Loi'd A Ifords M aster sh ip, 153 



Alford (b. 1812^ d. 1851). These survivors are Lord Bate- 

 rnaiij Lord Henley_, Sir Eainald Knightiey, Sir T. Steele, 

 Messrs. Arkwright, H. 0. Netliercote/ the present Sir 

 F. Head, Mr. E. Lee Bevan, Charles Payne, and Ned 

 Kingsbury. 



Of the group there represented, apart from the Master 

 himself, who, mounted on a beautiful chestnut, bought of 

 Sam Pell of Ecton, is talking to his predecessor in office, 

 Mr. George Payne, the names of Sir Francis Bond Head, 

 General Sir Thomas Steele, Sir Rainald Knightley and 

 Mr. Stirling Crawfurd are all more or less familiar to the 

 sportiug public. The welter weight on the ground, 

 holding his horse in his left hand, talking to Charles 

 Payn, is the one-time well known West of Dallington. 

 A Northamptonshire yeoman of the grand old sort, to 

 him hunting was the real enjoyment of life. Hiding 

 about seventeen stone, and usually having under him low 

 thick horses, lacking alike in pace and quality, he 

 possessed that within which enabled him to overcome the 

 drawbacks of the bones being lined over-well, and the 

 pocket too scantily. Occasional hints from a well-used 

 pair of persuaders and vocal monitions from some point 

 very low down in his "manly bosom," saw him safe 

 through or over many a fence, which had been met with 

 a " No, I thank you '^ from some better mounted men. 

 A good farmer, he made an indifferent occupation carry 

 him fairly well, ere prices began to wear a vanishing 

 figure ; but he had few equals in making an indifferent 

 mount carry hiui across a country. 



Being one who, as far as in him lay, was deter- 



^ Since the nbove was written, the author whose hand had traced 

 it has also, ahis ! *' joined the majority." — Ed. 



