Meet at Shenington on 1st December.

Following the meet at Wroxton Abbey on Friday, the Warwickshire mixed pack found a fox in the Laurels. They raced him over the lawn, and with Wroxton village on the left went across the Wroxton Road going through Regnal Gorse to the Horley Vineyards where the pilot was lost after a run of half-an-hour. Horley Vineyards did not hold any foxes, but one ran in a small ring from Regnal Gorse until he got to ground. The pack then moved to Claydon Hill, and pursued a fox from there, leaving Balscote Mills on the right, Miller’s Osiers on the left, and right-handed over the Shutford Road. Then with Fleur de Lys on the left and Farmington Gorse on the right they continued past Gulliver’s Osiers, and with Tyne Hill Gorse on the left the hounds ran past Sibford Ferris, going right-hand down to Traitor’s Ford. There they bore to the right, running into the Heythrop country for some distance. Then turning to the left they ran back, leaving Hook Norton on the right until pursuit was stopped as they were pointing to Traitor’s Ford after a good run of two-and-a-half hours with a very good scent. The small field included Lord North (on wheels), the Misses Fitzgerald, A. J. Waldron, Gaskell and Hoskyns, Mrs Hargreaves, and Messrs Gibson, Walker, Gibbs, Page and others.

Harwood’s House was the Warwickshire fixture on Saturday. The frost had made the ground very treacherous. Major Lord Willoughby de Broke was in command, and the field included several members of the Warwickshire Yeomanry. Among those out were Mr R. Eminett Gaskell, Mr T. S. Chappell, Mr Barker, Mrs and Miss Buckmaster, Mr P. C. Puckle, Mr Phillips, Mr Warr and others. The pack found a fox at Chesterton Wood. They hunted him twice round the wood and across the Warwick to Banbury Road. They went up to Bromson hill and over Bromson Road, and after re-crossing the Warwick to Banbury Road proceeded to Chesterton Mill Pool, where they lost the pilot after a spin of twenty minutes. Finding again in Chesterton Mill Pool hounds ran past Mr Greenslade’s, and turning left-handed they bore over Brinker’s Hill, past Harbury Fields and down to the Great Western Railway line. They continued through the rear of Harbury, going on nearly to Ewe Field Coppice, but there scent failed after a chase of forty-five minutes. Checkley’s Brake proved to be a blank, but a fox discovered just beyond scuttled to ground at once in front of the pack. Hounds next invaded Verney’s Gorse without finding, but at Bishop’s Gorse a customer made a line past Westfield and Meadow Lane at Lighthorne, and baffled pursuit.

The Warwickshire bitch pack on Tuesday invaded Golden Cross, but without success. Next they found and killed near Blackwell Bushes after a good chase of thirty minutes. Returning to Golden Cross, hounds found again, and ran well for half-an-hour going into Ilmington Hills, but there they lost the line. Afterwards, Sir Grey Skipworth’s covert at Tredington proved to be blank, but hounds discovered another customer at Idlicote Brake. They raced round the hill, going on past the grove, and leaving the gorse on the left, ran through Idlicote Brake again. Then they left Old Dyke on the right, going past Compton Wynyates, but eventually lost their pilot between Epwell Warren and Shenington after a very nice spin of about an hour, and returned to the kennels without having tasted blood. Mr George Game was in command but it was a small field.

Postmen are discussing among themselves the propriety of collecting Christmas boxes from the public this year, and there is much diversity of opinion. The matter is not so simple as it might first appear. The postmen claim that Christmas boxes are part of their entitlement of office, and the right to gather them in cannot be abolished without compensation. Should they forego the claim this year the men are afraid that, once the continuity is broken, it will be difficult to obtain as much in 1915 as they did in 1913. Thus they think it would be unwise to drop the custom. On the other hand, many of the regular postmen are at the front, and the public may not care to give to the temporary officers, and in any case, a good many people may find the existence of the war a good reason for discontinuing the gifts. Again the Christmas presents and Christmas cards this year will be much decreased, and there is a general idea that the Christmas gratuity is a recognition of the additional work put upon the postmen by this extra traffic. Christmas in any case is probably the time for postmen, the Postmaster General and the Treasury to decide on any remuneration as the public response is likely to be much reduced.

Success of the Appeal

In our last week’s issue we appealed for £25 in order to supply each man of the 52nd the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, with a case of iodine for immediate application to any wound he might sustain. The appeal has been generously responded to, and we are glad to announce that, mainly owing to the liberal contribution received from the Banbury Steeplechase Committee, we have secured the amount asked for. We are therefore enabled to forward to the regiment, through Mrs Davies of the Manor House, Godmanstone, Dorchester, Dorset, the wife of the commanding officer, a sum which will represent a present from the town and neighbourhood of Banbury of a particularly valuable character. The subscribers include:

• Banbury Steeplechase Committee £10, 0s. 0d.
• Mrs Holbech, Farnborough £1. 0s. 0d.
• Miss Prater, Farnborough £0. 2 s. 6d.

Avon Dassett Parish Registers