16 The Bedale Hounds, 1832-1908 



a typical Yorkshireman — and a rare hunts- 

 man. 



He was the son of a tenant farmer, on the 

 Hornby Castle estate, and was being brought 

 up to the pursuit of agriculture. When four- 

 teen years of age (1809), some buildings on 

 his father's farm were taken and converted 

 into kennels for the Duke's hounds. From 

 that moment his heart went out to hounds 

 and remained there till his death. 



He was deputed to take — by road — the 

 eighteen couples of hounds mentioned, to 

 the York and Ainsty Kennel at Knavesmire, 

 and remain there as a whipper-in. 



The kennel buildings had only just been 

 completed, and the benches were of such a 

 flimsy nature, that as soon as the eighteen 

 couples rushed on to them, they collapsed. 

 Mr. Clough, who was the working member of 

 the York and Ainsty Committee, and who 

 was present to see the draft come in, used such 

 violent language, when the above catastrophe 

 took place, that Will decided it was no place 

 for him, and he went off ; taking service with 

 Mr. Tom Hodgson, who was then Master of 

 the Badsworth. From here he was for a 

 short time with the 6th Lord Scarborough, 

 when he had the Grove, and then went to a 

 pack of harriers near Halifax. 



When Mr. Tom Hodgson took the Hol- 

 derness in 1824, Will decided to try and get 

 back to his old Master, who was then Hving 

 at Snydale, near Normanton ; to which 

 place Will walked from Halifax in his top- 



