South Devon Hunt

The South Devon Hunt or South Devon Foxhounds is a foxhound pack in Devon, England. The country spans an area entirely within the county of Devon, predominantly on the East side of Dartmoor, out to the sea. Traditionally, the country was the land between the River Exe and the River Dart from Exeter to Totnes.

History

Foundation by George Templer
Whilst hunting had almost certainly occurred in the area before, the South Devon Hunt was founded by landowner George Templer, the owner of the Stover estate in Teigngrace. The exact date of formation is unknown, but by 1810 a number of hounds were drafted from Stover to the Duke of Rutland's Belvoir Hunt, in a rare instance of one of the country's pre-eminent traditional hunts bringing in hounds from another pack. This must mean that the hounds must have been of some quality, and presumbly had been bred so over a number of preceding years.

Templer was focused on the chase, rather than catching the fox, and was known for catching the foxes alive after they had been run down by the hounds, where they were caught for release in the future. One fox, nicknamed "The Bold Dragoon" was noted to have been caught and released no fewer than thirty-six times.

In 1826, Templer was forced to sell Stover following the collapse of his business under the costs of building the Haytor Granite Tramway, and the hunt took the only break in its history, with no meets in the 1826–7 season.

Templer died at his new home of Sandford Orleigh, Newton Abbot in December 1843 following an accident in the hunting field.

Masters
The following have all been masters of the South Devon Hunt.
 18xx-1826 - George Templer
 1827-1829 - John King of Fowlescombe
 1829-1843 - Sir Walter Palk Carew, 8th Baronet of Haccombe
 1843-1845 - Captain Martin E Haworth
 1845-1849 - Thomas Veale Lane
 1849-1851 - Sir Henry Paul Seale, 2nd Baronet of Mount Boone
 1851-1856 - John Whidborne
 1856-1865 - Sir Henry Paul Seale (second mastership)
 1865-1875 - Thomas Westlake
 1875-1878 - Augustus F Ross

Partition of the country

Haldon side
 1878-1882 - Lawrence Palk, 1st Baron Haldon
 1882-1884 - Edward Fairfax Studd, 4th Baronet of Netheravon
 1884-1886 - Lord Haldon
 1886-1891 - Sir Edward Fairfax Studd (second mastership)
 1879-1882 - Augustus F Ross (second mastership)
 1882-1885 - John Whidborne (second mastership)

Newton side
 1878-1879 - Mr E Fearnley Tanner
 1879-1882 - Augustus F Ross (second mastership)
 1882-1885 - Mr Whidborne

Reunion
 1885-1893 - Dr Henry Searle Gaye
 1893-1897 - Harold St Maur, MP
 1897-1901 - Robert Vicary and Washington Singer, Joint Masters
 1901-1907 - Washington Singer
 1907-1913 - Hubert Fawcett Brunskill of Glazebrook House, South Brent
 1913-1915 - Major JA Cooke-Hurle
 1915-1921 - Herbert Whitley and William Whitley (Joint masters)
 1921-1930 - William Whitley
 1930-1931 - Major Gerald Achilles Burgoyne
 1931-1934 - Committee management
 1934-1938 - William Whitley and William Stadd
 1938-1953 - Claude Whitley (son of William Whitley)
 1953-1960 - Claude Whitley and Dennis Ferrens (joint masters)
 1960-1963 - Claude Whitley and Colonel AB Coote (joint masters)
 1963-1970 - Claude Whitley
 1970-1974 - Claude Whitley and Anthony Austin (joint masters)
 1974-1980 - Claude Whitley
 1980-1985 -
 1985-1991 - David Herring and Peter Ripman
 1991-19xx - Hugh Whitley (son of Claude Whitley) and Peter Ripman

Sabotage
The South Devon was amongst the first hunts to be subject to organised hunt sabotage, with the formation in Brixham of the Hunt Saboteurs Association in December 1963.

References

Fox hunts in England
Fox hunts in the United Kingdom
Sport in Devon