256 THE QUORN HUNT 



Most racing people have heard of old Mr. Richards, 

 who in early life (he was born at Barbers' Mill, near 

 Nottingham, in 1776) worked at the stocking-frame. 

 He was one of the earl's chosen bookmakers, and was 

 first attracted to betting by winning a small sum on a 

 horse-race. Richards was a Leicestershire man. The 

 story goes that when resting at a village inn, while hawk- 

 ing stockings, he was induced to play at cards, rising 

 the winner of a small sum, with which he next day 

 backed a horse, with the result already mentioned. He 

 soon attended Doncaster and Newmarket ; and as the 

 Meltonians, a good many of them at least, were much 

 addicted to betting, Richards drove a very good business 

 in laying them the odds to any extent. He was a curious 

 combination, for, in addition to being wrapped up in 

 racing, he studied standard works as seriously as though 

 he were about to undergo an examination in them. He 

 declared that he would never keep a servant until he 

 was worth ^500 a year. He kept his word, and in due 

 course became so rich that he took Ragdale Hall, the 

 beautiful residence of the seventh Earl Ferrers, and it 

 was said that one of his motives in renting the mansion 

 was, that he should be better in touch with the Mel- 

 tonians than he could be in his native village. He died a 

 wealthy man ; left three sons in affluent circumstances ; 

 while his daughter became the wife of a clergyman, who 

 was afterwards incumbent of the parish adjoining Rag- 

 dale. Richards is mentioned here because he was a 

 supporter of the Quorn Hunt ; and though never a hard 

 rider, he used, when he had risen to comparatively 

 good circumstances, to meet hounds as often as possible. 

 He died in November 1856, when about eighty years 

 of age. 



Most of the runs which took place during the begin- 

 ning of the season 1857-58 were noted rather for pace 

 than for length, brilliant bursts being the rule. 



