n6 THE QUORN HUNT 



SIR BELLINGHAM GRAHAM 

 1821— 1823 



AS already mentioned, that fine sportsman Sir Bel- 

 l lingbam Graham ruled the Ouorn country for 

 a couple of seasons (1821-23) between Mr. Osbal- 

 deston's two periods of mastership ; and on reviewing 

 his career as a master of hounds, one can scarcely 

 avoid agreeing with " Nimrod," who regretted that 

 Sir Bellingham had not confined himself to one good 

 country instead of hunting so many, " some of which 

 were of an indifferent character." Personally I do not 

 desire to brand as indifferent such countries as the 

 Pytchley, Badsworth, Atherstone, Shiffnal (now the 

 Albrighton), and Shropshire; but Sir Bellingham Graham 

 was, like Mr. Osbaldeston, a master who hopped about 

 from country to country, "to one thing constant never." 

 He began his career by succeeding Mr. Musters 

 in the Badsworth country, which he hunted for two 

 seasons ; then he migrated to the Atherstone, where 

 he remained for three years ; and then he hunted the 

 Pytchley for a single season (1820-21), and it may here 

 be mentioned that Sir Bellingham Graham and Mr. 

 Osbaldeston are the only two men who have ever been 

 masters of both the famous hunts, the Quorn and Pytch- 

 ley. In addition, Sir Bellingham had a turn with the 

 Hambledon (when he exchanged with Mr. Osbaldeston, 

 and declared that the subscription would not find him in 

 spur-straps and blacking). He did not stay long in Hamp- 

 shire, the hunting not being brilliant enough lor him. 



