PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS 



Lord Wilton was succeeded by his son, Lord Grey de 

 Wilton, who was well known in the hunting field as a very 

 good man to hounds, although perhaps not quite such an 

 accomplished rider as his father. Still he was bad to beat ; 

 and Lady Grey de Wilton was a most accomplished lady 

 rider, with a beautiful seat on horseback, and good hands. 

 She had a very good idea of taking a line of her own while 

 riding over a country. Other good lady riders from Mel- 

 ton were Mrs. Younger, Mrs. Francis Sloane Stanley, Lady 

 Violet Greville, Lady Augusta Fane, and many more. 



In September, 1887, the death was recorded of Mr. Walter 

 J. Little Gilmour, who used to be called the father of the 

 Melton Hunt. I believe he hunted at Melton for fifty seasons 

 in succession, and was a very good heavy-weight rider, and 

 very popular with all those who had the pleasure of his 

 acquaintance, especially with the Duke of Rutland, who was 

 much attached to him, and frequently went to see him during 

 his long illness. I once asked Mr. Gilmour who he considered 

 to be the best rider he had ever seen at Melton in his 

 long experience, and after a little thought he said Mr. W. H. 

 Foster, of Apley, as he had seen him take the most wonderful 

 and sensational leaps on horseback, and he always seemed at 

 home on his horse. Mr. Foster once jumped the wall out of 

 the meet field at Kirby Gate, a strongly built wall, not less 

 than six or seven feet high. 



Before concluding I will mention a few curious incidents 

 that have occurred in the hunting field while I have myself 

 been present. On one occasion when we had found a fox at 

 the School Piatt Gorse, and had just got him away in the 

 direction of Harlaxton, there happened to be a man plough- 

 ing with a team of three horses, which of course would cover 

 a considerable space of ground. A young man, who was, I 

 conclude, unable in the crowd of horses to steer clear of the 

 ploughman, rode his horse at full gallop between two of the 

 horses that were attached to the plough, jumping the chains 

 and fortunately doing no harm. On the day that H.R.H. the 

 Prince of Wales hunted with the Belvoir hounds at Weaver's 

 Lodge a hound was killed in a very curious way by a plough 



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