First Whipper-in. 105 



the lot, which is saying a good deal. The Earl of Yar- 

 borough died in 1875, at the early age of forty-one. From 

 Brocklesby I went to the Vale of White Horse as second 

 whipper-in for one season, after which I became first whipper- 

 in for two seasons. I remember that the year I went to 

 the Vale of White Horse was 1870, because we were out 

 at exercise with hounds, and went to see an old woodman 

 who lived in Ayley wood, adjoining Cirencester big wood, 

 about some cubs. The old man was reading the newspaper 

 when we arrived, and told us that war had been declared 

 between France and Prussia. I might here mention that 

 William Claxon, afterwards for so many seasons huntsman 

 of the South Durham, was second horseman to Nimrod 

 Long before I was ; then he was put on as second whipper- 

 in at Brocklesby for a couple of seasons ; then he went to 

 the Bicester for some six seasons; and, finally, we met 

 again as huntsman and first whipper-in of the South 

 Durham in 1874. 



Sir William Throckmorton was master of the Vale of 

 White Horse whilst I was there. Bob Worrall* was hunts- 



• Robert Worrall was born at Kineton, June 10th, 1835, and is still hearty and in comfortable 

 circumstances. At the age of ten he went as kennel boy to the Warwickshire, under 

 Ned Stevens, the huntsman. Stevens placed great confidence in him, and when he 

 was but thirteen years old sent him with two couples of bitches to Mr. Drake's kennels 

 at Bucknall, a distance of twenty-five miles, which he walked in one day, returning safely 

 the next (a wild November day), though he arrived in the darkness, and "very beat." 

 In 1853 he became second horseman at Kineton to Jack Jones, and after three years' 

 service went to the North Staffordshire as second whip under Joe Maiden, but left 

 at the end of a splendid season's sport because Joe Maiden " could not sleep himself, and 

 took good care that no one else did near him! " Maiden would have hounds out at 

 exercise at 4 a.m. in the summer! In 1858 Worrall went as first whipper-in to the 

 Bicester under Ben Goddard. Mr. T. T. Drake was now in his second mastership, and 

 of him Worrall writes "There never were three men that beat him and his brothers, 

 Mr. Edward and Mr. George." In 1862 Worrall was first whipper-in to the Warwick- 

 shire; in 1863 first whipper-in to the Bicester (in Mr. Drake's third mastership), 

 remaining there until Mr. Drake gave up in 1866. In the following year Worrall became 

 huntsman to the Warwickshire under Mr. Spencer Lucy, retiring in 1869, because Mr. 

 Lucy wished to hunt hounds two days a week himself. The same year saw him hunts- 



