EARL OF STAMFORD 269 



care, as in their interest they started a train from 

 London to Melton Mowbray, which reached the latter 

 place at ten o'clock ; now it is possible to reach there at 

 ii few minutes before eight, travelling by the newspaper 

 train. The Ouorn hounds appear to have had a run of 

 sport in December 1861, and on the 14th of that month 

 it will be remembered that the Prince Consort died. 

 The news reached Leicestershire on Sunday night, but 

 it was not generally known until the arrival of the 

 Monday's papers ; meantime a great number of horses 

 had been sent on to Thornley, where, instead of the 

 hounds, those who had ridden to the covert-side found 

 a mounted messenger from Lord Stamford, who stated 

 that, owing to the death of the prince, no hunting would 

 take place. The sad event threw a general gloom over 

 the Midlands, as over the rest of England ; for the 

 prince, if not an enthusiastic fox-hunter, had on occa- 

 sions been seen at the covert-side in Leicestershire, 

 and as a master of harriers had played his part as a 

 sportsman. 



The threatened resignation of Lord Stamford appears 

 to have given the covert-fund question the impetus it so 

 much needed ; but the country at large sadly wished 

 that Mr. John Moore were back again. When that able 

 hunting tactician was a power in Melton, he collected 

 within a very small radius of that town nearly ,£3000, 

 and, on one occasion, nearly ,£3500, for Mr. Assheton 

 Smith ; but Mr. Moore took very good care to produce 

 his note-book on the opening day at Kirby Gate, and 

 his importunities never ceased until he had made up 

 his amount. However, at the time of which we are 

 speaking matters appear to have been in a hopeless 

 muddle, until at last, owing to Lord Stamford's strono- 

 representations, something had to be done ; so Sir Henry 

 Edwards (on behalf of the Meltonian division), Mr. 

 Clowes, Mr. Bruce Campbell, and Mr. John Day formed 



