1868] HAROLD. 257 



which started from Liverpool, as had been arranged, and 

 was therefore wintered in Lord Derby's park at Knowsley. 

 In the following spring, in the month of March, he was 

 exhibited in London, and took the first prize in his class, 

 whereupon he was purchased by Lord Hindlip, who took 

 him to Worcestershire. Here he stood for two years, and, 

 not being appreciated there, was offered for sale by auction 

 in 1886. Mr. Duncombe, recognizing the sterling merits 

 of the horse, told his commissioner that he might bid up 

 to eight hundred pounds for him, but he got him for 

 three hundred pounds less. A rare bargain he proved, 

 and it must have been flattering to his new owner's 

 judgment to have been able subsequently thrice to refuse 

 a blank cheque for him. He had good reason for knowing 

 that no objection would have been raised if this had been 

 filled up for three thousand pounds. Harold was only 

 beaten once in the show ring after this, and then it took 

 the judges three-quarters of an hour 'to decide between 

 him and Lord Wantage's Prince William. Though the 

 verdict was finally given to the latter, there are numbers of 

 competent critics who stoutly maintain that at the best it 

 was a case of six of one and half a dozen of the other. 

 When it was found necessary to shoot him on account of 

 his suffering so acutely from chronic rheumatism last 

 spring (1901), the authorities wished to secure his skeleton 

 for the British Museum ; but inflammation, caused by 

 rheumatism, had so enlarged his joints, that Mr. Dun- 

 combe did not consider the specimen quite perfect, and 

 thought reflection might be cast on the memory of his old 

 favourite. The latter will live in his descendants as long 

 as shires are shires, and only this year a two-year-old son 

 of Blaze, who is a son of his, won the first jDrize at 

 Islington for Mr. Walwyn of Bearwardcote. 



It is interesting to hear after this that Mr. Duucombe's 

 first start with heavy horses was with a Clydesdale, which 

 he purchased for the use of his tenants. This brought 

 down on him a strong expostulation from the Hon. 

 Edward Coke, the then prime upholder of shires. The 



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