LONG-LIVED HUNTSMEN

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6543, 27 February 1928, Page 9

LONG-LIVED HUNTSMEN

BUCCUEUOH HUNT'S RECORD. THREE IN A CENTURY. In connection with, the celcbratiom of the centenary of the Buccleuch il-Juat at St Boswells, Selkirk, the Duko 'of Buccleuoh, who is the Master, was presented with a portrait in oils of his huntsman, George Summers, the work of the eminent Scottish artist, Mr Fiddea Watt, R.S.A, The Hunt has the distinction of having had during the past hundred years only three Masters and three huntsmen. The first huntsmen were Will Williamson and Will Shoore, who carried the horn for over 70 years I botwen them, . while Summers has 'been huntsman for 26 years. The Earl of Dalkeith, M.P., Joint-Master Of the Hunt, was unable to be present. The presentation was made by the of Roxburghe. The sportsmen of Essex, to a man, ! received with no ordinary regret the nows of the death of James Bailey, which occurred, recently at Barlow, in his 77th year, . | Bailey, who was huntsman of the Essex Foxhounds for 41 years, was appointed in 1879 to succeed Stephen Dobson, and 31 years later, when Mr ijohn Swire was followed by Captain Seymour Gosling as M.F.H., Bailey continued to carry the horn, almost as a matter of course. At the ago of sixty he displayed just the same iron nerve and the same contempt for the depth and width of the Roothirig ditches which he had shown as a horseman three deoadcs earlier. Bailey was a native of Hampshire, having, been born at Hopley in 1851, practically within earshot of the H.H. Kennels. , His father kepS the Anchor Inn there —still a favourite fixture—and used to find the horses for the Hunt. At the ago of 16 tho boy became second horseman to Mr. W. W. Tail by, who was showing marvellous sport in what was known as Billesdon, or South Quorn country.

On leaving High Leicestershire, ho j became second whipper-in to the ( North Warwickshire, then hunted byTom Pirr, and Bailey never ceased to declare that Pirr was the finest i school-master he ever had. Next ho , went north to asisst in turning- the , Duke of Buocleuch’S hounds to Will Shore. Sir Henry Sclwin-Ibbetson ;j (afterwai’ds Lord Itookwood) recog- . Rising his all-round ability, secured , Bailey’s services as huntsman to the Essex in 1873. James Bailey was among the best half-dozen huntsmen of his day, and his great popularity among both the farmers and the followers of the Essex Hunt showed that ho had personj al qualities of mind and heart, besides 'pre-eminence in the art of Mlling foxes, of whose doings ho had a wonderful intutive knowledge. On his retirement at the end of the season 1019.-20 ho was presented on behalf of the Hunt with a substantial cheque amounting to several thousand pounds.