The King King Hunting Diaries

Nov. 5th.  The Quorn at Kirby Gate.  Very late starting, went to Gartree Hill, found there 5 fields off.  Ran hard & well nearly to Lacton Spinney, came back to Berry Gorse & Will’s ----, thence by the Wheat Hills and Dalby nearly to Burdett’s covert, by Gt. Dalby, round to the right near Burton Flat again, turned away from the Long Spinney & killed in Lacton covert (after a meritorious hunt as far as hounds -----) at heady 3 ----.  Home with rain coming on.  H. Bentinck killed a horse.

Rode    Sanctity
             Siren
             Sultana

Nov. 10th.  The Quorn at ---------.  Found in the gorse wh. was surrounded.  Fox got away at last, as if for the vale but turned back.  Away again nearly to Old Dalby station, bore to the right, Nether Broughton on the left, and pretty straight to ground at Clawson Thorns.  ‘Kent’s’ Thorns blank.  Found again in Welby Holt. Ran left by Wartnaby Fishpond, thro’ Grimston Gorse, O. Dalby Wood, and hunted slowly on to Ella’s Gorse, where I left them trying to carry on a line towards Willoughby Gorse.

Rode    Siren (fell)
             Scholar

Nov. 12th.  The Belvoir at Waltham.  Found in Melton Spinney, race by Scalford to Goadby Gorse, thro’ it, lost the fox by ---------------. Found again in Goadby Gorse, ran leaving the Bullamore on the right nearly to Piperhole Gorse, back by Scalford Stn., thro’ Melton Spinney nearly to the Broom Spinney, round by Goadby Gorse, again another ring, by Scalford Bog and lost, having been running all day.  Left them going back to Goadby Gorse.

Rode    Sanctity
             Sutley

Nov. 14th.  The Quorn at Ashby Folville.  Found in Adam’s Gorse, ran sharp and straight to Gartree  Hill leaving the covert on the right, then had ----- and rings round Mr. Copley’s farm to ground at last.  Bolted & killed.  Some 2 foxes.  Found again in Ashby Pasture.  Ran towards Rotherby Spinnies by Gaddesby Spinney, rattled him along to Queniboro, & caught him in a house!

Rode     Scholar
              Sultana

Nov. 15th.  The Belvoir at Harby.  Found in Harby covert, went north for a few fields, then left about ---ing near Hose Gorse & Long Clawson, & killed in the Quorn country, close to Nether Broughton.  Some 45 mins & a fair point.  Found again in Hose Gorse.  Ran by Clawson up the hill, to the top of Landyke Lane, by Piperhole Gorse to Harby Hills, and finished by losing him!

Rode        Siren
                 Sutley

Nov. 17th.  The Quorn at Lodge on the Wolds. Thick fog.  Moved about noon to the Curate whence it was clearer.  Found & away at once nearly to Upper Broughton, a ring almost to Widmerpool, by Flint Hill Spinney & lost in the F--- close to the railway.  Ran thence thro’ R------, no good.  Found again in Mr. Warner’s planting.   ------- to Willoughby Gorse, where a brace were got away towards Wymeswold, came to the right over the brook to Widmerpool Hall alongside the Widmerpool brook & I left them going into Bunny Woods at 3.30 pm.  50 min ------.

Rode      Sultana
               Sanctity

Nov. 19th.  The Belvoir at Croxton Park.  Found in Coston covert, came away with apparently a screaming scent, but lost by Coston Old Covert.  Found again in Buckminster Park.  Killed him, or another, in Sprtoxton Heath Gorse.  Left another for thence, & drew Buckminster Park again, killing a brace or so.  Found again in Sproxton Thorns.  Ran ------ to Stonesby Ashes, by Stonesby Gorse and eventually lost, scent being very poor on the plough & down wind.

Rode     Siren
              Sutley

Nov. 20th.^. The Quorn at Cotes Toll Bar.  Walton House blank.  Found a ------ fox at Prestwold, wh. the hounds wd’n’t run.  Hoton Wood blank.  Found again in Stanford Park.  Ran a very sharp ring, I don’t know where:  hounds divided, I went with 9 couple till I found my ------, & returned as they had marked the other fox to ground.  Left them drawing Normanton Spinnies at 3.30pm.

Rode    Scholar
              -------- chest. Horse

Nov. 21st.  The Quorn at Gt. Dalby.  Found in Gartree Hill.  Away at once over Burton Flat, by Wild’s Lodge, thro’ Berry Gorse, over the brook, back to the left to Laxton Spinney, hung there a bit, away again --- to Whissendine village, came to hunting by Whissendine  Spinnies, had a ring or two round the village & nearly to Ashwell Station, & lost at last.  Found again in Burrow Hill Wood, ran sharply to Gt. Dalby village & lost there.  Left them there, wind dropping & rain coming down.

Rode     Sanctity
              Sultana

Nov. 24th. The Quorn at Six Hills.  Found in Thrussington Wolds, ran round the Hall & very sharp down to Hoby and lost in the village.  Found again in Shoby Scholes, ---- to Aylesford’s Gorse and back, then by Ragdale again & later to the right of our first line to Hoby.  Left the village on the left, crossed the river & railway by Rotherby, left Frisby on the left, crossed the river back again, close to Welby, ----, on to within a field of Old Hills, back to the left up wind & killed between Kettleby & Wartnaby.  1hr. 40mins.  Found again in Saxilby Little Wood, ran thro’ Grimston Gorse nearly to Dalby Wood, by Aylesford’s Gorse & lost in Shoby Scholes.

Rode    Silvergilt lost a shoe
             Siren
             Scholar