EVOLUTION OF THE PACK. Ill 



years since th9 first antecedent of the now dead settled in this beautiful 

 dale. In the reign of Henry VIII. , history says in the year 1513, the 

 battle of Spurs was fought. James I. of Scotland invaded England, 

 followed by the battle of Flodden, in which James, with his 50,000, 

 met by the Earl of Surrey, with 26,000 men, was defeated and slain. 

 It was during these rebellious times that the first Barr, a Scot, found 

 the quiet dale and settled, enclosed land, and later, as the first rent, 

 paid £2, which has now risen to £50, and generation after generation 

 have followed unbroken in the same spot. 



Writing to me from Leeds, Mr. Richard Barr says : — 

 I have been particularly interested in your articles regarding the 

 Bilsdale and Sinnington Hunts. My father, David Barr, retired to 

 Kirbymoorside when I was a boy, and the last 20 years of his life were 

 spent there, so that I saw a good deal of Jack Parker and his " yoicks 

 boys," and often heard his " Hark to Lingmoor," and " Tally-ho " — 

 couldn't he holloa in those days, too ! Some time ago you made 

 reference to the Barr family, who were intimately connected with the 

 Bilsdale Hounds. I am one of the old line. My grandfather was born 

 at Laverick Hall, Bilsdale, but from that date the family got considera- 

 bly spread. That would be late in the eighteenth century, some 

 division of money taking place then. Early in the nineteenth century 

 there was a Robert Barr living at Chapeltown, who would be brother 

 to my grandfather, and himself father of the Robert Barr, founder 

 of the firm of Barr, Nelson, and at one time Town Clerk and Magistrates' 

 Clerk of Leeds. In old Bryan Barr's days — known locally as the lawyer 

 of the dales — there was in the possession of the family a number of MSS., 

 dealing with the early history of the family, which is believed to be 

 Hamilton, and of lordly origin, but they were purloined, and up to a year 

 or two ago none of our family know anything of them. It is known 

 now there is a man in or about Leeds who has, at any rate, some of the 

 manuscripts which would throw light on our family history. 



Of one of the runs, which took place about the season 

 1881, Mr. T. Clarke, of Winton, gives me a good account. 



The Hurworth had a great day from near Oliver's Whin to White- 

 stones on the Hambleton Hills (the report of which by the way brought 

 Mr. Forbes, the present Master, out with the pack for the first time a 

 few days following). The Bilsdale met on the day following the Hur- 

 worth run and found, probably the Hurworth fox, near Whitestones, 

 and ran hard by Arnim Green by High Silton straight to Foxton. 

 Mr. Clark heard the pack, and jumping on to a pony joined the pack 

 there. Leaving Winton on the right, they crossed the Brompton and 

 Northallerton old road and ran parallel with it to Hellikeld, re-crossed 

 it over Brompton Banks leaving the Fox and Hounds Inn left-handed 

 to Oliver's Whin. Now commenced a point almost field-to-field co- 



