ACCIDENTS IN THE HUNTINGFIELD.

Grey River Argus, Volume 21, Issue 3063, 10 June 1878, Page 2

ACCIDENTS IN THE HUNTINGFIELD.

The Gloucestershire hnnting-field has witnessed an unusually large number of serious accidents during the last two winters, the sad catalogue beginning with the death of Mr Rolt in the last season, and ending with the death of Mrs Crawshay in the present. Until December twelvemonth the Beaufort and Fitzhard- : inge meets had. enjoyad a long spell of immunity from grave casualties. Since then there has been a run of them. .On December 16, the Saturday before Mr Rolt was killed, Mr R; 33. S. -Plunkett; son of Lord Dunsany-, and member for West Gloucestershire, bad a. narrow escape of losing his life. While out with the Beaufort Hounds, "Mr Plunkett's horse slipped at a gate, and falling, threw its rider, who pitched on his head. ..Mr, Plunkett lay for several weeks af a friend's house uricottsbious, and? J *it was not till Christmas that he wasaole" to be r removed, to bis residence. ' His. recovery then was very slow, for he 'spent last year in travel- ' ling to recruite his health, not returning to his duties in the House of Commons .until last month. /On the Saturday following the accident to Mr Plunkett, and the day before Christmas; Day^Mr John Rolt, of Ogleworth Park,^Gloucestershire, and sbh of the late Lord Justice Sir Jdhri Rolt/'raet with his death while hunting, also with the Beaufort Hounds. : His. horse fell at a fence, and rolling over its rider, crushed him, death being almost almost instantaneous. About a week later Mr G. F. Grace, the cricketer, finding himself at a Beaufort meet on a horse that was fresh and restive, tried to take some of the "go" out 'of it. by giving him a spanking run at a high stone wall. : The horse, strnck, ; his fore feet ; against the coping, and the concussion threw; Mr Grace, over its head ■ into the next field. A few weeks further on, a Bristol imerchant met with an accident while with the Beaufort Hounds. His horse fell ;at a leap, and Mr Adams, being . thrown, had his collar-bone 1 broken". The spills 1 this season,: too, have been numerous, the more perious of them b§ing th^following': —On the 7th of January Mr Pirrepont, of Seagry House, was' thrown from his horse while out with the' Duke; and received such injuries that he remained for some days in an unconscious state. A few weeks later' Mr Nichols, a Bristol gentleman, hunting with the same pack, was thrown from his horse, which, kickingout, inflicted painful in j uries. Mr Baker, a Clifton gentleman, has had his arm broken lately through ; being . thrown while out with the Fitzhardinge .Hounds ; and, last of all, Mrs William Crawshay, while hunting with the Fitzhardinge pack, was dashed against the branch of a tree through sticking fast, like the brave and fearless rider that she was, to a frightened and high-spirited horse. This is a long catalogue for two seasons, and it does not' include many minor casualties.

Two more accidents in the huntingfield are reported. The Earl of Hardwicke, the Master ! of Her Majesty's Buckhounds, while out with the hounds the other day, was thrown from his horse, and fell heavily on his head. For some minutes Lord Hard wicke was unconscious, and upon recovering he was removed to town. The symptoms are said to indicate concussion of the spine. The Earl"of Camperdown had a narrow escape whiJ6 hunting with the Bicester "hounds. His, horse falling at a fence; his lordship was thrown head foremost, but escaped almost, unhurt. ■ ■ ...-.;