SPORT 



and skilled player, who has proved himself 

 to be a most capable organizer. 



The Eden Park and Chislehurst Clubs, 

 both of which possessed splendid grounds, 

 were for some years carried on in a more 

 or less flourishing state, but the secession 

 of many members, some of whom were called 

 abroad on service, while others eventually 

 joined the clubs at Hurlingham and Ranelagh, 

 made the matter of maintaining efficient 

 teams very difficult, and at last both these 

 Kentish organizations, of which Eden Park 

 held out until the end of the 1906 season, 

 were broken up. 



Upon the dissolution of the Eden Park 

 Club the London Polo Club left its quarters 

 at the Crystal Palace and migrated to the 

 ground of the defunct organization at Beck- 

 enham. By so doing they made a very 

 favourable move, for the ground at Eden 

 Park is in every respect an excellent one. It 

 is boarded all round, and with turf of first- 

 rate quality it is undoubtedly one of the best 

 inclosures in the country. Even in the 

 worst weather the Beckenham ground is 

 usually playable. 



There is only one other polo ground in the 

 county, namely that at Surrenden Park, the 

 seat of Mr. Walter Winans. This inclosure 

 is of full regulation size, and is fairly level. 



The London Polo Club is now therefore 

 the only recognized club of its kind within 

 the county of Kent. It is, perhaps, at the 

 present time more of a county organization 

 than at any previous period of its history, and 

 it numbers among its members several 

 prominent players of the day. Among others 

 who have recently been elected to member- 

 ship are the two Messrs. Winans, who played 



for the Oxford University team during the 

 season of 1906. The Earl of Huntingdon is 

 president, and is supported by a very strong 

 and influential council. The regular days 

 for play are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Satur- 

 days, and a stud of ponies, which members 

 may hire, is kept upon the premises. 



Many prominent players have been associ- 

 ated with the game in Kent since polo first took 

 root there at the end of the nineteenth century. 

 Mr. A. Rawlinson, who took part in the 

 Inauguration Cup competition at the London 

 Polo Club's first tournament, was a dashing 

 player, and had won fame in many a tourna- 

 ment in India. On his return to this country 

 from the east he brought with him a couple 

 of famous ponies — Rainbow and Starlight 

 — both of which figured on several occasions 

 in Hurlingham matches. The latter of these 

 was a grey Arab with remarkable pace, and 

 had won several races in India. Starlight 

 changed hands subsequently and was played 

 in the loth Hussars team in the inter-regi- 

 mental tournament at Hurlingham. Special 

 mention should also be made of Major ' Tip ' 

 Herbert, brother of the founder of the 

 Ranelagh Club, a remarkably fine horseman, 

 and still a prominent player since his return 

 to England after the war ; Lord Shrewsbury, 

 whose tastes have latterly turned in the 

 direction of motoring ; Captain de Lisle ; 

 and Sir Charles Wolseley, all of whom must 

 now be reckoned among the old school of 

 polo enthusiasts. Kent, however, can still 

 reckon upon plenty of active support from 

 the younger generation, prominent among 

 whom may be mentioned Colonel Lamb, 

 and Messrs. R. E. Edmondson, Avery, and 

 R. P. Wilson. 



SHOOTING 



In common with the rest of the home 

 counties Kent has suffered to a great extent 

 from the rapid encroachment of the builder 

 upon its fair fields and meadows, and year 

 by year its opportunities for field sports are 

 being driven within ever-narrowing limits. 

 This gradual expansion of the town into 

 the country has not affected shooting to 

 such an extent as in the case of some other 

 sports ; but the establishment of factories, 

 gunpowder works, ^ and large industrial 



colonies in various parts, even at some dis- 

 tance from London, has done a good deal 

 towards breaking up what was once an 

 eminently sporting area. 



While offering plenty of good chances to 

 the keen shooting man, the principal charm 

 of Kent lies perhaps more in the variety than 

 in the quality of the sport which it has to 

 offer. It is a county of very diversified char- 

 acter as regards its soil and general features, 

 and as such is capable of providing what is 



1 It is interesting to note that the first gun- county of Surrey. Richard Evelyn, the youngest 

 powder factories in England were established in of his long tale of sons, inherited Wotton, and 

 Elizabeth's time by George Evelyn, who had mills at from Richard's son John Evelyn, the famous diarist, 

 Long Ditton and near Wotton, in the neighbouring descended the Evelyns of Sayes Court near Deptford. 



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