HENRY TOLLEMACHE ESQ. M.P. AND SIR W. H. HORNBY BART. M.P.

If these gentlemen are as bold and impetuous in the House of Commons as they ever were in the hunting field, they would indeed make things hum. They are on the same side of the House, so they cannot be jealous indeed, nothing is more abhorrent from their nature but a generous emulation is pretty evident. I venture to assert that timber, even in the form of painted railway gates, will stop neither, nor anything else reasonably possible.

NATHANIEL COOKE ESQ.

(Apparently a favourite subject with Frank) 
 
Elsewhere called " BUTCHER BILL "

A pretty picture, full of poetry, especially as shown in the dress of the rider and the joints of his quadruped. Of him we speak on another page.

COLONEL THOS. MARSHALL C.B.

A bold rider on a bold horse. Both mean business, differing only in opinion as to the ace each would prefer. One hopes no evil result may be the consequence.

THE REV. W. G. ARMITSTEAD

The Editor here makes a present of himself as a humble victim on the shrine of his friend's satire, and, in the famous but mysterious words of Jaques in As you Like It, "hereby hangs a tale"

THE PASTOR AND HIS FLOCK

Pastor

REV. J. R. ARMITSTEAD

Flock

MRS. BOLTON LITTLEDALE, MISS MAY ROYDS, MRS. MARSHALL

One cannot but admire the natural way in which our Artist has provided simple and easy egress and change of pasture for The Flock, at the further end of the field; not that its fair members were averse or unable, on occasion, to make or find a way for themselves over hill, over dale, thro' bush, thro' briar." 

Indeed I call to mind some fugitive lines bearing on the subject, which ran somehow thus;

"Who is this like a swallow that skims o'er the brook,

With demeanour so modest, and downcast her look?

No wonder she waits for no lead from the Kirk,

For it is Mrs, Marshall and mounted on Chirk! 

If explanation is needed, I would mention that  “Chirk” was a good horse often ridden by Mrs. Marshall, and always with the downcast pose of neck and head so truly presented in the picture.

CAPTAIN PEARSON "SAM" AND NATHANIEL COOKE ESQ. "BUTCHER BILL"

May the Editor intervene for a moment to offer his humble apologies to both these worthies, for the liberty taken with familiar names and sobriquets? 

Captain PEARSON, after serving his Queen in more than one Cavalry regiment, as well as in the Volunteers, finally settled down in his native town of Macclesfield as a silk manufacturer, where his hospitality and bonhomie became proverbial. 

The story of the picture is this: Sam Pearson was doing a deal" with Mr. COOKE for his horse - but he entered the preliminary objection, that the horse was too slow for him. Now Sam rode an honest sixteen stone, which he entrusted to the care of great weight-carrying animals, of whom all he asked was, that they should amble along through a run at the rate of six miles an hour, and lob through the gaps as they lay in his way. "Too slow! " retorts Bill, "he is not so slow as yours;" - hence, at the instigation of a bystander, sprang the sporting match here given, the said match being thus made a contest, not of speed, but its absence, Please admire the earnest and determined expression on the benevolent face of one, and the humorous triumph in the backward glance of the other. 

H. R. CORBET ESQ.

Master of the Cheshire Hounds, 1866-1876 

Master and Huntsman of South Cheshire, 1876-1900 

Mr. CORBET, one of the finest horsemen Cheshire ever produced, has manifestly 

lost his fox. 

Deep dejection is plainly pourtrayed on Master and hounds. He reminds us of 

the LIVELE BO-PEEP of our childhood. 

Huntsman and Pack

Come Foxless back,

And trouble they had to find him;

Sad and alone 

He trudges home,

They trail their sterns behind them. 

JOSHUA DICKSON ESQ. & CAPT. E. PARK YATES

Again a contrast. Time had taught Mr. DICKSON a very old-gentlemanly method. 

He is poised in a gap, and in much greater danger from the impetuosity of the Master's mount than he is at all aware. Notice the use he makes of his hands. 

JAMES SEARLE ESQ. JAMES H. SMITH BARRY ESQ.

Conjecture cannot suggest the motive of this drawing, unless it is to present a contrast of seat and method of riding. 

One thing we feel is not meant, i.e., that Mr. SEARLE is meditating a violent assault on Mr. BARRY.  Mr. Searle was a kind and enthusiastic pursuer, as was Mr. Barry, and both their names are James, voila tout. 

Of Mr. Barry we will speak on a later page. 

CAPTAIN EDMUND PARK YATES OF INCE HALL

MASTER OF THE CHESHIRE, 1875-1895 

"Quis desiderio sit pudor aut modus 

Tam cari Capitis" - (Hor. Car. i. 24.) 

What Horace sang of Virgil may well be said of the subject of this plate; for what words could express the grief and regret we all felt at the sad and sudden end of our much loved Master, "tam cari Capitis"? 

A master of hounds has many, nay daily, opportunities for consulting his own private convenience, wishes, and comfort; and, naturally, has equal opportunities to forget himself and think only of the sport and desires of his field. According as he does one or the other, will he be regarded with esteem and affection. Certainly no one could be more considerate and self-forgetful than our Captain. 

When to this fine characteristic we add a noble presence, a genial manner springing from real kindness of heart, adequate means and an open-handed use of the same, and last, but not least, an inborn love of hounds and thorough knowledge of hunting in all its branches, and, as a graceful ornament, a popular Helpmeet, a true partner of his interests, we have indeed an ideal master such as can rarely be found. It did not need so tragical an end to a life of kindness and generosity to make our grief unlimited and our loss irreparable. Such was our PARK YATES! "He was a man, take him for all in all, we shall not look upon his like again." 

PIERS EGERTON-WARBURTON ESQ. OF ARLEY HALL

How much hunting in Cheshire owes to Mr. WARBURTON and his father (the late Rowland Egerton-Warburton, Esq.) may be easily inferred from the fact that in 1872 the latter, owing to loss of sight, retired from the secretaryship, an office he had held for thirty-five years, when his son (the present Mr. Warburton) was elected to succeed him, and he has carried on the management down to the present time—i.e., for thirty years. A service of 65 years by father and son!

In the year 1836, the number of subscribers to the Hounds was only 17. Now it is 83.

Of course, the secretaryship represents a small part of the debt. Mr. R. Warburton's poetry and songs must have had an incalculable effect in maintaining the spirit and "go" of the Hunt. Would that we had his refined and beautiful figure and features portrayed in our book, but his active pursuit had ceased when Mr. Massey began his series of portraits—hence our loss.

His son, though he does not exercise the father's poetical gifts, wields a most skilful pencil; and to him we are indebted for the likeness of our Artist which adorns the first page of our Album. His private collection is full of striking and life-like drawings, mostly pen and ink, of quite a number of persons connected with our Field.

'Tis pleasant to know that a still later generation is fitly represented by a son, now at Christ Church, Oxford, who may be trusted to carry on the traditions and tastes of his family, whose place, Arley, I should add, has ever been a very stronghold of foxes.

COLONEL LEGENDRE STARKEY OF HUNTROYD PARK AND HORATIO BEHRENS ESQ.

We have here a most sporting match, instigated by Captain White and Lord Combermere, who are looking on, whose verdict on the finish was, "Wins by a Nose"; but whether that nose was an equine nose or a human, was always a moot point, for the riders were both specially and bountifully dowered in that expressive feature.

EARL GROSVENOR AND PETER COLLISON

These two names were for a long time "familiar in men's mouths as household words."

As master and huntsman of the Cheshire, they were second to none. LORD GROSVENOR resided at that time at Calveley Hall, in the very cream of the country. At his father's death he became Marquis, and afterwards the first Duke, of Westminster.

Vain and needless, and perhaps impertinent, to speak of his character and public career, for the whole civilised world knew and admired them; and many an object of charity, private and public, had cause to lament his death. PETER COLLISON, his huntsman, was a good servant, rather of the order
celebrated with Mr. Jorrocks in the person of James Pigg.

AUGUSTUS DE TRAFFORD Esq. AND CECIL DE TRAFFORD Esq.

These two brothers of Sir Humphrey, aforementioned, were, through a whole generation, among the very flower of the Cheshire Hunt, well mounted and properly dressed. Where hounds went, there was AUGUSTUS DE TRAFFORD; and when they ran hardest, and longest, there, if you could attain the neighbourhood yourself, you would surely find CECIL DE TRAFFORD.

BOLTON LITTLEDALE OF SANDIWAY HOUSE

This Plate seems to me to be one of the happiest inspirations in the Album.
Mr. Littledale was a warm and active friend of foxes and hunting, and
to represent him as viewing away TWO foxes from one of his own gorses, with hand uplifted to enjoin silence, and with so pleased an expression on his kindly face, is an idea worthy of all admiration.

I believe on more than one occasion he purchased a farm just because it had
a good covert on it, and he has actually been known, after his dinner, to turn out again on a winter's night, in order to see for himself that there had been no foul play towards a fox run to ground that day on his property. Show me anyone capable of so active goodwill in these days, and I will take off my hat to him in all honour and respect! Happily for Cheshire he has left in his son a worthy representative of his name and fame. 

Fortes creantur fortibus et bonis," &c.

HARRY RAWSON EsQ. AND F. E. MASSEY EsQ.

Our Artist here shows his good humour by putting himself in a position and posture of very modified dignity; and he represents his old friend, Mr. RAWSON, as rubbing in the situation: Oh, Mr. Massey," and so forth - but let us turn over the leaf.

Look on this picture, and - Harry Rawson again

HARRY RAWSON AGAIN!

on this!

Notice the change of countenance,
    "Quantum mutatus ab illo Hercule"!

Happily the paper does not give utterance to our friend Harry's remarks to his mare, who is complacently feeding on the bank: "Oh! you!"  Let us leave him and the Artist to console themselves and each other, with the true though trite  judgment of our poet — 
    "We are all of us Tailors in turn."

COLONEL H0N. THOMAS CHOLMONDELEY

A scion of Vale Royal, - in the words of Farmer Dobbin -
    "A chip of owd Lord Delamere, the Honerable Tum."

A heavy-weight, but fine rider to hounds, and admirable judge of a good horse. He commanded the 1st Cheshire Militia for many years, whilst they were permanently embodied, and quartered in Chester on garrison duty, during the Crimean War. Amongst other high merits, he was the father of that excellent soldier, Col. H. Cholmondeley, C.I.V., C.B., and of two other good sportsmen, Randal and Henry Cholmondeley.

CAPTAIN JOHN WHITE

Master the Cheshire, 1841-1855
on
"ALICE GREY"

           "Vixere fortes ante Agamemnoma
            Multi, sed omnes . . . . 
            Urgentur . . . . . longa
            Nocte, carent quia vate sacro."
                                          (Hor. Carm. iv, 9.)

    Old Horace was quite right, and so many a hard man has "lived" and passed into darkness before the days of our hero, in Homeric phrase "King of Men" and "Tamer of Horses," and their features and deeds have been lost to posterity, because they lacked the pen of a Warburton and the pencil of a Massey. We are more happy, and so while we feast our eyes on the fine seat of JACK WHITE mounted on his famous and shapely mare, let us listen to our Poet's friend, "Farmer Dobbin," describing a meet of the Cheshire, where among many other celebrities he says, in his own vernacular tongue -
    "I seed that great commander in the saddle, Captain Whoit,
     An the pack as thrung'd abut him was indeed a gradely soight;
     The dugs look'd foin as satin, an himsel look'd hard as nails,
     An he giv the swells a caution not to roid upo' their tails.
     Says he, 'Young men o' Monchester and Livverpoo, cum near,
     Oiv just a word, a warning ward, to whisper in your ear
     When, starting from the cuvver soid, ye see bawd Reynard Burst,
     We canna 'ave no 'unting if the gemmen go it first.'"
   
Many a time since then has the same sermon been preached to deaf ears, and in these latter days those pretty little deaf ears have gleamed beneath the brim of a glossy feminine hat . . . - but here in terror I let fall my pen!

SIR GRESLEY PULESTON BART. PHILIP GODSAL ESQ. Master of Harriers AND SIR WATKIN W. WYNN BART. M.F.H.

"An expostulation and a gentle retort"

W.W. "I say, Godsal, they tell me your hounds have been hunting my foxes?"

P.G. "Well, Watkin, if they have, they tell me your hounds often hunt my hares!"

VISCOUNT COMBERMERE CUDWORTH POOLE ESQ. OF MARBURY

At one time there was no one of more authority in hunting and horsy circles than LORD COMBERMERE. What he did not know about a horse, of any kind, might safely be disregarded altogether. And he was no less remarkable for the genial courtesy of his manner than for his universal knowledge in matters of sport. He was also the father of Lady Alexander Paget, of whom more anon. Where Lord Combermere was, you might commonly expect to see Mr. POOLE, who was his constant companion and friend - a sort of fidus Achates.

WILBRAHAM TOLLEMACHE ESQ. OF DORFOLD HALL

The brother of the first Lord Tollernache, of Peckforton Castlc, and therefore a member of a leading Cheshire family, few men in his time were better known, both in Cheshire and Leicestershire, as brilliant and daring riders to hounds.
In the latter days of his life, while living at Dorfold, he was a rather infrequent attendant of the chase, but when out he seemed by instinct to take his natural place alongside of the leading hound, or by 'r lady a few strides in advance, and not seldom immediately followed in the second place by his daughter, Miss Alice Tollemache, to both of whom nothing in the way of timber or water seemed to come amiss. Somehow, on thc present occasion, Miss Tollemache has dropped out of the picture.

WILLIAM ROYLANCE COURT ESQ. OF THE MANOR

Mr. COURT, as his dress and mount indicate, was no less celebrated as a rider of steeplechases than with hounds. Indeed, at one part of his life he might almost be said to farm the then Tarporley Races. Being a light-weight, he always rode thorough-bred horses, mostly of his own breeding, and was more than a match for the others on hunters pure and simple. Still he was a genuine supporter of the Hunt, and had always foxes in his gorse and hospitality in his house.

HARRY BROOKE EsQ. OF CHURCH MINSHULL AND F. E. MASSEY ESQ., OUR ARTIST

In Mr. BROOKE we have another real old-fashioned sportsman. He was good all round - good rider, good shot, good fellow. 

Of Mr. MASSEY we have spoken elsewhere, and will only mention that he has had here the rare good fortune of pourtraying himself and his horse - to both of which, and especially his favourite yellow horse, he has, we think, done full justice.

GEOFFREY SHAKERLEY Esq, JOHN DIXON ESQ. AND SIR HUMPHREY DE TRAFFORD BART

   Three rare old specimens of the true Cheshire breed; albeit the family of one of the three had migrated originally from Yorkshire, and another lived just over the border in Lancashire. Still they were all three members of Tarporley, and of just the Cheshire type, keen sportsmen, delighting in hunting, and real, warm-hearted country gentlemen. Hear our friend "Farmer Dobbin" -
   "I see Squoir Geffey Shakerley, the best un o' the breed,
    His smoiling feace tould plainly how the sport wi' him agreed;"
and again —
  "Eh! what a mon be Dixon John, of Astle Haw, Esquoir,
   You wudna foind, and measure him, his marrow in the shoir."

   True, for no less famous for his stature was Mr. Dixon, than for the generous warmth of nature.

   Each of these three worthies has left good and true descendants. Two of them, Colonel G. SHAKERLEY and Sir HUMPHREY, do not reside in the County, but all of them still take a warm interest in Cheshire hunting.

   Colonel Dixon, the third, is in all respects a thorough country gentleman, useful in all public affairs of his County, Chairman of the County Council, but with always good foxes in his coverts at Astle, ready for the hounds if they can catch them.

FRANK ELCOCKE MASSEY Esq.

All are familiar with the celebrated epitaph of Sir Christopher Wren in St. Paul's: "Si monumentum requiris circumspice" and many remember its satirical application to a famous physician.

Surely, almost the same epitaph would fit the case of Mr. MASSEY: "Si monumentum requiris Prospe." If you wish to hear and see what our Artist was, look on " through the following pages.

His fine private character is too well known to need reference ; but as a skilful and humorous delineator of the harmless but amusing peculiarities of his associates in the hunting field, the present publication may perhaps throw a more or less new light, and as his drawings will carry forward the memory of his friends, in the same degree will they serve to perpetuate his own; so to all we repeat Si monumentum requiris Prospice."

Just look on through these pages - and see in them the insight and observation of a true artist, the spirit of a sportsman, and the kindly feeling of a generous friend.