I02 Reminiscences of a 



down in married life ; there I was brought up, and " educa- 

 ted with the keepers " between the age of ten and seventeen 

 years; I mean, of course, the keepers of the Earl of Yar- 

 borough, grandfather of the present Earl. The then Earl 

 was in rather feeble health, and spent very little time at 

 Brocklesby. I used to go to school in the summer, and 

 hunted and shot in the winter, running after the hounds on 

 foot, and caring nothing if I finished twelve or fourteen 

 miles from home. When eighteen years of age, I went to 

 service as under-groom with Mr. Pygott at East Holton, on 

 the marsh land, and was with him just one year. Mr. 

 Pygott was the owner of an old and well-known steeplechaser 

 called " Bridegroom," a horse which came into his possession 

 just before I left his service. My next situation was with 

 Mr. George Walker of Bigby Hall, about four miles from 

 Brigg, where formerly lived the Barnards, who were great 

 hunting people. Mr. George Walker was a gentleman 

 farmer, and trained steeplechase horses. I lived in the house, 

 and acted as groom and rough rider, a business for which 

 in those days I was well adapted, as I did not set much 

 value either on my neck or my horse. I rode the horses 

 over fences in their work, and in trials, and was very 

 fortunate in not getting any bad falls, but there was a 

 very good stable full of horses, such as " Pigeon " and 

 " Pensioner," and " Patience," and •' Brother to Patience." 

 " Pigeon " won nearly all the handicap steeplechases that he 

 was asked to, at Lincoln, York, Doncaster, Croydon, etc. 

 Mr. George Walker and his brother, Robert, generally rode 

 the horses themselves, and both were clinking good horse- 

 men. Mr. Robert* trained at Somerby about a mile off. 



• A good story is still told of Mr. Robert riding in a race during a high wind, when the 

 words " Pull, Bob, pull, for God's sake pull," were wafted from the distance post to 

 the Stand, but it proved to be the voice of a disappointed backer of another horse. 



