140 TESTIMONIAL TO MR. TAILBY. 



in the hunting-field. It happened about eighteen years ago, 

 when riding a four year old, on his way to look over his 

 land at Welham. In trying to open a gate, his horse 

 reared right over and fell upon him, breaking the bone of 

 his left thigh. Unfortunately, the old Squire had no 

 servant in attendance, and at the age of 70 lay where he 

 fell, for three hours, before being discovered. This accident 

 placed Mr. Tailby hors de combat for three months, when he 

 recovered from his injury, fortunately, with no worse legacy 

 than slight lameness. In the spring of 1872, members of 

 the Hunt and others decided to mark their appreciation of, 

 and gratitude to, Mr. Tailby, by presenting him with a 

 testimonial, which took the form of a very handsome service 

 of Gold Plate, beautifully embossed, bearing the following 

 inscription : — 



SERVICE OF GOLD PLATE. 



This Goblet ivith other pieces of Plate 



Presented to William Ward Tailby, Esquire, 



by his supporters in remembrance of the 



excellent sport shown by him during 



sixteen consecutive seasons as 



Master of the Billesdon Hunt. 



April III. MDCCCLXXII. 



The testimonial was accompanied by an album bound 

 in Morocco, containing the names of the subscribers, 

 elegantly engrossed upon vellum, which as it includes the 

 names of most of the original members of the Hunt, is here 

 appended : — 



