214 THE BROCKLESBY HOUNDS. 



farm Ijuildinsfs, desio-nino: a cotta2:e, orivinoj evidence on 

 cattle transit before the Privy Council, making an after- 

 dinner speech, or discussing finance or the prize sheet at 

 the Smithfield Club or Hanover Square ; one never found 

 William Torr idle. His day at home began by the giving 

 of orders from his bedroom window at 5 a.m. Everything 

 at Aylesby had to be pure bred — the shorthorns, the 

 Leicesters, the cats, which were all black, and the game- 

 fowls, which were black-breasted reds. 



At Riby he kept Captain Barclay's breed of Dorkings, 

 and also at the Dales Farm ; at Roth well and Riljy were 

 Rouen ducks ; while at Irby Dales black Buenos Ayres 

 ducks, with their burnished green heads, could be seen 

 disporting among the water-hens. Mr. Torr began hiring 

 bulls from Killerby and Warlaby in 1844, and his famous 

 herd was descended from the Bracelets of Killerby, the 

 Ribys and Brights, the Barmpton herd, the Sylphs, the 

 Fawsley, through the Garland tribe, the AViseton, the Hart- 

 forth of the famous Cherry line, the Kirklivington, and 

 the Cadeby — nine families. 



Mr. Torr succeeded Mr. Philip Skipworth at Aylesby 

 in 1848, of whom he purchased the Leicester flock of four 

 hundred ewes for £1500 (Mr. Skipworth's father once 

 gave six hundred guineas for a Leicester ram), and his 

 sheep, besides being in great demand in the British Isles, 

 were shipped to Australia, California, Jamaica, and St. 

 Helena. 



The historic sale at Aylesby, after Mr. Torr's death, 

 took place on September 2nd, 1875. Over three thousand 

 people were present, and the eighty-four head of short- 

 horns averaged the extraordinary price of £510 195. The 

 Leicester ewes averaged close on five guineas, the rams 

 £17 7s. 6cL, and the flock and herd together realized the 

 total of £44,395 Us. 6d. 



It may be of interest to give some of the prices made 

 by the shorthorns : — Bright Queen, 750 gs., Lady Pigot ; 

 Bright Spangle, 1055 gs., Mr. Booth, Warlaby (Lady 

 Pigot bid 1050 gs.) ; Highland Flower, 1500 gs., Rev. 



