44 THE OLD BERKS HUNT 



Robert Symonds, the Master, was one of 

 seven sons, all said to have been good- 

 looking, and all devoted to the sports of the 

 field. Their father was rather disturbed at 

 the prospect of having to support so many 

 active, but idle young men ; and as a measure 

 of economy he put down the deer in his park. 

 A friend asking him one day what had become 

 of the deer, he replied, " There are too many 

 ' Bucks' in the house to allow of any outside." 

 He died in 1794 and his sons were left to 

 their own devices. Luckily they had a neigh- 

 bour and friend who was able and willing to 

 help them. Pengethley was only a few 

 miles from Holme Park, now the seat of 

 Lord Chesterfield, but then the residence of 

 Charles, eleventh Duke of Norfolk. 



Holme Lacy was acquired by the Duke by 

 his marriage with Frances, daughter and sole 

 heir of Charles Fitzroy Scudamore. The 

 eldest of the Symonds brothers was Thomas, 

 High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1798, and 

 member for the city from 1800 until his death 

 in 1 8 19. The Duke appointed Thomas 

 Registrar of the Herald's College, an office 

 which he delegated the same day to a deputy, 

 thus making it a sinecure. He appointed 

 Joseph, the next brother, who was a clergy- 

 man, to the Rectory of Dinedor, a parish 



