52 COLONEL BAILLIE. 



a more distinguished appearance or rode better cattle than 

 the late Col. (then Capt.) Baillie ; in fact to him and his 

 neighbour, Mr. Arkwright (they erected listen Grange and 

 The Ashlands respectively and at about the same time), 

 may be attributed in great measure the social- popularity 

 as a hunting centre which, after their advent, this part of 

 the country speedily attained. Glen Hall was at this 

 period, or soon thereafter, occupied as a hunting-box by 

 that all-round sportsman, Sir Charles Nugent, but although 

 he hunted from the Hall for a few seasons the writer's 

 recollections relate only to the impression created upon 

 him by hearing the Baronet, on the approach of the 

 shooting season, give old Lofley, the gunsmith, of 

 Leicester, an order for " three quarters of a ton of powder" ! 

 and the expression of his partiality for costly cigars ! 



One of the oldest members of the Hunt, and most 

 regular attendant at the covert side, was the late George 

 Vere Lucas-Braithwaite, who used to hunt from Stackley 

 House, with Mr. Tailby and Sir Bache, and frequently with 

 the Quorn on a Friday ; but after succeeding to the family 

 estates in the counties of Rutland, Lincoln and York in 

 1888, he hunted from Edith Weston Hall with the Cottes- 

 more and Fitzwilliam. Mrs. Braithwaite, their son Capt. 

 (now Major) Braithwaite, and youngest daughter, who be- 

 came the wife of her cousin, Col. Henry Holmes Costobadie, 

 R.H.A., the present owner of Stackley, were also well known 

 with the Billesdon Hunt. Mr. Braithwaite or "The 

 Champion " as he was familiarly termed, possessed a 

 wonderful eye for a line across country, and being intimately 

 conversant with every part of the shires, was a good mentor 

 for anyone, provided he could ride, to follow. He was one 

 of the committee appointed to decide the fate of the 

 Billesdon country after the resignation of Mr. Tailby, and 

 as he was in other respects rather a remarkable man, 

 perhaps his connection with the Hunt deserves more than a 

 passing reference. 



At an early age, whilst in the act of getting over a stile 



