The Eton College hunt

by Anthony Crommelin Crossley

III. That a board be put up at the beginning of the Easter Half for fellows to enter their names.

IV. That no one below Remove will be allowed to enter, and that the number be limited to 70, Fifth Form receiving the preference.

V. Of which there may be 20 Collegers.

VI. That one pound subscription be paid throughout.

VII. That the appointment (of Master) is in the hands of the Captain of the Boats, who may be guided in his choice by the result of the Steeplechase.

VIII. That when a Colleger is huntsman an Oppidan shall be first whip, and when an Oppidan is huntsman a Colleger is first whip.”

Thus did the amalgamation become an accomplished fact. It had been brought about not without some manœuvring and considerable difficulties. Certainly, however, from the rules which we have just quoted from the Journal Book, it seems as if College, as well as the remainder of the School, welcomed the change. “By the wishes of both parties” seems fairly to put the point beyond dispute, even though it was written by an Oppidan, W. C. Calvert.

The terms of the treaty seem eminently just. The suggestions of the Chronicle were obviously considered and were to a large extent adopted. The disparity of numbers (50 Oppidans, 20 Collegers) seems perfectly fair on reflection. The clause (VIII.) allowing either a Colleger or an Oppidan to be huntsman, but ensuring that if the huntsman be an Oppidan the first whip must be a Colleger, seems fairer than the Chronicle’s proposal that the huntsman should always be an Oppidan and the first whip a Colleger. The only peculiarity of the treaty is contained in Clause VII.; that the appointment of the Master should rest in the hands of the Captain of the Boats seems a mistake. Obviously the fittest person to choose the Master was the previous Master. The Captain of the Boats could not have known whether a boy possessed the necessary qualifications or not. But it does not greatly matter. So far as we know this privilege was never used. Indeed the whole treaty fell into abeyance before very long. The distinction between Collegers and Oppidans grew less and less, and only Clause IV. remained for any length of time. This limit of seventy was finally abolished in 1876. Unfortunately we have no record of the actual members of the E.C.H. after the amalgamation. But we do know that it proved an unqualified success and that beagling became more and more popular from this time onwards.

The amalgamated pack had a good set off in the season of 1867. F. E. Armitstead, who had been first whip of the College Beagles in the previous season, did not, surprisingly enough, become the first Master of the combined packs. Instead he took the first whip, and the more important office was occupied by W. C. Calvert, an Oppidan, who had not held any official position the previous year. During this season the E.C.H. gave up hunting drags, and from this time onwards the hare became the sole quarry. The pack consisted of 1½ couples of College hounds, one hound (Boscoe) from the Oppidan pack, and 2½ couples of hounds which had belonged to neither pack. In addition to these, there were 1½ couples of first season hounds, out of Jargon, by Smuggler, the property of the College Hunt; 2 couples presented by Mr. Calvert, and a couple lent by Lord Mandeville. In all nine couples of working hounds. Jargon and Joyful had both hunted with the pack since 1863, when the Journal Book was first kept. The former was evidently a most remarkable hound. She was a big “black, tan and white” bitch standing 16½ inches. There is a painted photograph of her in the Journal Book (1865), together with A. J. Pound, R. V. Somers-Smith, and another hound Valiant, and, judging from the number of times she is mentioned, she must have been a most reliable bitch with a good nose and plenty of dash.

As has already been remarked, bagged foxes and hares had been turned down occasionally in the previous seasons. Only once after this date was a bagged hare turned down, and this in the mastership of F. Johnstone. The first whip has made an entry in the Journal Book in which he expresses his loathing of this “sport,” and his hope that the Master would not provide any more bagged hares. After this date, no bagged hares were hunted, and with the exception of the annual drag at the end of the season the wild hare became the sole quarry.