CHAPTER X. 



Essex Hunt Races. 



The earliest recorded races in connection with the 

 Essex Hunt were those mentioned in our account of the 

 mastership of Colonel John Cook, when a silver cup was 

 presented to be run for by gentlemen and farmers living 

 within the limits of the hunt. Two or three successful 

 races for the cup were run on Galleywood Common, 

 where a race-course had existed for many years before 

 Colonel Cook's arrival in Essex; but, in 1812, the hunt 

 races were abandoned, as there was a lack of entries, 

 and the race-course was under repair. After this, for 

 sixty-four years, we find no trace of Essex Hunt Race 

 Meetings, though the members of the " C. C. Club" 

 occasionally got up a point-to-point race, starting from 

 near Weald Hall and finishing opposite their head-quarters 

 at the Sun and Whalebone. One of these races was 

 ridden by Mr. John Stallibrass on a horse belonging 

 to Mr. Edward Boards, against Jem Cassidy, who rode 



