With the Old Berkeley Hunt

Fox hunting in Buckinghamshire in the early 1930s.

Two reels of film recording the activities of the Old Berkeley Hunt in the cubbing and hunting seasons. The first reel includes footage of a visit to the foxhound kennels at Coldmoreham and the progress of a cubbing meet starting at the River Chess, Solesbridge in August. The second reel includes footage of hunting meets at Latimer House, Bovingdon, Scatterdells, Amersham Broadway, Great Hampden, and Hartwell House. The first reel includes shots of the kennels and hounds at Coldmoreham; the hounds being exercised and returning to their kennels; a cubbing meet at River Chess, Solesbridge, including footage of a fox being dug out after ‘going to ground’, the training of young hounds after the kill and one rider attempting to contain a fox cub within a covert near Micklefield Hall. The second reel includes shots of the starts of hunting meets, including the initiation of new members of the hunt (Scatterdells), horses and hounds in the field and a fox’s carcass being thrown to the hounds after a kill. The film concludes with a shot after another kill in which a fox’s head is cut off and its body thrown in the air to the waiting hounds.

Featured Buildings

Reel 1 Coldmoreham kennels Moor Farm Reel 2 Latimer House Bull Inn, Bovingdon Crown Hotel, Amersham Market Hall, Amersham Hampden House, Great Hampden Hartwell House stables, Hartwell Hartwell House, Hartwell Hartwell House chapel, Hartwell Hartwell House bridge, Hartwell

Featured Events

Old Berkeley Hunt cubbing and hunting meets

Keywords

Fox hunting; foxhounds; cubbing meet; hunting meet; country sports; Buckinghamshire countryside; landscape history

Intertitles

Reel 1 A visit to the kennels Coldmoreham by Shardeloes After exercising hounds David calls them through into kennel One of David’s favourite ladies – Destiny – Some of the future entry ‘Cubbing’ starts in August, early in the mornings, while mist still lies in the valleys At 6.30 AM meet by the River Chess, Solesbridge By the River Chess near Moor Farm and Dodd’s Mill By Oldfield Wood (Clutterbuck’s Gorse) Near Ladies Wood and Cowcroft Gone to ground After the kill, young hounds are trained to recognise the features of their quarry Bating his saddleflap and cracking his whip:- A ‘whip’ turns back a venturesome cub. Near Micklefield Hall “Moving on” near Beechengrove 9 AM and breakfast time! After a draw among the rushes hounds are assembled for counting and inspection By the duck covert and River Chess, Latimer Park – Later near Westland Spring and Latimer House By Barne’s Grove Grim’s Ditch and Great Hampden Mid-morning still – but “cubbing” is finished. It is time to say “Goodnight” and go home End of first reel Reel 2 With the Old Berkeley Hunt Reel 2 Hunting begins in November with a meet at Latimer House and the hospitality of Lord and Lady Chesham A cloudy meet at Bovingdon. Bertram Mills’ old times coach is among the first arrivals Blooding the new entry at Scatterdells, and a nice little lep out of “the wings” A meet at Amersham Broadway At Great Hampden A plucky young sportsman! Things seen at Hampden Common, Barnes Grove and Hillock Wood ‘The Vale’ is a country where foxes run fast and far. At Hartwell House The hunt moves off. The bridge is the central arch of old Kew Bridge Taking the half crown cap for the wire fund Gone Away! And the photographer would give a thousand cameras for a horse! A fox is viewed beyond the gate – but hounds hold their own line The end of a perfect day The End

Other Places

Reel 1 Coldmoreham kennels; River Chess, Solesbridge; near Moor Farm, by the River Chess; Dodd’s Mill, by the River Chess; by Oldfield Wood, Clutterbuck’s Gorse; near Ladies Wood; near Cowcroft; near Micklefield Hall; near Beechengrove; by the duck covert and River Chess, Latimer Park; near Westland Spring; Latimer House; Barne’s Grove; Grim’s Ditch; Great Hampden Reel 2 Latimer House; Bovingdon; Scatterdells; Amersham Broadway; Great Hampden; Hampden Common; Barnes Grove; Hillock Wood; Vale of Aylesbury; Hartwell House

Background Information

With the Old Berkeley Hunt and At the Old Berkeley Point-to-Point near Kimble were exhibited to members of the Royal Photographic Society’s Kinematograph Group on 27 April 1934. The Photographic Journal, August 1934, pp. 417-8 includes a brief article about the screening. It indicates that Mr Alliott presented the film and discussed aspects of the production of With the Old Berkeley Hunt, notably the difficulties in following the hunt. Although the article acknowledges Mrs Alliott’s involvement in the production of the film, it does not elaborate on her role in the production, referring only to difficulties he faced, how he overcame them and the camera equipment used.