in the Seventies and Eighties. 19 



of the hounds in May, 1838, a position which he held for 

 three years, when the state of his finances (he being about 

 to take unto himself a wife) unfortunately prevented him 

 from continuing to hold the reins of office. John Glover 

 was huntsman to Mr. Williamson. In 1842-3, the Marquis 

 of Londonderry was Master, keeping the hounds at Wyn- 

 yard, with the title of the Wynyard and South Durham 

 Foxhounds, with Arrowsmith as huntsman and showing capital 

 sport, which would doubtless have continued but for a serious 

 accident* which necessitated his retiring in favour of Mr. 

 William Russell, who, with J. Swinburne as huntsman, had 

 been hunting the country of which Brancepeth was more or 

 less the centre, extending as it did from Lanchester and 

 Plawsworth, on the north-west and north-east, to Witton 

 Castle (or further west) on the south-west, and to Sunderland 

 Bridge and Spennymoor on the south-east. This wild country, 

 which comprises all the best part of the present North Durham 

 country to the west of Durham City, had been hunted by him 

 at any rate since 1839 (probably since the enforced retire- 

 ment of Mr. R. Lambton in 1838), and to judge from Swin- 

 burne's diary, kindly lent me by the Hon. G. Hamilton-Russell, 

 M.F.H. (grand-nephew of Mr. William Russell), the sport 

 must have been wonderfully good. 



In 1844, Mr. Russell was anxious to abandon the cares of 

 mastership, and Mr. John Henderson, of Durham, conceived 

 the happy idea of purchasing the hounds for £300 and forming 



* His Lordship, who was the third Marquis of Londonderry and companion in arms of Welling- 

 ton, unfortunately broke his arm in 1843, over a blind fence at Oxeye, on the north side of 

 the road. This was witnessed by Mr. Marshall Fowler, who was mounted on his little 

 chestnut mare, "Fanny." Squire Sutton, late of Elton, was also out "as a kid on a 

 pony " that day. Fortunately, just as the accident occurred, old Dr. Alcock (predecessor 

 of the late Dr. Charles Trotter) drove up in his gig and administered aid. The Marquis 

 of Londonderry bore all the expenses of the Hunt, and from the days of Mr. Ralph 

 Lambton, says Mr. Harvey in frequent letters, " All the family, be it remembered, were 

 the most liberal supporters we 've had by far." He died March 6th, 1854. 



