 93; Imnts

hounds, 100
Bartlett, Frank, hunts hounds
for first time, 154; shows
good sport, 159
Hawkes, Charles, hunts
hounds, iS6j has bad fall,
1 86
Wickham, Mr. Lamplugh, 228
Williams, Capt. Percy, 74
Wilstrop, 17
Wyndham, Mr., purchase of hounds from,

48
Wynn, Sir Watkin and Miss, Visit of, 181

York, Mr. E., 226

-ri><A i^"^"^^^^'

Richard Jacksox, Printer and Tublisher, Commercial Street, Leeds.

V

a

Webster Family Library of yeterinary Medicine

Cummings School of Veterinary N/ledicine a\

Tufts University

200 Westbcro Road

North Grafton, MA 01536

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