History
Overview d Edwin James
Douglas d From "Foxhunting in
Surrey and Sussex" Produced
by The Field Sports Press in the 1960s SURREY
UNION Master:
Mrs. Stuart-Hunt,
High Trees, Newdigate, Surrey. Hon.
Secretary: Col. D. B. Girling,
M.C., T.D., J.P., Highworth Farm, Charlwood,
Surrey. Huntsman: George
Holder. Whipper-in: D.
Strivens. Kennels: Oakwood Hill,
Ockley, Surrey. Hunting
Days: Wednesday and
Saturday
In the first half of the 12th Century, Henry I gave rights
by Royal Charter for the citizens of London to hunt in
Chiltern, Middlesex and Surrey. Records of the various packs
that hunted in Surrey from that time until the mid 18th
Century are scarce but in 1798 two private packs came
together to form the Surrey Union.
Twelve years after starting the Rev. Arthur Onslow become a
Master and was so popular the Hunt's fortunes were
established for many years to come. Other Masters have
included names well known in the annuals of Surrey history
such Evelyn and Ashcombe among others. Kennels have moved
with successive masters to various locations throughout
Surrey; Albury, Fetcham, Chobham Court until 1902 when they
were moved to new kennels in Bookham built for the Hunt by
Lord Ashcombe finally moving to their present site in
Okewood Hill in 1920
The Findon Village Pages have some excellent material, with
photographs about Edwin Douglas, the artist. Edwin achieved
his ambition of becoming a member of the Surrey Union Hunt
in 1875 under the mastership of a fine old sportsman, the
Honourable Francis Scott. Visit the site HERE
(opens on a new window). The main hunting material is
HERE
(opens in a new window).
THE Surrey Union is yet
another example of a hunting country with its centre of
gravity gradually shifting southwards, owing to urban
encroachment from the north. It is now many decades since
the purlieus of Malden, Kingston, or Chessington heard the
cry of hounds. Leatherhead, once in the very centre of the
country, is now likewise beyond the pale. But the Hunt is
now firmly entrenched behind the escarpment of the North
Downs, between Guildford and Dorking, southward from which
they have a better hunting country than they have ever
enjoyed in their relinquished territory Thus has tradition
been rewarded. A tradition summed up nearly a hundred years
ago when, the Surrey Union being in difficulties, Mr. W. H.
Curries stoutly declared that "The Bishops may be turned out
of the House of Lords, the Peers abolished, or even the
Queen dethroned; but foxhunting is an institution that can
never cease throughout England!" - and promptly set about to
prove his words, as far as the Surrey Union was
concerned.
To the south of the North Downs there lies the big sandstone
ridge, in which are comprised such famous heights as Leith
Hill, Holmbury, and Coneyhurst, with Hurtwood Common just
above them. These hills provide a sandy, moorland country
where hound work can be enjoyed to full advantage and hounds
have to really hunt their fox, and long, persevering
hound-hunts are usually rewarded. It is a country to test
the working qualities of a pack and the skill of the
huntsman. Southward from here the country extends into
Sussex, as far as the road from Three Bridges to Horsham,
the extreme portion being a loan from the Crawley and
Horsham. This may be termed "weald" country, a mixture of
vale and woodland, the former being about equal parts
pasture and plough. The soil is clay, and rides deep when
wet, but then carries a rare scent. The fences are strong,
often perched on banks, and with a ditch either "to" or
"from" you. Timber has to be negotiated - more so in these
days than before the war, when there was less wire about the
place.
The eastern Hunt boundary runs with the main Brighton line,
which being electrified, makes the Crawley & Horsham
loan doubly welcome. On the west, the boundary is the
Horsham-Guildford road by Cranleigh, where a small slice of
territory has been loaned to the Chiddingfold Farmers.
The name of the Hunt suggests some sort of amalgamation at
some time or other, and such appears to be the case. For
towards the end of the eighteenth century there were two
packs of hounds, one kept by a Mr.. Leach of Lee, near
Godalming, and the other by Mr. Godsall of Albury, these two
gentlemen hunting the east and west sides of the country
respectively. Of Mr. Leach we know little; but Mr. Godsall
was said to be rather a tetchy individual. His hounds were
kennelled in an old farm house in Dogkennel Lane. The two
establishments were eventually united, this being the
supposed origin of the name of the Hunt, of which Mr.
Godsall was the first Master.
In 1802, a Meeting was called at Hatchlands Park, the
residence of Colonel Sumner,
M.P., at which Mr. Godsall announced his resignation and
offered his hounds to anyone who cared to take them. The
offer was accepted by the Rev. Hugh Onslow. Colonel Sumner
provided kennels at East Clandon, and the new Master was
given absolute discretion.
Parson Onslow was succeeded by Captain Boulton who appears
to have had two terms of office. Mr. Seawell was also Master
for a period, his reign being terminated, we are told, on
Derby Day, 1822, from which we may draw our own conclusions.
Mat Archer was huntsman for many seasons, and was a bit of a
character. On one occasion, when a gentleman's horse had
kicked a hound, Mat remarked in disgust, in the culprit's
hearing, "If you calls him a man of eddication, be damned to
your eddication, say I".
The most notable personalities in the first half of the
century were undoubtedly Squire John Barnard Hankey, who
during his first Mastership moved the kennels to Fetcham
Park; his son-in-law, Colonel Hume Sumner and his brother,
Captain Francis Barnard Hankey, R.N. Between them they
covered the period 1832 to 1866. The Surrey Union achieved
such popularity that is was necessary at one time to fix the
subscription at £100, it being decreed that no
subscriptions could be received from those who lived outside
the county. As so often happens, however, when a
particularly successful Mastership terminates, there was
some difficulty in finding a successor to Captain Hankey in
1866. This was the occasion when Mr. Currie came to the
rescue, and it was thanks to his efforts that the Hon.
Francis Scott was persuaded to take the hounds, George
Sumners was put on as huntsman, but the Master himself, when
hunting hounds on the occasion of his seventeenth birthday,
killed a brace, and accounted for a third. Hounds were again
kennelled at East Clandon.
Mr. J. Barnard Hankey (1876-1882) was the third member of
the family to hold the Mastership, the kennels being now
once more at Fetcham. Mr. Farnell Watson and Colonel
Pilkington Blake each had short terms of office, followed by
the long and successful regime of Mr. Thomas Bennett of
Cobham Court, where the hounds were kennelled. Mr. Bennett
retired after eleven seasons, there then being three short
Masterships, those of Mr. A. H. Tritton, Mr. A. Labouchere,
and Major Gouldburn In 1900, Mr. Bennett again came forward
as joint Master with Mr. George Longman but died suddenly at
the beginning of the season.
Mr. Longman's four seasons that followed were a distinct
highlight. There were two bitch packs, hunted by the Master
and Will Kennett respectively. New and commodious kennels
were erected by Lord Ashcombe at Bookham and the Hunt became
distinctly "smart".
Mr. F. D. G. Colman with Mr. Edward Murray, carried on the
the same tradition till 1913, the hounds achieving
considerable repute for their breeding, there being a pack
of forty-five couple. Mr. F. Hue Williams was Hunt
Secretary. For the years of the First War, Mr. Arthur
Tritton came back to the Mastership, Lord Maldon being
amateur huntsman, and Sam Kilbourn, later of the Bedale, 1st
whipper-in. The latter eventually hunted hounds.
In 1918, Mr. H. C. Lee Steer, member of a well-known family
of Sussex sportsmen, began his nine season Mastership, being
joined in 1922 by that staunch friend of the Surrey Union,
Mr. C. E. Heath. The kennels were now moved to their present
site at Oakwood Hill, near Ockley. The premises were
originally rented from Mr. Lee Steer, but are now the
property of the Hunt, being held by four subscribers. Mr.
Lee Steer being compelled to retire, owing to ill health, in
1927, Mr. Heath was then joined in the Mastership by Major
F. C. J. Naumann. This partnership lasted till 1930, after
which Major H. D. Roberts was joint Master with Mr. Heath
for the next seven seasons. Will Farmer was huntsman till
1931, when he was succeeded by H. Ashley. Leslie Amess came
as whipper-in the same season. Mr. M. B. Bovill was Hunt
Secretary for a number of years at this period.
In 1936, Major P. G. Evelyn came in as Joint Master with Mr.
Heath and Major Roberts, and the following season Jim
Goddard came as huntsman from the South-down. Major Roberts
retired at the end of the 1936-7 season, leaving Major
Evelyn and Mr. Heath to carry. on, till the death of the
latter in 1939. Mr. Heath, a well-known and respected figure
in the City of London, had been the mainstay of the Hunt for
many years, and it was largely due to his efforts and
enthusiasm that the breeding of the kennel had reached such
a high level.
On the outbreak of war Major Evelyn rejoined his regiment
the Grenadier Guards, and was posted as missing, believed
killed early in 1943. Meanwhile Colonel Bridges and Mrs.
Evelyn kept the Hunt going for the first season of the war,
after which it was decided to close down, keeping a few
hounds as a nucleus for a future pack. Major and Mrs.
Roberts took over the necessary management, Goddard giving
as much assistance as his war work permitted, and Mrs.
Goddard also giving a hand.
In the spring of 1945 it was decided to start hunting again
the following season, Mr. N. C. Tritton, whose family has a
long connection with the fortunes of the Hunt, and Mr. Roger
Sewill, coming forward as joint Masters, Mr. Sewill also
taking on the duties of Hunt Secretary, Jim Goddard
continued as huntsman, with Amess as 1st whipper-in, and Mr.
Tom Charman, a hunting farmer, as amateur 2nd whipper-in.
Starting with seventeen couple of hounds, a really good
working pack has since been built up. An Improvement Fund,
was raised by a £5 tax on subscriptions, with the
object of making the country more rideable, opening up rides
in coverts, and generally tackling the many post-war
problems which had arisen.
In 1950, Mr. Sewill was joined in the Mastership by Mr. H.
M. Gordon Clark, who also became Hunt Secretary. After five
seasons Mr. Clark retired from the Mastership, but continued
as Secretary, Mr. R. W. Wates, joining him in this post in
1955. Mr. R. Dutton Forshaw was then appointed joint Master
with Mr. Sewill, continuing thus until the death of the
latter in 1957. Mr. Roger Sewill's twelve successful seasons
of Mastership constituted a tremendous contribution to the
cause of foxhunting in this country. Mr. Dutton Forshaw was
joined in 1958 by Mrs. Stuart-Hunt, who became the first
lady joint Master of the Hunt. However, Mr. Dutton Forshaw
retired at the end of the 1959-60 season and Mrs.
Stuart-Hunt continues alone in the Mastership.
Jim Goddard also retired at the end of the 1959-60 season
and his successor was F. Hazeltine. The present Huntsman is
George Holder and the Hon. Secretary is Col. D. B. Girling,
M.C., T.D., J.P.