320 THE WARWICKSHIRE HUNT. [i869 



divine, one of the old scliool, and the owner of ii little covert 

 called (xall}' Oak, on the edge of the Vale of Evesham, 

 from whicli the Warwickshire have had many good runs. 

 He lived in his old, quaint, and beautiful black and white 

 Manor House at Clifford Chambers, but was also vicar of 

 the parish. For many years he hunted more or less regularly 

 with the Warwickshire hounds. Many stories are told of 

 him, more or less true. We have only space for a few. 



One year he was staying at a friend's house in the spring, 

 and was asked to stop over the Sunday for some rook 

 shooting the next week ; so, being over persuaded, he wi'ote 

 home to his clerk to put up a notice to say that he would 

 not be at home, and there would be no service. In a post- 

 script he added (not for publication), "The rook shooting 

 will be very good." The clerk put up the notice : " There 

 will be no service next Sunday, as Mr. Annesley can't 

 come home on account of the rook shooting being so good." 



He was once dining with the Squire of E , who 



boasted quite as ancient a descent as his own, but perhaps 

 thought more of it.* Some very old vintage port was 

 produced, upon the excellence of which the Squire dilated 

 to his reverend friend. "It is very old, Annesley. I 

 marvel why it has not disappeared long ago." "I don't 

 marvel at all," was the answer, "if you don't pass it a 

 little faster than you are doing to-night." 



Mr. Annesley was an hereditary trustee of the British 

 Museum, and used to attend the meetings pretty regularly. 

 One day he got a tip from the waiter at the restaurant 

 near as to the hours when the Museum should be opened. 

 He brought it forward as his o\^^l suggestion, and I believe 

 it was unanimously adopted. He died in 1875, aged 

 eighty, and was succeeded at Clifford Chambers by his 

 nephew, the Rev. F. H. Annesley, an excellent sportsman, 

 but not a foxhunter. He has lately let Clifford Chambers, 

 having accepted the living of (iayton, in Staffordshire. We 



* Speaking of the Squira of E 'ti foiKhiess for li3ralclry, I once liearJ a laJy say 



■of liitn : " I believe lie is jealovis of his own son because he has got one more aticostor 

 than himself."— C. M. 



