The Biography of Selby Lowndes
This and linked pages will grow into an archive of material, pictorial, literary and factual about the East Kent Hunt. It is not an official East Kent archive and in no way represents the views, opinions or policies of the Masters.
This first page contains material from the biography of Selby-Lowndes, one of the most famous masters of the EKH, which was published in the 1930s.
The East Kent Hunt
1814
Frederick
Brockman Master from 1832 - 1870
Henry W.
Selby-Lowndes
Mid Kent
Staghounds
Whipper-Ins
1908
The East Kent Hunt dates back to the eighteenth century although records are lacking prior to Sir Henry Oxenden's time (1814). Sir Henry hunted a noted pack of spayed bitches for 14 years.
Mr. Frederick Brockman was Master for 38 years. He was credited with creating a fine spirit and encouraging the love of fox-hunting among the farmers, villagers and indeed all classes in East Kent. He was also noted for a wicked sense of humour.
"He asked all his tenants to a
rabbit shoot with beagles. He gave them all a drink before they
started and put a little jalap into each glass. When they reached the
wood, a ladder was provided, and each man made use of it in turn to
ascend a tree, there to await the rabbits. The ladder was then
removed until some time later, and they were left with no possible
means of descent!"
It was during this period that Old Norris was retained.
The painting, by Stephen Pearce was commissioned in April
1866.
Mr. Henry W. Selby-Lowndes was Master
of the East Kent Hunt from 1900 until 1930. He took up his post on
1.5.00 and, like Mr Jorrocks, was "desperate anxious to make a
start". His first hunt with the East Kent was a cubbing meeting on
22nd August at Acrise. He took the doghounds out at 4am. His diary
states:
"Found a strong litter in Acrise Wood. Scent fair. Bustled round
the wood for half an hour and away, having changed on an old fox. A
cracker for twenty minutes before we could stop them. Came back to
Acrise, but cubs had made themselves scarce. Found in adjoining shave
and ran with an improved scent in cover back to Acrise and rattled
him sharply for thirty minutes and killed. Satisfactory morning.
Young hounds entered well. Home at ten o'clock."
And so began a career that was to last for thirty years. Future
expansion of this site will include more tales of the redoubtable
Selby-Lowndes, a man with a reputation for strong views and stronger
language. Suffice to say that he was:
"No feather-bed and motor-car Master and during his first cubbing
season he had often twelve miles and more to travel to five o'clock
fixtures, which necessitated him rising at two o'clock and walking to
kennels (two miles) in top boots, to make a start with hounds at
three o'clock. Yet after a long morning's cubbing it was no uncommon
thing to find him playing in a village cricket match in the
afternoon."
Selby Lowndes hunted with the Mid Kent Stag Hounds from time to time. The biography recounts tales of astonishing hunts including one that took their quarry from south of Ashford into the sea to the north near Whitstable where the beast was rescued by fishermen. This photograph is taken from the biography of Harry Buckman MFH of the Ashford Valley Hunt.
John Cody and Bert Savage whipped in for Selby-Lowndes before the first war.
