68 The Bedale Hounds, 1832-1908 



couples, for £430." His co-guarantors were 

 Mr. Clare Vyner, Mr. J. Hutton, Colonel 

 Straubenzee, and Mr. Bruere. A circular 

 letter was at once sent to those who had 

 been in the habit of hunting, asking for sup- 

 port to carry on the Hunt. £510 was very 

 soon raised, and the balance was spent in 

 purchasing some draft hounds, and im- 

 proving existing fox-coverts. In this manner 

 was laid the foundation of the present Bedale 

 Hounds, which from this date became the 

 property of the country. The first entry 

 of any Bedale hounds in the Foxhound 

 Kennel Stud Book is for the year 1862, a nine 

 season dog, probably one of those bought at 

 Lord Feversham's sale. 



For many years the Bedale seem to have 

 depended on draft hounds, few being home 

 bred, and hardly any home stallion hounds 

 used. In Appendix B will be found an 

 account of the various Kennels from which 

 hounds have come, and stalHon hounds have 

 been used. 



On the 9th October, a general meeting 

 of all interested in hunting was held, and it 

 was arranged that Mr. Booth should hunt 

 the country five days a fortnight, with a 

 guaranteed subscription of £1000 a year. 

 Having regard to the last paragraph of the 

 previous chapter, Mr. Booth remarks ' ' It 

 was an uphill game at first, but all came 

 right in the end." 



Mr. Booth was an excellent judge of a 

 horse, and won many Hunter prizes with 



