MR. E. S. BOWLBV. 215 



ture, and the mastership might have proved too great a 

 burden for Mr. Arkwright to undertake single-handed. 

 The difficulty was happily overcome by the princely 

 generosity of Mr. Edward Salvin Bowlby. This gentle- 

 man's country residence — Gilston Park — is in Hertford- 

 shire, but within easy reach of Essex, and Mr. Bowlby 

 has long been a prominent supporter of the Essex, as 

 well as of the Puckeridge hounds ; in fact, it is impossible 

 to say how either of these packs could be carried on if 

 his assistance were withdrawn. He now joined Mr. 

 Arkwright in the mastership ; whilst Mrs. Bowlby became, 

 so to say, "lady paramount" of the Esse.x field, a position 

 which she fills to admiration. 



Gilston has interesting historical associations ; but we 

 must confine ourselves to those of comparatively recent 

 years. 



Nearly fifty years ago, the property came into the 

 market, upon the death of Mr. Robert Plumer Ward, 

 third husband and widower of a ijranci-dauCThtcr of the 

 seventh Earl of Abercorn, who had inherited the Gilston 

 property from her first husband, antl maintained a stately 

 establishment, blocking the neighbouring lanes with her 

 huge four-horse chariot, preceded by outriders in livery, until 

 she got over the difficulty by causing bays, or " turn-outs," 

 to be cut in the hedges. 



