62 SPORTING PARSONS OF THE OLD SCHOOL '. 



up to Holt — here there was a little delay — hit him off again, 

 ran through Holt Wood, through the Firs over by Easton Park 

 almost to Merrivale Hall, bore to the right and ran into him in 

 Blaston Pasture after as fine a hunting run of 2 hours and 

 50 minutes as I ever saw. 



The Rev. P^rederick Thorp, the excellent and much 

 respected Rector of Burton Overy, Leicestershire, is, 

 without question, the oldest hunting parson in the county, 

 if not in England. Born in the year 1827, he, in July 1852, 

 became Rector of the parish, and has thus held the living 

 for 61 years. The Rev. Thomas Thorp, father of the 

 present Rector, held the living from 181 1 to 1851, and thus 

 father and son have been Incumbents for more than 100 

 years. 



Short in stature, but with plenty of strength to see out 

 the longest day, of a cheery disposition, he always received 

 a hearty welcome and friendly greeting at the " Meet." 

 Strangers might at first fancy the reverend gentleman's 

 manner, and the rapid jerky way in which he would cross- 

 examine all and sundry, as being somewhat inquisitive, 

 or even dictatorial ; but upon further acquaintance this 

 idiosyncrasy would be found to conceal a very kindly 

 disposition and sincere regard for the happiness and welfare 

 of all with whom he came in contact. 



Mr. Thorp shared in most of the sport provided suc- 

 cessively by the three Masters of the Billesdon Hunt. 

 Someone once told him he'd break his neck one day unless 

 he minded, and his retort was to this effect : — My brother 

 broke his in the hunting field, and its not likely two in the 

 same family would meet a similar fate — that's why he 

 shoved along. Once, however, he had the misfortune for 

 his horse to fall dead under him. In cases of this kind 

 death is not always attributable to over-exertion, as a post- 

 mortem usually reveals the existence of disease or of fatty 

 degeneration of the heart, from which death might result 



