Eastington Park’s Basset Hounds

In recent years, unsurprisingly, hunting with dogs has largely fallen from favour. A generation ago, it was a fairly common occurrence to see the local fox hunt careering through the countryside, but no longer. But alongside this, there were sometimes other uses that dogs were put to, one of which is the subject of this article. In its heyday, Eastington Park (then called The Leaze) boasted a pack of Basset hounds, kept by Claude de Lisle Bush, the Park’s owner. Educated at Clifton College and commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1912, Claude saw action in the First World War. He was wounded at Ypres in 1914 but survived his injuries. Following the war, he was attached to the Kings African Rifles and served for some time in Mombasa, Kenya. Sadly, Claude’s time at The Leaze was to be cut short as he was once again sent to war. In January 1941, he was killed while fighting with the Gloucestershire Regiment. He is buried in Eastington churchyard.

Claude’s Basset pack seems to have been active particularly during the 1920s and 30s, and were frequently seen in and around the village, used mainly for hare coursing. During this period, Claude and his hounds were well known throughout the district. The dogs were looked after by his Master of Hounds, Jack Scarrat, although at times, he was assisted by local men Tom Smith and the late Wilf Hancock.

Remarkably, the photograph of the hounds on the banks of the Stroudwater Canal near Westfield Lock was re-discovered after many years by Wilf, used as backing behind an old framed painting!

The Eastington show

One of the biggest events on the social calendar was the annual show – sometimes referred to as the Eastington Horse Show, and at other times, the Eastington and Frocester Show. It’s not clear precisely when this started, but it had become well established by the 1920s. All the great and the good of local society were involved in some way with the show’s organisation, regularly presided over by the-now Captain and later, Major Claude de Lisle Bush. Not only did the show cater for horse owners, it also included sections for vegetables and flowers, along with a range of entertainments, music and athletic events. As part of this, ‘Eastington Park Basset Hounds’ sponsored a section for dogs that apparently attracted entries from far and wide.

It’s hard to visualise what an important event the annual show was for the village, and the number of people that regularly attended. For instance, in its coverage of the show in August 1935, the Gloucestershire Echo estimated that attendees had amounted to at least 5000! With Major Claude de Lisle Bush as the show’s president, the show was systematically built up so that increasingly, it also came to include both horticultural and industrial exhibitions, with many local enterprises using the occasion to showcase their skills and products. At least some of this success can be attributed to the Major’s generous financial backing, a move that encouraged others to do likewise. The Basset hound trophy remained a regular feature of the show until the Major’s untimely death in 1941.   

A large number of entries were attracted by the Eastington and Frocester Annual Horse and Horticultural Show and Sports.

Photographs of some of the events:-

(1) Miss M. A. Bullows on " Shanghai,"and (2) Mr. T. Glencross on "Cigarette " (prizewinners in the open jumping clas s).  (3) Mr. E. E. Hill's " Jim," taking the water jump in the Farmers' jumping class.   (4) Dr. J. G. McLannahan and Capt. Claude de Lisle Bush.   (5) L. Carpenter, of Bristol, on "Peggy" (winner of the Eastington and Frocester stakes).    (6) Mr. E. Davis on " Pongo" (winner of the one-mile pony race).   (7) Mr. V. H. Lewis (winner of the one-imile flat race, open).    (8) Finish of ladies' walking race, won by Miss Sylvia Hulbert.    (9) 100 yards scratch, open—T. Raighton wins in a close finish.    (10) Mr. E. E. Hill and Mr. D. Merrett (prizewinners in the Farmers' jumping class). (11 ) Mr. J. H. Cullimore's " Jack " taking the water jump.   (12) Some of the spectators.