126 ROYAL ROCK BEAGLE HUXT. 



This is very sad, wlien we consider lliat the meet wns fixed for a late 

 liour, and tlie day was one of the shortest in llie season. Practically they 

 liad an hour's lunch and iialf-an-hour's hunting. 'I'hese two sportsmen 

 "take the cake." It is a pity their names are not handed down to posterity, 

 but as the entry is in the handwriting of V. A. King, it is probable that lie 

 was one of them and A. Walford the other. As both were keen beaglers, 

 we may assume that Mr. Jackson was disappointed at such a poor muster of 

 members to attack his bountiful provision, and these two thought it their 

 duty to be a "host in themselves." 



Mr. Siuaw, of Arrow, often entertained the R.R. B. to lunch, and this 

 practice was maintained all through the mastership of ^*. A. King. Many 

 other gentlemen in Wirral vv-ere good friends to tlie Hunt in this respect, and 

 also in finding them hares afterwards: among them may be mentioned Mr. 

 W. Parkinson of Capenhurst, Mr. Barton of Caldy, Mr, S. Ledward of 

 Frankby, Mr. Jackson of Noctorum, Mr. W. Webster of Upton, and Mr. 

 Duncan Graham of Kydiate. 



ist January. 1S52. Thornton Hall. 10 a.m. Friend Stockley all alive this 

 glorious New Year's morning. After about a dozen of us partaking of a glass of 

 wine, we moved off to a choice district between the Suttons, where we soon 

 found our first hare. After a good run of near an hour, changed our hare. By 

 this time considerable reinforcements of members arrived by train, which, 

 added to an immense mob of country people, the field became most unwieldv ; 

 so large that they kicked up a continual succession of hares, which completelv 

 spoiled our sport and made the hounds wild and ungovernable. We knocked off 

 at half-past one and adjourned to Mr. Stockley's, where our good friend had 

 prepared a most sumptuous entertainment, some seventy gentlemen partaking 

 of it, including three of our Beeston friends — Messrs. Bird. Davenport, and 

 Cawley. This was W A. King's last day with the Hunt before his departure for 

 Bombay. Twenty-seven members present and seventeen couple of hounds. 



Knocked off at 1-30 p.m. for lunch. No more hunting that day, nor is 

 there any record of the subsequent proceedings. Mr. Stockley must have 

 invited a great many friends, or else he was invaded by a greater number of 

 casual strangers t'nan members present. 



24th March. 1853. Thurstaston. A large muster, chiefly of strangers. Mr. 

 Macfie having provided a splendid lunch. The hunting only moderate, the eat- 

 ables being the great attraction. The daj- was all that could be desired, and 

 the members and friends enjoyed themselves right heartily. 



