'Hounds would fly for him'

In the latest of his occasional series on greatest huntsmen he knew personally, Alastair Jackson recounts the life of the popular Sidney Bailey, who hunted the VWH for four decades

- By Alastair Jackson

SIDNEY BAILEY was still at the top of his profession, hunting the VWH hounds, when I called at the Meysey Hampton kennels on a Monday morning in 2002. Martin Scott, breeder of the VWH hounds, had asked if they could borrow a Cattistock stallion hound, Daresbury 99, and I was on my way from my home in Dorset to the Masters of Foxhounds Association office at Bagendon, where I was director.

It was a sunny morning with a white frost and blue sky, when Sidney came out of his house, half dressed for hunting, to collect the doghound.

“It looks like a terrible scenting day,” I said. “Not the sort of day a huntsman looks forward to.”

“Ah, but I bet they’ll run tonight when it freezes again. We’ll have some fun then,” said Sidney.

What enthusiasm from a huntsman near the end of a 43-year career at these kennels.

Sidney was born on 20 October 1938 at the Shotley Bridge kennels of the Braes of Derwent, where his father Tom Bailey was kennel-huntsman to the longstanding master, Lewis Priestman. His mother was from the well-known Littleworth family, one of her brothers being famous Quorn huntsman, Jack Littleworth.

Sidney made his mark here by being turned out in full hunt livery from the age of three when hounds paraded.

When Captain Ronnie Wallace went to the Heythrop in 1952 he employed Tom Bailey as kennelman at the Chipping Norton kennels, where he remained throughout the Captain’s mastership and beyond in this vital role.

Sidney’s first job was as second whipper-in to the Heythrop, with Percy Durno as kennel-huntsman and first whipper-in.