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CHAPTER VIL 



TRENTHAM — FAMILY HISTORY OF THE LEVESON-GOWERS — 



THE DUCHESS-COUNTESS — THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 



DUCHESS HARRIET. 



When it became an open secret, towards the end of 1873 

 or the early part of 1874, that Colonel Nugent was about 

 to retire from the Mastership, there never was the slightest 

 doubt in the minds of the leading members of the Hunt, 

 that if Lord Stafford was willing to undertake the re- 

 sponsibilities of management, there was no need to look 

 in any other quarter for the new Master, and the satisfac- 

 tion was general when it became known that the young 

 Marquis of Stafford had agreed to accept the vacant post. 

 This was felt at the time to be quite an ideal arrange- 

 ment, and the experience of nearly thirty years has only 

 confirmed the anticipation. There were many and obvious 

 reasons in favour of the appointment, from the point of 

 view of the supporters of the Hunt. 



In the first place, it is always considered of prime 

 importance to have a genuine resident in the county at 

 the head of the Hunt, if possible, and when that resident 

 happens to be heir to a large territorial estate and a ducal 

 position second to none, and is young and deservedly 

 popular, a keen sportsman, fond of hounds, with the kennels 

 provided by his own family and on the family estate, 

 himself living at Trentham, in the very centre of the 

 Hunt, no wonder that the fox-hunters of North Stafford- 

 shire rejoiced to hear the good news ; every one felt that 

 there was a good time coming for the N.S. Hunt, and the 



