REMINISCENCES OF BERT DRAGE 



in the week. At Chapel Brampton I very often 

 play with Phil. Cripps, a great sportsman. Of 

 course he gives me a great number of strokes. I 

 ride every day and get a few days' racing. I don't 

 expect to make much money farming, but it gives 

 me an interest in life. My farming adviser, Mr. 

 Messinger, really does all that is important to be 

 done. I am undecided whether to give up hunting 

 — I know what I ought to do, and that is just to go 

 out on the pony and ride quietly about and see my 

 friends and so get the exercise ; but can I do it ? 

 I loved popping along and trying to keep near 

 hounds — I shall see if I can be sensible and do what 

 I feel is best for me. You see I don't want to 

 become a cripple. 



I was born at Hannington in Northamptonshire. 

 My father had a farm there and also a lot of grazing 

 land at Faxton and Mawsley. I had two brothers 

 and two sisters. I was the second son, and I was 

 born in October, 1867. My older brother, Francis 

 Benyon, was about one year older, and my other 

 brother, John, about two years younger. My 

 sister, Mary, was about three years younger, and 

 my sister, Nelly, about thirteen years younger. 



We left our farm at Hannington in about 1880, 

 and my father took a farm at Chapel Brampton, 

 about four miles from Northampton. It was on 

 the estate of Earl Spencer and had been occupied 

 by my mother's brother, John Woods, who had 

 an auctioneer's business in Northampton. Earl 

 Spencer was a good landlord and a friend to all 



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