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 presumably 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.
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