OBITUARY NOTICE OF M. H. DAND 85 



A well-known and popular rider after the hounds, Mr 

 Dand used to tell that his first meet was on St. Stephen's 

 day 1827, at the four cross roads at Ellington, where and 

 on which day the hounds kept by Mr Frank Johnson of 

 Woodhorn were accustomed annually to meet. But his 

 memory carried him still further back, for although not 

 present on the occasion he remembered the stormy April 

 day in 1817, when, under a tree in the corner of a field 

 near the ford over the Tod-burn, Felton, Mr Ralph Lambton 

 took his farewell of the field. Mr Dand's love of fox- 

 hunting gave him the opportunity of acquiring an unequalled 

 knowledge of the district, and an inexhaustible fund of 

 local information. He continued to hunt regularly until 

 his wife's death in 1885, and occasionally for a few years 

 afterwards. The last time he rode to the hounds was in 

 188 . . .* 



On his father's death in 1844, Mr Dand succeeded to 

 the Hauxley Cottage and Amble Moor-house estates, and, 

 although of a retiring and unobtrusive disposition, took his 

 due share in public duties, as Guardian of the Poor, Chairman 

 of Amble Local Board of Health, Justice of the Peace, 

 etc. 



*It is to be regretted that Mr Dand never put bis hunting reminiscences 

 on paper. In his father's time there was a scratch pack, belonging 

 chiefly to local farmers, some of whom kept a bound or two; bis 

 father's bound was old 'Driver.' The bounds were sometimes taken 

 np to Simonside, so early in the morning that the bunt was over 

 before 10 o'clock, the bounds being left to find their way to their 

 respective homes. Mr Robert Lisle of Acton set up a pack at the 

 beginning of the nineteenth century, the hunt buttons having as 

 a motto ' ouse whick'; and be was followed in 1812 by Mr Smith 

 of Thirston with a subscription pack. Hounds were kept by Mr 

 Francis Johnson of Woodhorn, who was followed by Mr Watson of 

 North Seaton. The Rev. James Allgood kept barriers when be was 

 vicar of Felton. North of the Coquet there w6re the hounds of 

 Mr Henry Taylor of Doxford— called the Doxford Hounds — Mr Selby 

 of Biddleston, and afterwards those of Mr John Gray of Titiington, 

 on whose retirement, in 1867, the Alnwick bounds were started, and 

 were managed by a Committee, Mr Dand being an active member 

 and principal supporter. 



