2o6 Reminiscences of a 



ladies ; on foot you would always see Mr. Leonard Parring- 

 ton, brother, 1 think, of Mr. Tom Parrington, the well-known 

 judge of horses, hounds and everything connected with the 

 sport of foxhunting. Everyone has his favourite covert. 



At Camp whin you would always find an old standard from 

 Coxhoe, whose name I cannot recall, but he had a red face, 

 wore a brown suit, and always had spats on. Then there 

 was old Mr. Menzies of Quarrington Hill, whom you would 

 always see up there, a good old fox preserver, delighted to 

 see the hounds, and always ready with a bit of chaff if they 

 didn't have a kill; he was the father of Mr. James, who 

 farmed at Sands farm for several years, and is now clerk of 

 the course at Shincliffe ; and of Mr. George Menzies, the 

 well-known rider and trainer of racehorses at Cassop. 

 Speaking of trainers reminds me of John Coates of Sedge- 

 Held, for many years trainer to the late Marquis Talon, and for- 

 merly to the late Earl of Zetland, in the days when he had a 

 lot of good horses. John was not particularly fortunate with 

 the Marquis Talon's horses, but beyond "Triumvir" and " Knight 

 of Ruby" that I can remember I don't think that he had 

 much to work upon, and without the raw material you can- 

 not do much good. The Marquis Talon used to come to the 

 meet sometimes, more I think with a view of getting a 

 certificate for a young hunter than to take part in the sport, 

 as after letting fly at one or two hounds the blood ones 

 were carefully packed off home, and I always was pleased 

 to see the last of them ; but I do not wish to say that the 

 Marquis was not a good sportsman, as I have always heard 

 that he was a regular John Bull at racing, and most 

 popular amongst all classes on a racecourse. 



Having mentioned William Armstrong I should say that 

 he was educated at a good old school, having been with the 



