8 THE QUORN HUNT 



of Lord Stamford's offer were to hunt without a sub- 

 scription the same amount of country that Sir Richard 

 Sutton had hunted over, and as the new master dis- 

 pensed with a subscription, it was considered expedient 

 to allow him to have his way in this respect. 



This was eventually the fons et origo of a dispute 

 which raged long and hotly in the Ouorn and Billesdon 

 countries. On one side it was said that Lord Stamford 

 had abandoned the Billesdon country ; on the other it 

 was urged that the country was lent only, just as part 

 of the Cottesmore with some woodlands were loaned. 

 A short time after Lord Stamford's succession to office 

 Mr. W. W. Tailby, amid great acclamation, became 

 master of the Billesdon, or South Ouorn, country, for- 

 merly hunted by Mr. Sutton, and, with Jack Goddard 

 for his huntsman, began a brilliant era of sport. At this 

 lapse of time there is no need to follow the dispute 

 which ultimately took place. Suffice it to say that in 

 due time the Cottesmore, then in the hands of Colonel 

 Lowther, afterwards Lord Lonsdale, gave notice that 

 they would require back the country they had lent, and 

 Mr. Coupland at the same time intimated that he would 

 like back the Quorn portion, though this request was 

 not made until Mr. Tailby had announced his intention 

 of resigning. Then it was that a somewhat bitter dis- 

 pute arose. Meetings were held, various opinions were 

 expressed, and a great deal of angry correspondence 

 took place. To cut a long and not very interesting 

 story short, the matter was referred to the Masters of 

 Foxhounds' Committee at Boodle's, that body deciding 

 in favour of the Quorn bein^ entitled to reclaim the 

 country which Lord Stamford did not want to hunt, and 

 which he allowed Mr. Tailby to have. That decision, 

 however, did not please every one. Farmers were asked 

 in a letter to stand out for their rights ; " Who's Boodle ? 

 Where does he live ? " 



