246 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



planted a gorse some years ago at Nobut for the Hunt, 

 which, however, has not been quite a success, owing in 

 great measure to its being a long way from any other 

 covert. We have elsewhere referred to Mr. Harrison, of 

 Maer Hall, as one of our good supporters and fox- 

 preservers. 



Mr. James Taylor, of Springfield Hall, Whitmore, 

 was a well-known and conspicuous figure in the North 

 Stafford hunting-field for a good many years. He was a 

 big, burly man, weighing probably fully twenty stone, 

 jocular and genial, a quaint figure on a horse, always 

 in scarlet, generally wearing his coat unbuttoned, with 

 a light waistcoat and black butcher boots, and usually 

 a flower in his buttonhole, looking the very picture 

 of " Father Christmas." He could not ride anything 

 but a weight-carrier ; but he never galloped and never 

 jumped, and yet, through his good knowledge of the 

 country and natural shrewdness in riding to points, he 

 managed to see something of what was going on, and 

 enjoyed himself in his characteristic way. 



He was a successful railway contractor, who had been 

 connected with many important undertakings. He was 

 born at Whitmore about the year 1816, and left home 

 as a lad of thirteen to work on the Grrand Junction 

 Canal. He was entirely a self-made man, and had a 

 large share of the shrewdness and energy which generally 

 characterizes men of that stamp. In the Hunt he was 

 generally known as " Navvy Taylor." He was an amusing 

 companion, full of humour and anecdote, and, take him 

 for all in all, was a man who will not easily be forgotten 

 in the North Stafibrdshire Hunt. 



He died in the year 1891, leaving behind him a large 

 family and very considerable property. He was a member 

 of the Hunt, from first to last, for about forty years. 



The late Mr. Cartlich (Manor House, Woore) was for 

 years a most hospitable and kindly member of the Hunt, 

 whose house was always open to sportsmen of every 

 degree when the meet was on the Woore side ; he was, 



