9° The Sedgefield Country 



red in the hunting diary. On the latter day, November 

 25th, a Bog Hall fox stood up for an hour and twenty-five 

 minutes before the hounds, darkness saving his life close to 

 Sedgefield village. A month later this same fox was found 

 at Bog Hall again, and after running almost the identical 

 line as in November for an hour was curiously enough 

 killed in Sedgefield village, no one being within hail of the 

 pack at the finish. Although the rest of the season was of 

 a pretty open character sport was extremely disappointing, 

 and a third consecutive moderate season has to be recorded. 

 At the end of the season Gillson,* who was a very fine 

 horseman, left to carry the horn for Mr. W. Baird in the 

 Cottesmore Country, and was succeeded by William 

 Sheppard, who came with good credentials from the Oakley, 

 where he had officiated as first whipper-in for four seasons, 

 having previously been with the South Oxfordshire. 

 Sheppard was fortunate in falling in with better weather 

 and scents than had prevailed for some three seasons, and 

 there was a succession of good things for supporters of the 

 South Durham during November and December, 1888. 

 Although records of runs are for the most part interesting 

 only to those who participated in them, still as many, 

 possibly, into whose hands these pages may fall, may know 

 the country well, and be able to follow the line of route 

 pursued — an impartial account which appeared in the Field 

 newspaper at the time, is here inserted, and it is again 

 curious to note that three of the best days' sport in the 

 season 1888-9, resulted after meeting under the blue clock at 

 the far-famed Bishopton village.! 



• George Gillson died in the spring of 1903 after hunting the Cottesmore Hounds thirteen 



years. 



t Mr. Ord was so fond oi meeting there that he once advertised a meet £or Good Friday ; a 



