CHAPTER VI. 



MR. T. WILKINSON'S 

 AND MR. THOMAS PARRINGTON'S ERA. 



i860— 1861. 



ARRINGTON is a name written large in the 

 early history of the Hurworth — albeit of sport 

 and agriculture generally. A writer in Baily 

 for 1872 thus referred to his succeeding Will 



f"^J Jl^/p Danby as huntsman to the Hurworth : 

 I ' " He [Will Danby] was succeeded in i860 by Mr. 



Thomas Parrington, whose father originally farmed the 

 whole of the Middlesbrough Estate. He was well known as a very keen 

 sportsman,* who thoroughly knew all about hunting and also a good rider 

 with all the neighbouring packs, and as an amateur whip to the Cleve- 

 land as well as the originator of the Cleveland Hound Show, of which 

 he managed till 1861, and he himself bred some very good horses. On 

 becoming huntsman to the Hurworth he mounted himself and had a stake 

 in the concern. He was at first assisted in the field and kennel by George 

 Dodds only, then for the last season also by George Robinson, a fine lad, 

 who came from Sir Charles Slingsby, and who went to the Lanark and 

 Renfrew and died there in 1866. Under Mr. Parrington's regime fresh 

 kennels were built and some capital stables, which, without being showy, 

 are as good as I have ever seen, but he understands all this thoroughly, as 

 he is a capital manager in all that appertains to horses and hounds. In 

 the field few men are keener or know how and when to gallop better." 



Mr. Parrington's first season as huntsman to the Hurworth 

 (i860) was a disastrous year for farmers, worse even than the 

 memorable summer (courtesy title !) 191 2. Cub hunting could 



*For full biography of Mr. Parrington see England's Oldest Hunt, by the present writer. 



