FAMOUS MASTERS 49 



LORD ALTHORP 



Probably no man during the present century has 

 held a more prominent position, not only in hunting 

 and agricultural history but also in political history, 

 than Lord Althorp. Few men have had a career 

 which commands more admiration. He laboured 

 under many great disadvantages, and yet, from sheer 

 honesty of purpose, he rose to prominence in every 

 branch of work which he undertook. His polar star 

 was " duty," and his watchword " thoroughness." He 

 was the eldest son of the second Earl Spencer, by 

 Lavinia, the eldest daughter of Charles Bingham, after- 

 wards first Earl of Lucan, and was born on May 30, 

 1782, at Spencer House, St. James's. 



It was during his last year at Cambridge that his 

 sporting instincts were finally developed. He spent 

 much time and money in hunting and racing, and 

 when he left Cambridge owed several thousands of 

 pounds. The pain it caused him to tell his father this 

 cured him of gambling, especially when he learnt that 

 his father would have to borrow the money to pay the 

 debts. But as his biographer, Sir Denis Le Marchant, 

 says, " he had too big a heart for a gamester," and 

 though he was afterwards associated with many of the 

 biggest gamblers of the century I can find no record 

 of his gambling. The Pytchley woodlands were more 

 to his taste than the saloon at Crockford's. 



Lord Althorp reigned over the Pytchley from 1808, 



D 



