The South Durham Hunt

Some say that hunting is nothing more than a sport for the idle rich. Well tell that to a man from the North East who has a love for his dogs and he will tell you a totally different story! Whilst the foundation stones of many of the Hunts were laid by those whose wealth either came from coal, steel or other forms of heavy industry, the underlying support that has kept them going and still does today, comes from those who will have worked for them, many at the pit face. A large number of landowning families had a great rapport with their colliers, however after nationalisation, even though there continued to be a great mutual interest in field sports, the stability of that underpinned it had all but disappeared.
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