Page:The Victoria History of the County of Lincoln Volume 2.pdf/538

Rh hounds were regularly hunted for nearly eighty years by the Monson family. Unfortunately no great care seems to have been taken to preserve the early records of the hunt. A cursory examination of the papers, however, has disclosed some points of interest. The huntsman from 1732 to 1735 (and possibly later) was Robin Cave, who was assisted by two whippers-in. In 1758 the huntsman's duties were fulfilled by one Penney, who was evidently a well-known character, as witness the following verse from an old hunting song:

"In seventeen hundred and sixty and three. The third of December I think we agree, At eight in the morning by most of the clocks We rode out of Lincoln in search of a fox. There was jolly Ned Wills and Hobart so keen, And Lawrence in scarlet with capes (sic) that were green, With Penney and Raley, those huntsmen so stout, Lords Bertie and Monson, and so we set out."

It would appear from the family letters that the best sport was obtained on 'the heath.' This heath, as will be seen from the old maps, included all the land on the cliff north of Lincoln to Kirton, and south as far as Corby. All the northern portion was enclosed by the end of the eighteenth century, but that to the south of the city, especially the areas nearest to it, remained open heath until a later date.

The second Lord Monson appears to have been far more assiduous in his duties as master than his father, whom he succeeded in 1748. Indeed, his mother, Margaret Lady Monson, complains in a letter that 'he spends too much of his time hunting with his hounds down in Lincolnshire.' It was this Lord Monson who added to Burton Hall in 1769, mainly with the view of increasing the accommodation for his hunt breakfasts. The hounds were then removed to kennels at a greater distance from the house, and they occupied this new site until transferred at the special request of the sixth Lord Monson from Burton to Reepham by Lord Henry Bentinck between the years 1842 and 1845. From the time of the construction of the new kennels in 1771 until 1810 better care was taken of the hunt records. For this we are possibly indebted to that most capable huntsman John Evens, who had charge of the pack during most of this period. Very fairly complete annual lists and pedigrees of hounds are still extant. Perusal of the history of the Brocklesby Hunt will show that the Burton blood was much sought at this time by the Brocklesby, Belvoir, and other celebrated hunts. To give an idea of the sport enjoyed we may well quote here from one of the many old MS. note books. We read that: 'For the seven years from 1781 to 1788 377 foxes were killed.' In November 1809 the fourth Lord Monson died, leaving as his heir a son nine months old. There were in the kennels at this time 47 couples of hounds. It is probable that the prospect of so long a minority brought about the sale of the pack, for shortly afterwards, in 1810, it passed into the possession of Mr. Osbaldeston. The stud in the stables also disposed of. The sale took place on 13 January, 1810, and the 35 horses realized £3,821 6s. Although from this time the mastership of the hunt passed from the Monson family, their interest in it cannot be said to have ceased. When, in 1816, Mr. Walker desired to return to the mastership, the following clause was inserted in the agreement between him and Lady Monson:

"If desired by Lady Monson Mr. Walker can be accommodated with walks for sixty (60) young hounds, and it is presumed that Mr. Walker will have no objection to the hunt being styled the Burton Hunt, and all notices of the days of hunting headed with this title."

This rule has been adhered to up to the present day, and the first meet of the season is invariably held at Burton Hall.

Mr. George Osbaldeston, who appears to have held for a brief period the mastership of the South Notts before he came to Lincolnshire, may be said to have served his real apprenticeship as a master of hounds in the Burton country; he resided at the Palace, Lincoln, where he kept up a large establishment. He showed excellent sport, hunting five days a week; once, when for five weeks he took the pack to the Wragby Woodlands, he had hounds out six days a week. So well educated were the foxes that he laid a wager with a friend that two or three would face the open directly they heard his voice. The friend took up his position, the squire went into covert and began to cheer an imaginary pack of hounds when out bounced several foxes at different points, and he won his bet. He was assisted in hunting hounds by his friend Mr. John White. In after years he bought many hunters out of the Burton country, and the little 14.3 mare which he bought in the hunting-field after seeing her jump a big place at the end of a run, he offered to run against anything in England over four miles of country, for a thousand a side. James Wilson, who had been second whipper-in to Evens, remained as first whipper-in to Mr. Osbaldeston, who hunted the pack himself, his second whipper-in being Tom Sebright, who came from Carter, Sir Mark Sykes's huntsman, with the character of a capital horseman, and very honest, but stupid. Under Mr. Osbaldeston this 'stupidity' was soon transformed into very superior talent. Mr. Osbaldeston