250 THE QUORN HUNT 



ford's hospitable roof, Mr. Storey lost no time in making 

 his mission known. "Well, my lord," he said, " I come 

 with full powers to offer you the first hunting country 

 in the world. Leicestershire wants a master, and it is 

 determined, with your permission, to have Lord Stam- 

 ford." 



The earl replied that he was very much flattered by 

 the offer which had been made to him, and that it was 

 the height of his ambition to hunt what he might almost 

 call his native country ; but that he could not cast off 

 the Albrighton "like an old shoe." 1 



No man, we are told, is as good as his principles, 

 and subsequently Lord Stamford gave in to Mr. John 

 Storey's persuasive eloquence ; he did give up the 

 Albrighton, and when Mr. Storey set out on his home- 

 ward journey, he had in his pocket Lord Stamford's 

 written promise to become the seventeenth master of 

 the Quorn, that is to say, of the country north of the 

 Wreake, Mr. Sutton having the country south of that 

 river. It was further understood that Lord Stamford 

 would decline all subscriptions save in the shape of a 

 covert fund. 



Lord and Lady Stamford took up their residence 

 at Bradgate Park ; but the new master rented the 

 Quorn stables and kennels from Mr. E. Warner (of the 

 firm of Cartwright & Warner), who had purchased the 

 Quorndon Hall estate from the representatives of Sir 

 Richard Sutton at a large price, exclusive of the valuable 

 furniture, which was to be taken at a valuation. 



George Harry Grey, the seventh Earl of Stamford 

 and Warrington, was the son of Lord Grey of Groby, 

 and on the latter's death, the son was but ten years old 

 on succeeding to the barony ; while on the decease of 



1 Another story is that Lord Stamford was only too glad to shake from 

 his feet the Albrighton dust, as not only did he have some sort of dispute 

 with the Hunt, but he found foxes very short. 



