THE MASTERS. 37 



(Ibristopbcu iRaw^on. 



"This was ihc noblest Roiiinn of ihom all. 

 His life w;is sentlc ; and the elements 

 So mix d in him, that N'atnre miglu stand np, 

 And say to all tlie world, ' This was a man !' " 



"yiiitiis Ceesar, act v, scene 5. 



Tliis fine old sportsman ami r.nylisli ger.tleman was cjuite a young man 

 when, in conjunclion with T. Barton, he originated the Royal Rock Beagles. 

 Although not the first Master of the Hounds, he \\as the leading spirit of 

 the club in its earlier years, and was first Chairman of Committee. This 

 post in those days, as has been previously explained, was one of superiority 

 to the Master of the Hounds, and carried the responsibility and leadership 

 in everything, except the management of the hounds in the kennel and in 

 the field. C. Rawson took the chair at all meetings at which he was present, 

 and presided over the annual dinners, &c. C. Rawson was mainly instru- 

 mental in forming the pack, and in obtaining the permission of the landowners 

 and farmers to hunt the country. Many letters which have been preserved 

 show the high opinion in which he was held by the magnates of the county. 



One of the objects C. Rawson had in view when starting the R. R. B., 

 to quote his own words, " was to afford to the young men and clerks of 

 " Liverpool an opportunity of exercising their limbs, in fresh country air, at 

 " a cheap cost. They had no winter games, and I am sure the running with 

 "the beagles did them good, and was very inexpensive to them. By asking 

 " some of the leading merchants to allow them to leave their offices at noon 

 " on Saturdays, I believe I greatly helped in establishing the now universal 

 " Saturday half-holiday." 



C. Rawson was under thirty years of age when he accepted the respon- 

 sible position of Chairman of the Royal Rock Beagle Hunt, and he felt his 

 great responsibility so keenly that he decided to have a Chaplain to the 

 Hunt. He therefore invited the Rev. W. Bannister, Chaplain to the Liver- 

 pool Workhouse, who was fond of sport, to accept that post. In the early 

 days Mr. Bannister often went out with the hounds, and also attended the 

 annual dinners to the farmers, and so good was his influence with the 

 members, that he was able to assure Mr. Rawson " that he never heard 

 " a single word uttered in his presence which he could regret as a clergyman." 

 This influence is still manifest in the R. R. B., for on Mr. Bannister's resig- 

 nation in 1 85 2 it was not found necessary to continue the office, and no 

 successor has been appointed to this day. Bad language is unknown with 

 the R.R. B., except the moderate use of strong words allowed, on occasion, 

 by custom and etiquette to a Master of Hounds. 



