326 THE ESSEX FOXHOUNDS. 



" From the Gentlemen, Yeomen and supporters of the 

 Essex Staghounds to Sheffield Neave, Esq., December 

 20th, 1843." 



In 1846 Lord Petre was master, with Joe Roots as 

 huntsman. The latter had begun by whipping in to Mr. 

 N. Surridge when he had the South Essex ; after that he 

 spent nearly all his life with the Petre family, though for 

 a time we find him hunting- the Devon and Somerset 

 Staghounds. He died from injuries received from a 

 horse which he was killing falling on him ; he broke his 

 thigh, from which accident he never recovered. 



After Lord Petre gave them up, they seem to have 

 lapsed for a short time. Tommy Crooks, the butcher, 

 appears to have kept a scratch pack for one season. He 

 had a wonderful voice ; he used to buy his deer from 

 Thorndon. They were rather partial to hunt dinners in 

 those days, and on one occasion, after dinner. Tommy 

 ordered his favourite deer, " Red Rover," to be brought 

 into the room to show his friends, but "Red Rover" seems 

 to have found it too hot for him, for, making his escape by 

 jumping through the window, it took his followers over a 

 week to retake him, he giving them a run every day, and 

 finishing up somewhere in the Midlands. Tommy Crooks 

 had to give the hounds up owing to damaging his leg, and 



