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HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ROCK 

 BEAGLE HUNT. 



CHAPTER I. 



IXAUta'RATION OF THE ROYAL ROCK BEAGLES. 



" I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, 

 Straining upon the start. The game's afoot ; 

 Follow your spirit. ' 



Kiii^ Hoiry /', act Hi, scene 2. 



ALF-A-CENTURY ago, on the 28th March, 1S45, a few 

 gentlemen interested in sport met in Rock Ferry, at the 

 house of Mr. Christopher Rawson, Junior, to inaugurate 

 tiie now well-known pack of hounds — The Royal Rock 

 Beagles. 



A montii or two earlier, I\Ir. Tinley Barton had received as a present 

 from Mr. George Atherton, of New Brighton, three couple of small hounds. 

 Tiicse were probably rabbit beagles, as C. Rawson says they were only 

 thirteen-inch hounds ; and with these, Mr. Barton, accompanied by Mr. 

 John Okell, both on horseback, hunted hares over a few Wirral farms. 

 I'hey had taken no steps to secure a country, but merely asked permission 

 from sucli of the farmers as they knew to allow them to hunt on their land. 



At this time the only organized pack of hounds in Wirral was Sir 

 \\'i;;iani Massey Stanley's foxhounds, kept at Hooton Hall. The country 

 was then so well wooded and strictly preserved, as to boast of a sufficient 

 number of foxccvers to provide sport for this pack two days per week 

 during the season. 



Messrs. Barton and Okell experiencing great enjoyment from their 

 sport, occasionally invited one or two friends to join them ; and, talking 

 matters over with one another, they came to the conclusion that it would 

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