BE AV FORT HUNT: PAST AND PRESENT. 43 



Appendix. 



Compiler's Notes. 



My first season with the Duke of Beaufort's Hounds was 

 1866 — 67, when Tom Clark was huntsman, Jack West first whip, 

 and Heber Long second whip. I had two seasons with Tom Clark, 

 and in March, 1868, the Marquis of Worcester, the present Duke of 

 Beaufort, commenced his long career as huntsman. Colonel Peter 

 Miles was Honorary Secretary of the Hunt previous to my taking 

 over the duties in 1888, and he had held the office for many years. 

 In those days, the subscription was £5 to the "' Poultry Fund," and 

 this only from members of the Hunt, i.e., those to whom the Duke 

 of Beaufort had given " the Button," always a purely personal 

 matter, as it is now, between His Grace and the recipient. In 1888 

 a subscription, was started, and increased from time to time until 

 the arrangement now existing came into force. Two seasons ago, 

 i.e., 1911, the system of " capping " was adopted, and Mr. Audley 

 Miller, who was subsequently appointed Secretary upon my retire- 

 ment, undertook to act as collector. The Hunt Committee regretted 

 the necessity of having to " cap," but they came to the conclusion 

 that it was unavoidable. 



In my early days, the country hunted from Badminton included 

 what is now known as the Avon Vale Hunt, which owes its origin to 

 the 8th Duke of Beaufort lending the south-eastern portion of his 

 country to Captain Spicer, who hunted it at his own expense until 

 1895, in which year Colonel G. L. Palmer succeeded Captain Spicer, 

 and hunted the country with his own pack as the Avon Vale. In 

 1899 the Marquis of Worcester, who became sole master in 1894, 

 again took over the whole country, and hunted four days a week 

 himself, and Will Dale (who came into the country in 1896, when 

 for one season Mr. Randolph Wemyss assisted the Marquis as joint 

 master) two days a week. In 1912, the Avon Vale Hunt was again 

 resuscitated, Mr. John Fullerton, late of the York and Ainsty, was 

 appointed Master, hunting the country two days a week with 

 his own hounds. In the previous year George Walters, who came 

 from the Tynedale, was appointed huntsman to the Beaufort Hunt, 

 and the country is now hunted as before, six days a week. 



If I was asked to say off hand what were the two best runs I 

 took part in during the 47 seasons I have hunted with the Duke of 

 Beaufort's Hounds, I sliould say, in my early days the run on the 



