( 151 ) 



CHAPTER XL 



SEIGHFORD HALL MEET — GALLOP FROM SUGNALL — HUNT 



MEETING AT STOKE — OPENING DAY, 1888-89 SPORT 



IN THE DRAYCOT COUNTRY — WOORE COUNTRY — THE 

 BULLERS — HUNTING FARMERS — MR. J. W. PHILIPS. 



The season of 1887-88 was on the whole a fair average 

 season for sport, and for the record of foxes killed, but 

 hunting was much interrupted by frost, no less than 

 thirty-nine hunting days being entirely stopped from that 

 cause. 



The following is from the Staffordshire Advertiser of 

 November 12th, 1887 :— 



THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE. 



Seighford Hall was the fixture of the North Staffordshire Hounds on 

 November 4t'a. The morning was such as to lead to the general belief that 

 it would be a good hunting day, and so it proved. Seighford Hall has not 

 usually been one of the earliest meets in the season, but on this occasion I 

 suppose this was due to the splendid show of foxes found there cub-hunting, and 

 also to the wish to give an early meet to the young squire, Mr. Francis Eld, who 

 has lately come to reside in the home of a long and honoured line of ancestors ; 

 and we say " All hail to him ! " for he has sho\vn that the same blue blood of the 

 true English sportsman flows in his veins as in those of his forefathers, and 

 which has suffered no alloy. I should like to have said something about the 

 Hall and its pleasant surroundings, but I must not transgi'ess any more only to 

 say that a photographer was anxious to photograph the meet, and, with the kind 

 permission of the oMarquis of Stafford, this was done. The ^loor Covert was the 

 first draw, and we soon heard sounds that admit of no doubt, and in a few minutes 

 Reynard broke on the side nearest the railway, headed for the Cooklands, then 

 bending to the right skirted the Drakerley Pits, then turning to the left crossed the 

 road from Bridgford to Seighford. (Here the greater part of the field were 

 a little at faidt, as they thought the hounds had dwelt in the pits, whereas they 

 had gone along the hollow out of sight.) The fox then made towards the Long 

 Covert, which he passed on his left again ; bending to the right, he crossed the 

 Bridgford and Itanton road, and over the brook ; then to Oncote, where there 

 was the first check, but only for a minute; the line was then continued towards 



