Chasse

1870 · D11031 — England 1870s. Hardcover. Very Good. England Kent and Norfolk counties: c. 1871-1874. 8vo 175 x 115mm; 61 numbered pages in the hand of Charles W. Prescott detailing his various hunting excursions around the Kent countryside. Prescott’s ownership inscription on front free-endpaper is dated 1871. His entries are easily read and cover Prescott’s adventures on hunting hares with a skulk of foxes writing “Found another in the same field ran her straight back to Old Park round the pond and the pack hunted her beautifully….” “Dec. 16” 1871. The hunts took place over sprawling village and countryside or as he describes “hop-gardens” hills and “ploughs” of land in the Herne Bay area of Kent England. Many entries are headed by recognizable locations; Stroud Park Broomfield Hilsborough Wolston Heath and Chislet Mill and are dated with month and sometimes year. Only a portion of the way full his entries span about three years the first dated: “Oct. 19 ‘71 Stroud Park” and last “March 25 1874.” Contemporary black morocco marbled endpapers and marbled endpapers with original brass clasp faint splitting at lower hinge of first few leaves strengthened at endpapers corners rubbed otherwise in very good shape especially considering it was wielded around so much of the Kentish countryside. Prescott makes many personal anecdotes about his day noting things in his surroundings like “scent moderate” or adding his opinions “we could not kill I think we should have but the sun was too hot.” Prescott often ends the entries with jotting down the day’s weather as something like “very indifferent but as good as could be expected with a very cold east wind” or simply stating “Frost.” It is evident from Prescott’s personal asides that he was a vigilant huntsman quite dedicated to the task. Further personal glimpses reveal a record of his horses charming names including “Salt Fish” and “Molly Malone.” At the time Prescott was taking these notes Herne Bay area and the Kentish villages would have been teeming with people. The Victoria era was one of prosperity when elite English folk flocked to popular destinations to partake in their favorite pastimes. From 1873 on in the journal Prescott notes he was hunting with “Pytchley” by writing their name in parentheses. The Pytchley hunt is an organization originally based in Northamptonshire in formation as early at the 1630s. The organization is still active today. Pytchley’s website notes that from 1819-1873 right as Prescott began with Pytchley for one year the Althorp and Pytchley countries were hunted by one pack with a second pack established at Brigstock. Prescott was part of the famous hunt organization at a time when it was amid significant change and expansion. His notes may keep further clue of such growth. While the huntsman himself may be unknown to history the anecdotal evidence in Prescott’s diary gives us a glimpse of the Victorian man fond of his sport. <br/><br/> hardcover