HUNTS AND THEIR HISTORY 183 



resigned in 1822, the Warwickshire hounds became a 

 subscription pack for the first time in their history, 

 under the mastership of Mr. Shirley. But the hunt 

 was now firmly established and went on prosperously 

 on the whole until the division of the country into 

 two parts. This did not take place formally until 

 1853, during the first mastership of Lord Willoughby 

 de Broke, the grandfather of the present Master of 

 the Warwickshire. The country was hunted in various 

 ways before this, sometimes by private packs and 

 sometimes not at all, and at other periods some coverts 

 were occasionally drawn at the convenience of neigh- 

 bouring masters. The man, however, who first showed 

 what the North Warwickshire country was capable 

 of being made was Mr. Vyner, the author of " Notitia 

 Venatica." With the help of Mr. Bolton King of 

 Umberslade, he established a scratch pack of about 

 thirty couples at Solihull. Such excellent sport did 

 he show that, the subscriptions coming in well, the 

 hounds were removed to Leamington and remained 

 there till they were once more removed to Kenilworth, 

 where Lord Middleton had some kennels. 



Mr. Vyner was followed by Mr. Shaw Hellier and 

 Mr. Wilson, and then there was an interregnum of 

 eight years, at the end of which Mr. Selby Lowndes 

 became Master and after two seasons was succeeded 

 by Mr. Baker. The name of this last Master will be 

 remembered for what he did for the town of Leaming- 

 ton. Within two hours and a half of London and 

 one from Birmingham, Leamington is marked out 

 for a hunting centre. Its mineral waters, comfort- 

 able hotels and lively society draw people to spend 

 the winter there, and, though the best meets are 

 rather wide of the town, its other attractions will 

 always bring a certain number of people to it. Then 



