The Rev. John Newton. 69 



and at which he entertained so many congenial spirits who 

 sought his society and were made so welcome at his hospitable 

 board. 



The writer, whom I have previously quoted, next refers to 

 the Rev. John Newton, of Kirby, as being " quite an artist, 

 especially on 'Liberal,'" and his servant also a character. 

 Through the kindness of Mr. T. Kirby, jnr., Miss E. Hunter, 

 of Broughton, and Mrs. Elliott, of Kirby, I am able to give 

 some further particulars regarding this famous sporting cleric, 

 and also a reproduction of a photo of him. He died Nov. 23rd, 

 1880. The Yorkshire Gazette (I fancy the oldest newspaper in 

 the County) referred to him thus, on December 4th, following : 



" On Saturday last were laid to rest, in the lovely churchyard of Kirby- 

 in-Cleveland, by his sorrowing parishioners and friends, the remains of the 

 Rev. John Farmer Newton, for 52 years curate and vicar of the parish. 

 The deceased had attained the patriarchal age of 90, but upright, pure, 

 and charitable to an extent which will probably never be known. He 

 retained to the last the esteem and regard of the people amongst whom he 

 dwelt, and has left an honoured name which will long be remembered with 

 affection in Cleveland. Most hospitable to his friends high and low, he 

 was himself of very frugal habits and a man of great activity and resolution. 

 He only finally ceased taking part in the services of his church some 18 

 months before his death. The late Mr. Newton was a highly successful 

 amateur gardener and was particularly celebrated for his strawberries, 

 of which and of other fruit he was accustomed to give away large quan- 

 tities. Mr. Newton, when in the prime of his life, frequently indulged in 

 his favourite sport of fox-hvmting, and it was generally agreed that he was 

 one of the best men across country that ever rode to hounds. He possessed, 

 in a remarkable degree, all the attributes of a finished horseman, namely, a 

 fine and elegant seat on his horse, good hands and a quick eye, combined 

 with excellent nerve and judgment, so that, no matter how stiff the country 

 or how quick the pace, he was sure to be seen sailing away with the pack 

 apparently quite at his leisure. And at the age of 86, when he gave up 



