126 



THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



LordWilloughby 

 de Broke and 

 theHon.W. H. 

 J. North. 



Lord Willoughby de Broke and the Hon. W. H. J. 

 North— Tom Matthews— the pack— their first 

 season's work — death of Lord Willoughby de 

 Broke— some pickings from the sport of Mr. 

 North's seasons. 



Mr. Greaves having taken the mastership of the Vale 

 of the White Horse Hounds, the Warwickshire country 

 became vacant on the 1st of April, 1861. At a meeting 

 held at Wellesbourne towards the end of February, the 

 matter of his successor was discussed and the 

 names of Lord Willoughby de Broke, Colonel J. S. 

 North, and Capt. H. K. I. Peach were mentioned as 

 likely men. Captain Peach lived at Idlicote House, 

 which had been the scene of the steeplechases on the 

 30th of the preceding month, on which day he had 

 liberally thrown his house open. Messrs. Spencer 

 Lucy, T. Wright, and Captain Peach were the stewards 

 of the event. He was a prominent follower of the 

 hounds at this period. He was not, however, to be- 

 come their master, and the rumour which emanated 

 from the meeting was only partially correct. A pre- 

 vious rumour which had gone abroad to the effect that 

 Lord Willoughby de Broke and the Hon. Mr. North 

 were going to act as joint masters proved to be correct, 

 and on the first day of April they took over the affairs 

 of the pack from Mr. Henley Greaves. Their accession 

 to the place of command was altogether a most aus- 

 picious one. Lord Willoughby de Broke had already 



