THE FOOT DKAG 45 



Letter 



Newlands, Hatfield, 

 Dec. 18, 1910. 



Dear David — I see they are preparing a history of the Cambridge 

 Beagles. I wonder if any one will remember your uncle, Eobert 

 Hoare, who had some five or six couples about 1863 to 1865, with 

 which he used to hunt a foot drag. Before that he used to have a few 

 couple of hounds whilst he was with a private tutor at Southreps, with 

 which he and a farmer named Wood used to pursue the Norfolk hares. 



The pack which has gone on till now was originally brought to 

 Cambridge while I was up, I should say in 1867 or 1868, from 

 Ireland, by Currey, a Don at Trinity, commonly called " Pat " Currey. 



I suppose you will hear all about the book, and you can make 

 use of this information if you like. 



I remember some years ago a book came out on The Drag by, I 



think, Pease, and, if I had known it, I could have given him the 



tip on the start of that, as Harcourt Vernon, who was on the Eastern 



Circuit, and used to dine or breakfast with me when the Assizes 



were at Cambridge, told me about himself and A. C. Barclay, owner 



afterwards of Bertram, going over and fetching the first hounds 



from Bishop's Stortford in a cab, and their first run over Cottenham 



Pastures, and the very lively dinner at Magdalene College the same 



evening. — Yours affectionately, 



Charles Hoare. 



Another Letter 



Newlands, Hatfield, 

 January 5, 1911. 



Dear Sir— I have tried my memory to the utmost, but beyond 

 the very bald facts I am afraid I can do nothing. Of those whom I 

 can remember as running with Currey's hounds who are still alive are 

 r. W. Buxton, the present Lord Lawrence, and, I think, E. G. Bevan, 

 of Hemingford, St. Ives, Hunts, used to come with them. The 

 hounds got from Bishop's Stortford were a much older story. 



