162 THE WARWICKSHIRE HUNT. [1888 



will be seen from the above that Jem Cooper has been most 

 fortunate in being under good men, both masters and 

 huntsmen, who thoroughly understood hunting, and that 

 his progress upward on the hunting ladder has been quick 

 and continuous. He has not had perhaps the good fortune 

 some younger men have of immediate promotion, but the 

 moment an opening occurred, through Jack Boore taking 

 the late John Jones' place as huntsman to the Cheshire, 

 Lord Willoughby put Jem forw^ard at once, and he has 

 quite justified the confidence reposed in him by his master. 

 He is a fine horseman, and on more than one occasion in 

 1895-96 has hunted the hounds with good success. 



His father, James Laing Cooper, wdio was always 

 knowm in the hunting w^orld as Jem Cooper, of Bel voir, 

 was educated and prepared for the Scotch Kirk in 

 Aberdeen, but gave it up. The house which was built for 

 his manse is now the Railway Hotel in Turiff. 



Mr. John S. Follett hunted from Lighthorne for six 

 seasons from 1889. He rode hard and well. He had a 

 very good white horse, and the last season or two a fine 

 chesnut hunter, and a grey he bought from Mr. Addison, 

 of Hodnell, that took a lot of catching. 



From Lord Willoughby de Broke' s diary : 



Fir.st day of cublmiitiug on September ]Otli, at Walton Wood, witli 

 forty-eight and a half couples of hounds out. Killed two foxes.* 



First day of regular hunting at Ufton Wood, on Noveml)er 1st. 



November 6th, Burminyton House. — Found at Bunnington S})inney, got 

 away close to the fox. raced liini for fifteen minutes, and killed liim in the 

 o]}en. between Burnnngton Mill and the Golden Cross. Found again at 

 another of the Bunnington Spinneys ; ran as if for Weston. l)ut turned back 

 from the mill, and went nearly to Mitford Bridge ; turned to the right, and 

 went up Brailes Hill, over the top, and back the same way we came, and over 

 the river, through Weston Park, and nearly to Whichford Village, back 

 thi'ough Weston Park and the gardens, and over the river, and again up 

 Brailes Hill, where the fox got to ground, dead beat, just in front of the pack. 

 Found again in a field near Spencer's Gorse, and ran by Idlicote House nearly 

 to Pillerton. A good twenty minutes. Came to a check here, and the fox 

 was chased by a cur, and we never crossed his line again. 



* It was curious that, although the ground was extremely dry and hard, there was 

 a good scent throughout the cubhuutiug, which was excellent. During twenty-nine 

 dajs, thirty-six foxes were killed, and eight run to ground. On many days they could 

 not lose a fox, and the sport continued to be as good up to December "th, and the scent 

 nearly as good. 



