'Chappie'

Arguably the best known of the Coniston huntsmen, Anthony Chapman began as whipper in to Ernie Parker in 1932 and became huntsman from 1944 to 1976 when he retired. His story is told in the book “Hark Forrard” edited by Anne Bonney.

However “Chappie” was interviewed by the Ambleside Oral History Group in 1981 about his life and times and they have agreed to my publishing the first three pages of the transcript but in order to “read the remainder” there is no charge, it is necessary to mail the group and “join” this can be done by using the link below and then click on SEARCH ARCHIVES.

It is well worth taking the time and trouble to do so as the archive has many interviews with people who mention hunting in Lakeland and their memories of ... a veritable gold mine of knowledge.

To read the full transcript of this interview go to http://www.aohg.org.uk/ and then click on SEARCH ARCHIVES

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AMBLESIDE ORAL HISTORY GROUP
Ambleside Public Library
Kelsick Road
Ambleside
Cumbria LA22 9DQ

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW
© 1981 Ambleside Oral History Group
RESPONDENT CODE: AE
Name Anthony Chapman
DATE OF INTERVIEW: 09/02/1981
INTERVIEWER: SF

FRONTSHEET
MAIN CONTENTS OF INTERVIEW

1 - 2 Origins of Coniston Foxhounds. Sport vs. necessity. Early days
hunting.
3 - 4 Work in kennels. Veterinary services. Hound breeding.
5 - 6 Trail hounds. Otter packs. Starting farming.
7 - 8 Conditions of hunt servants. Foxes killed annually. 32 years as
huntsman.
9 - 10 Payment and conditions. War-time hunting. Train accident.
11 - 13 Hound losses and rescues. Fox cunning.
14 Hunting dog foxes vs. vixens.
15 - 16 Story of 4 hounds lost on Kentmere hunt.
17 - 18 Knowledge of individual hounds. Terriers.
19 Story of Kentmere 'terrier hunt'.
20 Training, laziness and casting
ALSO: Butchery. Whipper-in. Crag
Collies. Couples.

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW
I. In case you say anything you don't want to go on the tape -
R. No, for fear I forget something.
I. Oh aye, but it'll go back because somebody gets it later and types it out for us and if there's anything that we've missed, we come back and ask about it again, so I hope its recording now, I think it is. So what I want to do is ask you now
R. You start and ask me questions.
I. Something about the hunting scene. When did you come in to hunting yourself, have you always known about hunting?
R. I have.
I. Because you were a hunting family?
R. That's right.
I. How far does hunting go in your family?
R. Oh, in the 1880s, and further back.
I. Even further back than 1880s?
R. Yes, yes
I. Since the beginning of the pack, of the Coniston Hounds?
R. No, no, no.
I. When were the Coniston Hounds started?
R. In 1825.
I. In 1825?
R. Yes.
I. Here?
R. No, no
I. They started in Coniston Hall?
R. That's right.
I. And where is that, on Coniston Lake somewhere?
R. Its down by the Lake.
I. Ah yes, by the Lake.
R. It belongs to the National Trust now, Coniston Hall does.
I. And was it a private gentleman who started the Pack?
R. Yes, he started a private pack in them days.
I. Tell me, do you think they started that pack because the fox needed controlling or because people wanted sport, back in 18
R. It would be sport in them days, proper, yes.
I. And it was started as a sport?
R. Yes it was.
I. Looking at it now, I know there's a sport element.
R. Yes.
I. And a need element?
R. Yes.
I. Which is the greatest, do you think?
R. Well, for me, it was the sport.
I. The sport, yes.
R. The sport was.
I. From the point of view of the Lake District and the farmer, who are
your customers, do you think that . . .
R. Now its a necessity, now it is, yes.
I. Why have things changed so much that it's a necessity?
R. Well, I think they're both combined, you know, yes.
I. Its really a combination, is it?
R. Yes it is.
I. But there's no other way, is there, of dealing with the foxes?
R. Not up here, no, no, no, no, there isn't.
I. Have they ever tried any other ways?
R. Well, I think now, years ago, all these big houses, you know, that
had ground, they used to keep gamekeepers as well, didn't they, and they controlled the foxes as well.
I. And they've all disappeared?
R. Aye, they've all gone.
I. That's only left you?
R. That's it, yes.
I. Things have changed a lot. That's something I'd never thought of.
R. Same as Rydal Hall, all these estates, they nearly always had
gamekeepers, because they were shooting sort of families.
I. Pheasant?
R. Yes, that's it, aye, aye.
I. What's your earliest memory of hunting yourself? Your father was in
it?
R. Yes.
I. He was the Huntsman?
R. Yes, my earliest recollection was when I was about, oh, nine or ten
year old, I used to help him, as much as I could.
I. What, with the hounds, or actually go to the hunt?
R. Yes, I'd go hunting as well. I used to help him up at them kennels. I
used to enjoy it.
I. Were you a schoolboy then?
R. Yes, yes. I went to school from Rydal, I was born behind, at Cote
Howe Cottages, that's just up going towards Rydal Lake.
I. Did you take time off school to go to the hounds, or was it after
school?
R. Yes, we used to run away, used to run away from school in them days. Aye. If the hounds come anywhere near, well, we used to go.
I. What, everybody, the whole school?
R. No, no, just them that was keen, keen on't job.
I. Did you get into trouble?
R. Er, no, because our schoolmaster in them days was a hunting man as well.
I. So he didn't mind?
R. No. Folk there called him Mr Todd. He was called after a fox!
I. Was that his real name?
R. Yes, Mr Todd, yes. Yes, yes, it was.
I. But after school you'd come and help at the kennels?
R. Yes I did.
I. Where were the kennels then? The same ones that we know?
R. Yes, up Greenbank, yes.
I. Where they are now?
R. There they are now, yes.
I. But you wouldn't have any light or heat or anything up there?
R. No, no, nobbut an auld candle. And they were made out of sheep fat, they were home-made.
I. Who made them?
R. There was an old lady up at Nook End used to make them, these auld candles. Yes.