Sporting Incidents in the Life of Another Tom Smith

Thomas Smith

• Publisher: Read Country Books
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781473327702
• eBook ISBN: 9781473338883
• Subtopic: World History

This vintage book contains an account of the rural sporting experiences of Tom Smith, a notable nineteenth-century English huntsman. With a wealth of biographical information and extensive details of his hunting experiences, this volume is highly recommended for those with an interest in the history of English rural sports, and would make for a worthy addition to collections of related literature. Contents include: "School-Boy Days", "Early Activity and Habits of Observation", "An Ugly Wound", "An Election Anecdote", "Volunteering", "First Scarlet Coat", "Farming", "Vice President of the Winchester Agricultural Show", "Fox-Hunting", "Cricket", "Devon Staghounds", "Marriage", "Residence at Hill House, Hambledon", etc. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. This volume, first published in 1869, is being republished now in an affordable, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on the history of fox hunting.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• A Brief Introduction to Fox Hunting
• Advertisement
• Contents
• Directions for placing the Plates
• Chapter I. School-boy days—Early activity and habits of observation—An ugly wound—An election anecdote—Volunteering—First scarlet coat
• Chapter II. Farming—Vice-President of the Winchester Agricultural Show—Fox-hunting—Cricket—Devon Stag-hounds—Marriage—Residence at Hill House, Hambledon—Visit to Scotland—Lord Fife’s practical jokes—Mr. Owen, of New Lanark—An unpleasant mistake—Adventure in a coal-mine—“Out of debt, out of danger”
• Chapter III. Sport in the New Forest—Sir Bellingham Graham—The horse General—Mr. Smith becomes Master of the Hambledon hounds—Unpromising beginning—Extraordinary run into Sussex—Mr. Smith’s picture of the H. H., with sixty-five likenesses—Visit to the Quorn—An unexpected honour
• Chapter IV. The Hambledon pack increased—A perilous adventure—Anecdote of Lord Palmerston—Accidents—Hard riding—Removal to Swanmere—Death of Mrs. Smith—Society at Exton—Sir Joseph Yorke and others—Visit to London—Resigns the Hambledon hounds
• Chapter V. Becomes Master of the Craven Hunt—A daring leap—The horse General—Repartee of Mr. Warde—Anecdote of H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester—Troubles with young hounds—“A haunch of fox”—The Grey Withers—The Swing riots—Gives up the Craven
• Chapter VI. Second marriage—A theory on Stonehenge—Mr. Beck-ford’s Letter on the Rights of Fox-hunters—Publishes “The Diary of a Huntsman”—A run with the Royal stag-hounds—Death of Vampire—Plan for kennels and stabling
• Chapter VII. Declines the offer of various Hunts—Visit to Scotland—Residence in Dorsetshire—“Tremulous to her new Master”
• Chapter VIII. Becomes Master of the Pytchley Hunt—Management of the hounds—Difficulties—Lord Spencer—Kind conduct of the Duke of Buccleuch—Extraordinary runs—Resigns the Pytchley—Hints on buying horses—An unpleasant adventure
• Chapter IX. Visits to Scotland, Yorkshire, &c.—Sir Tatton Sykes’ establishment at Edlesthorpe—Anecdote of Sir Tatton—Castle Howard: runs with various packs—Anecdote of Lady Morgan—Visit to the Continent—Kindness of Mr. N. M. Rothschild and his family
• Chapter X. Returns to England, and resumes the Mastership of the Hambledon hounds—Purchases the Fir Hill estate, Droxford—His “Good-bye Day”
• Chapter XI. Publishes “The Life of a Fox, written by himself”—Visits the Duke of Beaufort at Badminton, and Lord Fitzhardinge—The bull-dogs and the bear
• Chapter XII. Life at Fir Hill—Serves the office of High Sheriff of Hants—Various suggestions and improvements