JACK PARKER. 205 



t'next Ah gits Ah's gahin ti hod on ta wi ya hand (turning 

 to the footman), an' thoo silver-heead stand back a bit an' 

 gie me a chance or Ah sail hev summat ti say ti tha ootsahd." 

 Great was the laughter this out-spoken criticism of Jack's 

 occasioned. 



Writing to me from Leeds, February, 1907, Mr. R. Barr 

 said : — 



" Amongst those going well in Parker's day were the following : — 

 Dr. Wood was a patron of the Sinnington Hunt, and his brother, 

 " Kitty " Wood, of Sparrow Hall, followed the hounds regularly. 

 Mr. Edward Wormald, Normanby Hill, was a noted Sinnington Ninarod ; 

 also his son George and Miss Wormald. ' Neddy,' the old gentleman, 

 was accomplished in the use of expletives. He had an impediment 

 in his speech which quite added to the effect, and Jack Parker, also a 

 fair hand at strong language, was not in it with him. It was never a 

 silent meet if ' Neddy ' was present. The Wormalds bred and rode 

 good cattle, and generally a quartette, including groom, rode out from 

 Normanby to meet the Sinnington, unless the old General was laid up 

 with gout. Young George and I were very friendly, and he found 

 great delight in teaching me to smoke. He was a genial and popular 

 young fellow, and was missed by the hunt when he died. I think he 

 was only about 30 years old at his demise. Miss, or ' Missie,' Wormald 

 was a pretty and charming girl — the pride of the district, and a plucky 

 rider. Her mother was a sister to Squire Shepphard, of Douthwaite 

 Dale, a well-known name in the hunting-field. Miss Wormald ultimate- 

 ly became heiress to the Squire, and married a Mr. Muzeen. 

 Squire Sheppard, or rather his tenants for him, kept a pack 

 of harriers. Mr. Bartram, who kept the White Horse Hotel, 

 Kirbymoorside, was, I think, huntsman. A pal or two and myself 

 have seen some pretty work between an old greyhound dog belonging 

 to the late ' Kitty ' Bower and a bitch harrier of the Squire's. At one 

 time a coursing match was held at Boonhill. 



Regarding the sporting characters in the Sinnington 

 country half-a-century ago, the same authority says : — 



Among the village oddities of my youthful days was Joany Huddle- 

 ston, of Normanby. Joany was a retired blacksmith, a man of iron 

 will, but with a wooden leg. He took great pride in his official position 

 as overseer, and when he'd imbibed a few " two pennorths " of cold 

 gin, he would hitch his trousers — he wore no braces — fix his back 

 against a wall, stick straight out his wooden leg, and boast, " I'm the 

 Baillie o' the parish of Normanby." 



" Neddy " Wormald was another " old school " caution. He 

 was a popular Nimrod, and possessed a rich vocabulary of profane 

 English. He had an impediment in his speech, which seemed to hold 



