Mr. Edward Mashiter, M.F.H.
Mr. Edward Mashiter, better known in Essex under his old name of Helme, was born in 1842, and was entered to hounds at the age of eight in Thoby Wood in the Essex country, during the mastership of Mr. Henley Greaves. His love of hunting, which is as keen now as in his youth, is inherited from his father, Mr. Thomas Helme, who hunted for many years in Essex, residing at Thoby Priory. Mr. Mashiter was educated at Winchester, settled down in Essex in 1861, and from that time to the present has hunted with the Essex and the Essex Union Hounds. He became Secretary to the Essex Union Hunt in 1878, and held that office during Mr. White’s, Captain Carnegy’s, and part of Captain Kemble’s masterships. On resigning the secretaryship in 1891, he was presented with a testimonial, consisting of silver candelabra, by the members of the Hunt. Mr. Mashiter resided at Hornchurch Lodge, his father’s place, from 1867 until 1890, subsequently living a few years at Hou Hatch, Brentwood, and in 1898 became Master of the Essex Union Hounds, in succession to Colonel Hornby, and has continued Master to the present time.
In the ’seventies Mr. Mashiter twice narrowly escaped losing his life in the hunting field. Whilst hunting with the York and Ainsty Hounds, during the mastership of Colonel Fairfax, his horse was carried off his legs when crossing a ford of the River Nid, near Kirk-Hammerton, with the result that Mr. Mashiter had to swim across the river, but got safely out with a ducking. Some years afterwards, when hunting with the South and West Wilts, of which his cousin, the late Captain Burchall Helme, was then Master, a collision with a runaway horse in the village of Tisbury gave him a fall which knocked him out of time. The runaway broke its shoulder in two places and had to be destroyed.
Mr. Mashiter assumed the name of Mashiter instead of Helme in 1899 in accordance with the will of his great-uncle, Mr. Thomas Mashiter, of Hornchurch Lodge.
On undertaking the mastership of the Essex Union Hounds Mr. Mashiter put on Arthur Thatcher, who had been the first whipper-in to Mr. Fernie for several seasons, as huntsman, and very good sport Thatcher showed. He left the Essex Union after two seasons to go as huntsman to the Cottesmore, where he has made his mark as one of the best huntsmen of the day. George Tongue, from the Blankney, succeeded Thatcher and has given very great satisfaction in every way.
Mr. Mashiter is a magistrate for Essex. He has also been a director of the well-known Romford Brewery for many years, but has ceased to take an active part in business since he became Master of the Hounds. He married, in 1867, Augusta, who died in 1895, eldest daughter of the Rev. Henry Annesley Hawkins, of Topcliffe, Yorks, and a niece of the late Captain Cooper, known as “Billy Cooper,” well known in the coaching world as one of the best amateur whips in England.
Mr. Mashiter now resides at Gatwick, near Billericay, in order to be near the kennels.