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SPORT ANCIENT AND MODERN meeting

Monday,

are

Wednesday,

North Ormsby, and Theophilus Harneise of Hawerby Hall. Mr. William Philipson of Bradley was fond of riding young horses, which were frequently very unfit, and invariably gave him a fall sooner or later. An inseparable trio in the sixties and seventies were Messrs E. Dowson of Wootton, W. Wright of Wold Newton, and F. E. Epworth of Great Coates, the wits of

Friday,

Saturday.

The in

Brocklesby country has always been rich good sportsmen and famous riders to hounds

the farmers are generally friendly to the chase,

though compared with

few take

the past but

Mr. Thomas Brooks ('Old Tom Brooks of Croxby *) was one of the best horsemen it was he who rode the famous of his day steeplechase against Mr. Field Nicholson on He was a fine judge of 30 March, 1 82 1. hunter or thoroughbred. He and Mr. Nichol-

active part in

it.

the hunt.



son used to pay periodical

visits

Messrs. W. Richardson, G. Nelson, and G. Marris (' the little man '), all of Limber, W. M. Casswell of North Ormsby, and J. Swallow of Horkstow, were distinguished members of the hunt at about the same period. The brothers Robert and George Walker were two of the most famous horsemen of their time, and had few if

to Melton, stop-

Another celebrity at the ping at the * George.' beginning of the nineteenth century was Captain John Henry Skipworth, one of the best men to hounds and best steeplechase riders of the day He saw service in the Portuand a crack shot. guese and Spanish Wars of Succession as a cavalry officer, and on one occasion fought a duel for the honour of his regiment. In the old days most of the clergy were huntThe Rev. G. Uppleby of Barrow, the ing men. Rev. J. Allington of Croxby, and the Rev. G. Robinson of Irby were all good men to hounds. The Rev. Charles Cary Barnard, vicar of Bigby, was a very prominent member of the hunt between 1853 and 1870, and the Rev. Cecil Legard, vicar of Healing for ten years, was also Mr. Levery difficult to beat over a country gard is widely known as compiler of the FoxColonel hound Kennel Stud Book till 1905.

any superiors over a steeplechase course. Mr. J. Maunsell Richardson of Healing Manor was connected with the Brocklesby Hunt from his boyhood, and remained one of its shining lights till

Horkstow Hall, was another hard during the second quarter of the nineteenth century; he died on 18 March, 1838, having been at the Hunt Steeple Race on the 13th.

1873 and 1874. Messrs. H.Brooks of Keelby Grange, Neil Macvicar of Limber Hill, and G. E. Davy of Thoresway, were first flighters during the latter part of the past century, and both won innumerable races between the flags. The Marquess and Marchioness of Waterford, the present Earl of Minto, and Mr. Ernest Beltazzi were regular visitors during the sixties and seventies. Of the covert owners, Mr. R. N. Sutton-Nelthorpe of Scawby Hall (a very hard man to hounds in his day) owns the famous Bradley Wood, one of the best fox-coverts while Mr. E. G. Pretyman of Riby in England Hall, one of the best welter weights in the hunt, owns some of the surest finds. Mr. W. Tyrwhitt Drake of Shardiloes, Mr. W. M. Wright of Wold Newton, Mr. T. Hewitt of Weelsby Hall, and Mr. Caton Haigh, are owners of important coverts, and no one loves fox-hunting more

he

of Great

Coates,

when accident or illness kept the huntsout of the saddle. He was one of the best gentlemen riders that ever donned silk, and rode the winner of the Grand National Steeplechase in

man

who won

at

'

The

who was

always beautibut rather given to pressing hounds. The Nainby family of Barnoldby were always great sportsmen ; perhaps the most notable was Mr. Charles Manby Nainby, last-named,

mounted, was a very hard

who

died in

1890

rider,

in his eighty-fourth year.

the

the horn

Race on Cannon Ball

fully

to

up their Mr. Richardson hunted the dog-hounds from 1882 to 1885, and was ever ready to carry

of Lambcroft, were great fox-hunters about that time.

assistance

packs.

in 1836, one time a great man to hounds, died two days before Colonel Tufnell. Messrs. Philip Skipworth of Aylesby and C. Uppleby of Barrow Hall, the always beautifully groomed ' Robson of Wyham, and J. Thistlewood Kit

and was

Steeple

His

greatly assisted by his advice in building

rider

Hunt

Rutlandshire in 1902.

Brocklesby pack, while both Mr. E. P. Rawnsley and the late Lord Willoughby de Broke were

Tufnell, of

Mr. C. Coates

reside in

knowledge of fox-hunting and hound-breed-

ing has been of the greatest



the

left to

great

A

famous agriculturist, who farmed his own estate, a fine horseman, and a lover of every kind of field sport, there was no better representative of the British yeoman.



than the last-named, although he prefers to follow

on

late Sir John Astley was more partial to than scarlet, but he was a good fox-preserver and friend of hunting, a remark equally applicable to his son, the present baronet. Sir F. E. Astley-Corbett. Sir John's father-in-law, Squire Corbett, was a great fox-hunter, albeit somewhat Other short-sighted, and a bit of a character.' Messrs. were sixties and good men in the fifties King of Skipworth of Thorganby Hall,

foot.

The

silk

'

G.

J.

Though it is not possible to specify the actual date when the Burton Hunt was originally organized, there is sufficient documentary evidence amongst the family letters at Burton Hall to prove that the first Lord Monson had a pack of hounds in the old kennels at Burton in the year 1731, and that from that date these