1892] MR. GERALD DUNCOMBE. 179 



Hamstall Rid ware, when he disappeared most unaccount- 

 ably. After that they found in the Brakenhurst, ran out 

 across Hoar Cross and right-handed to Birch Wood, outside 

 of which hounds were stopped. Every one thought this 

 was a good day's sport ; but probably if it had not been 

 sandwiched in between two frosts in a bad season they 

 would not have done so. It set in to freeze again that 

 night, and went on doing so till January 22nd. On that 

 day, though it was hardly fit to hunt and very few people 

 were out, a good fox was found in Egginton Gorse, and 

 hounds ran at a fair hunting pace by Burnaston, Findern, 

 past the lower end of Hell Meadows, to near Stenson 

 Lock, where they killed him in the open after a nice 

 fifty minutes. 



After this there was nothing of much interest till 

 February 2nd, when in the papers the following notice 

 appeared : " Serious accident with tlie Meynell Hounds. 

 While hunting with the Meynell at Blithbury on Tuesday, 

 Mr. Gerald Duncombe met with a serious accident. He 

 was conveyed to Hoar Cross Hall, and attended to. 

 During the same day's hunt Mr. R. Fort also had a spill, 

 and broke his collar-bone. It appears that Mr. Dun- 

 combe's horse bolted, and trying to jump into the 

 shrubberies at Hoar Cross over the iron gate, came down 

 very heavily on his rider. The worst results were at one 

 time feared, but we are informed that Mr. Duncombe is 

 progressing favourably under the care of Mr. Armfield 

 (? Armson), though he cannot be removed from the Hall 

 at present." Though Mr. Duncombe, who was then living 

 at Woodford near Uttoxeter, recovered, he was never able 

 to go hunting again. Dr. Armson, mentioned here, is, like 

 his brother, a capital sportsman. His father, now a very 

 old man, set the bones of all the Leedham family. He 

 and his sons live at Yoxall. 



On February 4th they found a very mangy vixen in 

 Hilton Gorse, ran her to ground, and dug her out. Charles 

 sent her back to the kennels and had her dressed with the 

 usual mange dressing, but she died. 



