The Fox Hunt Comes to Barwick - Extraordinary Scenes
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The Fox Hunt Comes to Barwick - Extraordinary Scenes
Barwicker No. 97
March 2010
A visitor to Barwick-in-Elmet on Tuesday 26th November
1912 may have been in for a nasty shock, the sight that
greeted their eyes may have caused them to quickly twist on
their heels and run at the fastest speed possible to leave.
They may have been greeted by the sight of most of the
villagers wielding shovels, spades, knives and pick-axes and
noisily growling for the spilling of blood. The Bramham
Moor Fox Hunt had strayed into the heart of the village!
That day's hunt had started at Becca Hall in Aberford. It had
already caught and killed two foxes when two more were
spotted at "Ryder's Whin" and from there they tried to make
their escape. One made off towards Potterton and freedom.
The other headed straight into the village of Barwick tearing
through many farm-yards and then behind the Gascoigne
Arms inn and straight down a hole on Hall Tower Hill. This
animal had a short foreleg, the rest probably lost in a
gamekeeper's trap, and only one eye, so was not as quick as
its companion.
The hue and cry of the huntsman, the horses and the hounds
had raised the alarm and many villagers swarmed out of the
cottages and onto the mound. Seeing what was happening
spades and pick-axes were produced and the two groups
hacked away at the hillside to try and get at the cowering
animal.
After thirty minutes the huntsmen gave up and left but
Barwickers being made of sturdier stuff carried on.
Eventually an 18 month old terrier was produced and sent
down the hole.
With this biting and snapping behind and the villagers
prodding and probing the hole the desperate fox decided to
make a dash for liberty. It almost made it when the
Blacksmith's son (assume this was one of the Collett family)
made a grab for it as it left the hole.
The wretched animal was caught but it twisted round and
furiously sank its teeth into the young lad's wrist and would
not let go. Man after man tried to force its jaws open while
the lad suffered in agony. Someone tried to strangle the fox
but, to no avail, it would not let go.
After a while someone produced a pocket knife and thrust it
into the foxes one good eye. Badly wounded it let go and was
swiftly dispatched. Nothing further is known about the
condition of the lad's wrist.
"It was a bit of reight good sport" commented one villager!
This particular fox was considered one of the worst of
thieves, 70 chickens had been killed in one night and many
others over the previous two weeks.
So extensive had been the losses that the poultry keepers of
the district had been bringing the dead fowls into the village
in barrows and selling them for between 9d and 1s each.
Source: The Skyrack Courier
DAVID TEAL
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