xiv Mr. C. W. WicJcstecL 



cups — hunted these hounds for a long period, showing 

 capital sport. Orlando Stubbs afterwards took the 

 the Albrighton country, and died there. He was a 

 dashing huntsman in his best day, something of the 

 style of Jem Hills, and never dwelt over bad scenting 

 ploughs. Lord Giffard came here for a season or two 

 from Herefordshire, and then Mr. W. H. Sitw^ell, of 

 Eerney Hall took them, and to him the country owes a 

 great deal. The hounds were judiciously drafted and 

 improved, and although in Nichol he had hardly a 

 heaven born huntsman, he showed what a thoroughly 

 disinterested and hearty country gentleman can do, tO' 

 keep a hunt together for the enjoyment of all. His reign 

 lasted ten seasons, when, in 1863, he was succeeded by 

 Major Murray, a local man, a good horseman, fond of 

 a gallop between the flags, and riding nice horses ; but 

 the cares of oftice soon began to sit heavily upon him, 

 and he made way for Mr. C. W. Wicksted in 1866, 

 whose father had left Cheshire and North Staffordshire 

 for the rougher locality of Shakenhurst in Worcester- 

 shire, where he amused himself with about the most 

 perfect little pack of harriers in Europe. Charles junior 

 had inherited the same fondness for hounds as his 

 father, and what was more to the purpose, was an 

 equally fine judge of their best points. He had, when 

 he became Master of the Ludlow^ very good ground to 

 work upon, as Mr. Sitwell had spared no expense in 

 getting drafts from Belvoir, Sir Watkin's, and the 

 Berkeley — and with George Hills as huntsman, he soon 

 made the sport a speciality. In 1869, George Hills 

 went to the Herefordshire, and Mr. Wicksted took the 

 horn with William Lackey, promoted from whip to 



