A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



patronage of Mr. A. Heywood of Sudbourne 

 Hall, who for some years added a cup to the Sud- 

 bourne Hall Stakes. The meeting extended to 

 two days and was well patronized. Orford is 

 somewhat out of the way, but no better coursing 

 is to be had than over the level marshes near the 

 town. It should be said that meetings had been 

 held at Orford for many years previous to 1890, 

 but not under National Coursing Club rules ; so 

 that no record of them exists. In the following 

 year (1891) another successful meeting was 

 brought off, Mr. G. M. Williams from Amesbury 

 winning the Town Cup with his smart bitch Pat- 

 tern, the Sudbourne Hall Cup being won by Mr. M. 

 G. Hale's Happy Embrace. In 1895 Mr. Pye's 

 Jessie Corner and Mr. Thurston's Royal Union 

 divided the Orford Stakes, whilst Mr. T. P. 

 Hale's Hair Restorer won the Sudbourne Hall 

 Cup. There was not another meeting until 1 899, 

 and then frost marred the sport. Mr. Giles's 

 Ghost of a Belle and the useful Anstrude, belong- 

 ing to Mr. H. T. Michels, divided the Orford 

 Stakes. Mr. C. Brocklebank, a son of the late 

 Sir Thomas Brocklebank, ran some greyhounds 

 but without success. The meeting in 1901 was 

 chiefly noticeable for the success of Messrs. Mayall 

 and Sikes, who scored their first win by the aid of 

 Such a Miser. Mr. Hyem's Hill Ranger, a dog 

 who won several stakes over this country, was also 

 successful. This was the first meeting held 

 under the secretaryship of Mr. George Hunt, who 

 still holds sway. Two years later Messrs. Mayall 

 and Sikes repeated their success by winning both 

 open stakes, and the same year the South Essex 

 Coursing Club was invited to hold a meeting 

 over the Orford marshes. Unfortunately heavy 

 rains had rendered the land exceedingly wet, and 

 the coursing by no means came up to the standard 

 of previous meetings. Small gatherings at Orford 

 are still supported by the tenants of the marshes. 



In 1894 a meeting was held at Mildenhall. 

 The Club Stakes were won by Little Fan, the 

 runner-up being Mr. Bouttell's Bogie, a name 

 thereafter associated with the owner. Mr. T. P. 

 Hale shared in theTuddenham Club Stakes with 

 Hightown, out of his old favourite Hemstitch, 

 and his more than useful dog Handkerchief also 

 divided the Cavenham Stakes. Another small 

 meeting was held at Mildenhall in 1899 and 

 again in 1901, in either case being supported by 

 local greyhound owners. About 1896 a few 

 small meetings were held at Trimley on Captain 

 Pretyman's estate, organized by Mr. Spencer 

 Dawson and the farmers in the neighbourhood. 

 They were chiefly noticeable for the extraordinary 

 swiftness of the hares, which perhaps was brought 

 into greater prominence by want of speed on the 

 part of the greyhounds. 



The Eye Club was established and held its 

 first meeting in 1901, and in the following 

 February a two-day gathering was arranged. 

 Mr. P. D. Chapman's Celia won the Avenue 

 Stakes, the Longton Green Stakes being divided be- 



tween Mr. Barway's Bugler Dunn and Mr. Pitt's 

 Walton Benedict. In 1903 this club assumed 

 the name of the Oakley, Brome and Eye Club, 

 and held a more important fixture. The piece 

 of plate added to the Brome Hall Stakes by Mr. S. 

 Hill Wood was won by Mr. Wilson's Hygeia, 

 who ran really well, but unfortunately broke her 

 leg when killing her hare in the final. The 

 cup added by Lady Bateman to the Oakley Park 

 Stakes was won by Mr. Harris's Straightaway II. 

 In January 1904 another excellent meeting was 

 held. The cup given by Mr. Hill Wood this 

 time went to Ireland, Mr. Beyer's Casque D'or 

 beating Messrs. Mayall and Sikes's Such a Mad- 

 man in the final. The latter owners, however, 

 won the Brome Hall Stakes and the cup added 

 by the Hon. C. B. Hanbury with Such a 

 Moucher. It must be added that in the final 

 course Such a Moucher beat Mr. E. Herbert's 

 Homfray, winner of the Waterloo Cup two 

 months later. This was the first meeting held 

 entirely under National Coursing Club rules and 

 was a distinct improvement on previous efforts, 

 excellent coursing being witnessed. A smart 

 meeting was held in the following February, 

 locally owned greyhounds being principally 

 engaged. In February 1905 the meeting showed 

 still further improvement and received a still 

 wider range of patronage. The cup added by 

 Mr. S. Hill Wood to the Oakley Park Stakes was 

 kept in the county, Mr. M. G. Hale's Happy 

 P'ortune beating Mr. Death's Aviary in the final. 

 Mr. Death, however, had his turn, Day of Days 

 winning the Brome Hall Stakes and the Hon. C. B. 

 Hanbury 's Cup. Mr. Wellingham's Wild Wil- 

 liam won the Avenue Stakes and Messrs. Mayall 

 and Sikes the Langton Grove Stakes with Such a 

 Mover. In 1905 the club brought off a really 

 excellent meeting with a full card of four i6-dog 

 stakes. Mr. Hill Wood with Wagga Wagga 

 and Windrush supplied both the winner and 

 runner-up for the Oakley Park Stakes, and his 

 Hot Whiskey was only beaten in the final for 

 the Brome Hall Stakes by that useful puppy, 

 Top Hole, the property of Mr. Fred Tighe. 

 Ruby Robe and Desperate Defence divided the 

 Avenue Stakes, and Black Earl shared the 

 Langton Grove Stakes with Mr. Hill Wood's 

 Wendouree. 



In 1904 a club was formed at Benacre, and in 

 December of that year a meeting was held over 

 the estate of Sir T. V. S. Gooch, bart., the presi- 

 dent. The Benacre Hall Stakes was won by 

 Messrs. Mayall and Sikes's Such a Mover, who 

 had to go twice to slips in the final with Mr. T. 

 Cook's (the hon. secretary) Certainty. The Hall 

 Farm Stakes and the cup added were won by the 

 president's Girton Girl, Mr. Hill Wood's Warra- 

 minta being the runner-up. Mr. Cook's Cheer- 

 ful and Mr. Greig's Gay Gordon divided the 

 Covehithe Stakes, the latter taking the cup given 

 by Sir Thomas Gooch, whilst Mr. Thacker's 

 Throwaway II, beating Mr. Hyde Clarke's Hard 



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