34 o THE QUORN HUNT 



The repository of Messrs. Warner, Shephard, and 

 Wade is now well enough known, but for something 

 like twenty years prior to 1875 the firm sold horses 

 in the Bell Paddock. In the above-mentioned year, 

 however, the new repository was opened, proceedings 

 beginning with a luncheon, at which Mr. Coupland pre- 

 sided, supported by Lord Combermere, Sir Frederick 

 Fowke, and the Mayor of Leicester. On this occasion 

 the Ouorn cub-hunters were sold, and the thirteen put 

 up for auction realised 1 1 50 guineas. 



In February 1876 Firr again came to grief, this 

 time through a wire fence. He was in a carriage drive, 

 flanked by wire on both sides, and while he was cheer- 

 ing his hounds, his horse sidled up to the wire fence and 

 one of his legs caught between the strands; becoming 

 frightened at the entanglement he set to work to plunge, 

 and eventually fell over the huntsman, giving him a 

 very severe fall. He was taken to a house at Thurnby, 

 where on examination it was found that, though much 

 bruised and shaken, no bones were broken. 



Towards the close of the season 1875-76 the Prince 

 of Wales visited Colonel (now General) Owen Williams 

 at the Old Club, Melton. It was the Prince's wish that 

 no demonstration should be made, and his request was 

 of course complied with. He dined at the Old Club 

 with Colonel Owen Williams, Captain Montague, Mr. 

 Sloane Stanley, Captain Owen Young, Lord Carrington, 

 Captain Glynn (of H.M.S. SeTapis, in which vessel the 

 Prince of Wales went to India), the Marquis of Huntly, 

 Sir Lister Kaye, the Hon. Hugh Lowther (now Earl of 

 Lonsdale), Captain Wingfield, and a few others ; and 

 he afterwards enjoyed a day or two's hunting in the 

 neighbourhood. In the spring of 1877 the Prince paid 

 another visit to Leicestershire, and had a quiet day from 

 Lowesby with the Ouorn. 



The summer of 1876 once more saw the Ouorn com- 



