Royal Calpe Hunt
Fox hunt; initially civilian, then military | |
Headquarters | Gibraltar |
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Master of the Hunt | Charles Elphinstone Fleeming (first) |
History of Gibraltar |
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Timeline |
Gibraltar portal |
The Royal Calpe Hunt of the
History
Gibraltar, by then a British colony at the southern end of the
By 1814, a substantial pack had been formed and was kenneled in
The uniform of the club changed from blue to scarlet. The hounds were transferred from San Roque, and a kennel was built at the North Front with the support of the Governor of Gibraltar, Sir George Don. Many of the hounds were obtained from packs in England, as pups born in Gibraltar were found to be difficult to rear. The huntsmen rode Spanish horses. Later, new kennels were constructed at the North Front in 1884, with the foundation stone laid by the wife of then Governor, Sir John Miller Adye.[3] The activities associated with the hunt, including picnics and balls, evolved to become important society events.[6] Accessibility of land in Spain was always an issue, beyond permission to cross the border. Permission needed to be obtained from the various Spanish farmers on whose lands they conducted the Hunt. One of the strategies employed since the early history of the Hunt involved sending invitations to military officials in San Roque and Algeciras to attend the Hunt. The Hunt also paid the expenses related to crop damage, but payments remained a point of contention.[7]
Masters of the Hunt
The first Master of the Hunt was the Scotsman Charles Elphinstone Fleeming.[6] Other Masters of the Hunt included Colonel Poulett Somerset, C.B. 7th Regiment of Foot (Royal Fusiliers),[8][9] Colonel J. Kelly Holdsworth,[10] and Colonel Morgan Crofton.[11]
In the mid nineteenth century, meetings of the Royal Calpe Hunt were held at what is now known as Gibraltar City Hall in John Mackintosh Square. At that time, it was the Club House Hotel and had been leased to John Ansaldo. It was used by a variety of sporting clubs.[12][13] In 1875, the building was sold to Pablo Antonio Larios (1819 – 1879), a wealthy businessman and banker, Gibraltarian-born but member of a Spanish family, who restored it.[7][14][15]
After his death, his son Pablo Larios (1862 – 1938) inherited it. The younger Larios, Marqués de Marzales by marriage, became a member of the Calpe Hunt in 1884. His election as Master of the Hunt in 1891 was historic, as all previous Masters of the Calpe Hunt had been military, the only exception that of Judge Stewart Padget who served between 1848 and 1850. It was also strategic, as it eased the difficulties of land access and also reduced the perception of the Hunt as a military undertaking. It was also to the financial benefit of the Hunt, as Larios was only partially reimbursed for the expenses he incurred in purchasing the best dogs and maintaining the kennels.[7][16][17] He was the Master of the Royal Calpe Hunt for 45 years, from 1891 to 1932 and from 1934 to 1938.[6][7][18] One of the main landowners in the Campo de Gibraltar area, he built a sumptuous mansion in Gualdacorte, hosting also the kennels of the Royal Calpe Hunt.[19] Larios lived in Connaught House until 1922, after which he settled in Algeciras.[7]
After General Sir Alexander Godley assumed the governorship in 1928, he was determined that Larios would no longer lead the Hunt. For Godley, a civilian, particularly a Spaniard, could not be the Master of the Royal Calpe Hunt.[7] He also advocated for a younger Master.[20] Larios was eventually forced to resign on 20 July 1932:[7]
As far as the technical side of hunting hounds is concerned I am frankly of the opinion that the natural advantages which I possess over any young British officer, by reason of my knowledge of fox-hunting, my experience of this country, and nationality, outweigh whatever disadvantages may be alleged to have accrued from my advancing years. Whereas the Committee are led to suppose that a British community could, if necessary, hunt a pack of hounds in this country, on its own, I am convinced that they have been sadly misinformed on that point, and that any attempt to undertake it would invariably sound the death-knell on hunting in Andalusia forever.
The Committee of the Royal Calpe Hunt established a subcommittee on 23 August 1932 that was charged with ensuring that the land utilised for the Hunt remained accessible. The wealthy landowner and "gatekeeper" Larios was able to put most of the land for the hunt out of bounds. While the Hunt still had permission to cross the border into Spain, the loyalty of the Spanish farmers to Larios was such that most of them did not allow access to their land. An attempt was made to resume the Hunt the following season, but the paucity of available land made it very difficult. This caused tension in Gibraltar society between civilians and the military. Word reached the aristocrats in Britain, particularly after The Field, a magazine devoted to hunting, published an article detailing the reasons for the resignation of Larios.[7] Supporters of the Governor became the "Godlies" while their opponents were known as "Ungodlies".[20]
The next governor,
Royal Patrons of the Hunt
Edward VII joined the Calpe Hunt in 1859 when he was still the Prince of Wales. Pablo's father was presented to the prince that year. In 1875, he made his house in Commercial Square available to the Duke of Connaught, the brother of the prince. The duke resided there for a year, and the residence became known as Connaught House. A close friendship developed between the Larios family and Edward VII. In 1906, Alfonso XIII of Spain married Princess Ena of England, the granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and the niece of Edward VII. Given the alliances that were forged between England and Spain, the Governor of Gibraltar sent a request to Edward VII asking him to consider a joint sponsorship of the Hunt with Alfonso XIII. Pablo Larios broke protocol: given the friendship that he had with both kings, he obtained the sponsorship of Alfonso XIII without the Calpe going through the process of formal application. The two kings became joint patrons of the Calpe Hunt in 1906, at which time it changed its name to the Royal Calpe Hunt. Larios indicated:[7][22]
In 1906, I was instrumental in obtaining the honor of the Royal Patronage of Their Majesties King Edward the Seventh and King Alfonso the Thirteenth, which was a source of great satisfaction to me.
King George V also served as a joint Patron of the Royal Calpe Hunt.[6][13]
Legacy
In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the Governor of Gibraltar was successful in obtaining permission from Franco to continue the Hunt.[23] The tradition of the Royal Calpe Hunt continued for more than a century. The last Hunt took place on 4 April 1939. It could not be resumed the following autumn due to the outbreak of the Second World War. Although the horses and the pack were maintained in the hope that the Hunt would resume, and the Hunt Committee remained active until 1973, the Second World War brought the end of the Royal Calpe Hunt.[4][5][7]
On 30 May 2012, at the
References
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
- ^ Roach, John (13 September 2006). "Neandertals' Last Stand Was in Gibraltar, Study Suggests". National Geographic News. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on November 14, 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Gilbard, Lieutenant-Colonel George James (1888). A popular history of Gibraltar, its institutions, and its neighbourhood on both sides of the Straits, and a guide book to their principal places and objects of interest. Garrison Library Printing Establishment. pp. 76–80. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ a b "The History of Gibraltar -The next 100 years". gibraltarinformation.com. Archived from the original on 30 January 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ a b "Hounds are Home. The History of the Royal Calpe Hunt". abebooks.com. AbeBooks.com. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f "The People of Gibraltar - 1800s - The Royal Calpe Hunt - Que locos los Ingleses!'". Neville Chipulina. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Ballantine Perera, Jennifer (2010). "Pablo Larios and the Royal Calpe Hunt as Markers of Transborder Activities Between Gibraltar and Spain During the 19th and 20th Centuries". translate.google.com. University of Lancaster. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
- W. Clowes and Sons. pp. 93–95. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ James Dodsley (1876). Annual register. J. Dodsley. p. 148. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ Gilbard, Lieutenant Colonel George James (1888). A popular history of Gibraltar, its institutions, and its neighbourhood on both sides of the straits, and a guide book to their principal places and objects of interest. Garrison Library. p. 171. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ Baily's Magazine of Sports & Pastimes, Volume 53. 1890. pp. 59–60. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ "Visit to City Hall by Ansaldo Descendants". Gibraltar Chronicle. 27 July 2011. Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ a b "City Hall". aboutourrock.com. About Our Rock. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ "History". connaughtlodgegibraltar.com. Connaught Lodge. Archived from the original on 21 August 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ a b "Gibraltar City Hall". jewishgibraltar.com. Gibraltar Jewish Community. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ "125th Anniversary - The First 100 Years". calperowingclub.com. Calpe Rowing Club. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ISBN 9780415347969. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ "The People of Gibraltar - 1809 - The Larios Family - Master of the Hunt". Neville Chipulina. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ISSN 1133-5319.
- ^ a b (Jackson, 269)
- ISBN 9780415347969. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ Baily's Magazine of Sports & Pastimes, Volume 86. 1906. p. 76. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ Graham, Robert (Spring 2010). "Book Review - Gibraltar: A Dagger in the Spine of Spain?". Anglo-Spanish Society Quarterly Review: 16. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ "Press Release - The Gibraltar Garrison Library and The Royal Calpe Hunt" (PDF). gibraltar.gov.gi. Government of Gibraltar. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ Oliva, F. (14 June 2012). "Margallo, In Her Majesty's Service". Gibraltar Chronicle. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
Bibliography
- ISBN 0-948466-14-6.