44 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



stayed with the North Stafford Hounds from 1871 until 

 his death, in 1896. It was impossible for any huntsman 

 to show better sport than he did, and he most deservedly 

 earned and enjoyed the respect and good opinion of 

 every member of the Hunt, from the noble Master down- 

 wards. 



The joint Mastership of Lord Shrewsbury and Colonel 

 Nugent continued for two seasons, w^hen the former 

 retired and Colonel Nua^ent undertook the sole manap^e- 

 ment. This arrangement lasted for three seasons, till 

 1874, when the Duke of Sutherland (then Marquis of 

 Stafford) took the Mastership, and began his successful 

 career, which has already lasted for twenty-eight years, 

 and it is to be hoped will continue for many years to 

 come. 



Before dealing in detail with the history of the present 

 Mastership, let us complete the history of the Hunt from 

 the time of ]VIr. Davenport's death, in 1869, to the end of 

 Colonel Nugent's tenure of office, in 1874. We may 

 mention that a sum of about £650 was raised amongst 

 the members of the Hunt in shares, in 1869, to purchase 

 the bulk of ]\Ir. Davenport's hounds on behalf of the 

 Hunt ; Lord Shrewsbury subscribing £250, Mr. J. W. 

 Philips £100, and other well-known members of the Hunt 

 contributing liberally to the fund. Some seven or eight 

 years afterwards the subscribers presented the hounds to 

 the Master, Lord Stafford, as a mark of appreciation of 

 the style in which he was carrying on the affairs of the 

 Hunt, and in gratitude for the sport he was showing. 



Lord Shrewsbury and Captain Nugent had not been 

 in office many months when they found themselves 

 engaged in a dispute with the Cheshire Hunt, who had 

 laid claim to the Doddington coverts, w^hich had been 

 regularly hunted by the North Stafford for very many 

 years. 



The Cheshire Hounds hunted the Doddington coverts 

 till 1813, when, in consequence of a dispute with the 

 owner, Sir John Broughton, they were warned off. While 



