SElCIino IRIXC p. 1 CKS. 



207 



Mr. T. H. Jackson succeeded Mr. Nicholson, but he only carried ihe 

 horn for one season. 



Mr. J. Jt)hnson Hougliton, of W'e.stwood, was elected Master in 1878, 

 and carried on the Hunt for fourteen years. Up to this period the hounds 

 had been real harriers, ke|)t ui) by purchase of drafts from other harrier [vacks, 

 but Mr. Houghton gradually introduced foxhound drafts, thereby increasing 

 the size and si^eed of his pack. He also removed the hounds from Hooton 

 to Leighton, in order to have them nearer his own residence 



About iSSSthe Flintshire Harriers hunted part of ^\' irral, from Shotwick 

 along the low-lying meadows to Blacon Point, near Chester. 'I'he Master 

 was Mr. Tom Eyton, and the Secretary and Manager was Lieut. -Colonel 

 Rigby, of Gresford, now of Bromborough Hall. 



This pack of harriers kept on good terms with the AVirral Harriers, 

 though hunting on the part of their country reclaimed from the Hee, and 

 which is understood to form pait of the county of Flint. The Wirral 

 Harriers were frequently invited to meet at Queen's Ferry and Haw^arden on 

 the other side of the Dee, and tiien and since have liad several good runs 

 there. 



On the resignation of Mr. Hougliton in 1S92, tlie Wirral Harriers were 

 managed by a committee of three for the next iwo seasons. This triumvirate 

 consisted of Messrs. Macgregor Laird, Charles Ashton, and Robert Green - 

 shields. The season 1894/95 was carried on under the joint mastership of 

 Messrs. Alfred Hassall and C. E. Byrne. For the coming season, 1895-96, 

 Captain Ker has undertaken the mastership of the \Virral Harriers. He was 

 for five years INLaster of the County Down Stag-hounds, and at the same time 

 hunted his own pack of harriers. Captain Ker has taken up his residence at 

 Eastham, and brings with him a pack of genuine harriers from the county of 

 Durham, liaving disposed of the old pack. It is hoped that he will decide 

 to have his hounds in the old kennels at Hooton, and carry on the Hunt 

 with greater eclat than ever. 



XlauGoUen UMiricvi?. 



" Never so weary, never so in woe, 



l>edabl)led with dew, and torn with briers : 

 I can no farther crawl, no farther go ; 



My legs can keep no pace with my desires." 



Midsummer Night's Dream, act Hi, scene 2, 



This pack is better known to the members of the R.R.B. as the Llan- 

 gollen Beagles, as it was inaugurated by the purchase of a pack of Irish 

 beagles from Mr. Charley. In iS88 Captain T. R. J. Hughes- Parry and 

 Mr. S. C. Thornton Jagger set about forming a club to hunt the country in 

 the Vale of Llangollen and surrounding districts, after securing permission 

 from the local gentry, including Sir 'W. W. ^^'ynn, Colonel Barnes, R. M. 



