THE GOLDEN AGE, 1899— 19H, 67 



Grenfell's other two whips were E. B. Denison and H. K. 

 Longman, son of the Master of the E.C.H. in 1870 and 1871. 

 To him belongs the distinction of being the only Master of the 

 E.C.H. who has been the son of a former Master, with the 

 exception of S. A. Parker, Master in 1917, son of A. E. Parker, 

 Master in 1882 and 1883. Grenfell's actual season calls for no 

 particular comment. No more does that of H. K. Longman, who 

 succeeded him in office. In fact this season was the worst so far 

 as regards kills since the new pack was obtained, with the 

 exception of the 1920 season when the kennels contained only 

 six couples of old hounds. However, at the end of the Easter 

 Half, 1900, there was a balance of about £300. 



It was extremely fortunate that Longman should have been 

 succeeded by R. G. Howard-Vyse (now Col.), the son of the 

 Master and owner of the Stoke Place Beagles. Mr. Howard- 

 Vyse (the father) took the champion cup at Peterborough many 

 times with his beagles, and before Christmas had the right of 

 hunting over the same country as the E.C.H. His son hunted 

 the E.C.H. for two seasons and did much to improve the pack. 

 During his Mastership he obtained leave from the Head Master 

 to hunt first from St. Andrew's Day (Nov. 30th) and then from 

 Nov. 15th.* He also made arrangements with his father, who 

 was always exceedingly kind to the E.C.H. and never made any 

 objections to their hunting previous to Christmas, arranging his 

 meets so as to avoid clashing with them. 



Howard-Vyse used all the balance left over from the expenses 

 of the two previous years in building a cottage for Champion 

 and in raising oak palings round the kennel paddock. Both of 

 these innovations were necessary ; it was a good thing that he 

 decided to build a cottage, as Champion would not otherwise 

 have remained with the E.C.H. 



These are Howard-Vyse 's personal recollections : 

 '* It has been great fun to read my accounts over again, but 

 I fear I have little or nothing to add to them. In fact I can 

 think of two comments only : 



(a) I fancy I was the first Master to get permission for 

 the field to come out beagling during the Winter Half; 

 in the year after me it was dropped, because the Master was 

 also first keeper of the Field; but it was continued after- 

 wards, I see, though I don't know whether it still goes on. 

 It seems rather ridiculous to keep a pack of hounds all the 

 year round for nine weeks' hunting. 



* To-day the season begins, subject to the Head Master's permission, 

 on Oct. 15th. 



f2 



