Were You There? – Surrey Union Hunt Meeting

Published on: 10 Dec, 2017
Updated on: 10 Dec, 2017

The Surrey Union Hunt moving past the Royal Grammar School.

Fox hunting is a controversial subject. But here are two photos of the Surrey Union Hunt moving down the Upper High Street past the Royal Grammar School in, we suspect, the late 1960s or early 1970s.

The hunt would traditionally gather on Boxing Day outside Guildford Civic Hall to be seen off by the mayor before moving down the High Street then into Tunsgate, (before the arch was closed to traffic) and on up to Pewley Down.

Opponents of fox hunting became more and more vociferous and active until Bernard Parke, when serving as mayor, cancelled the Boxing Day event in 1989 because of expected trouble.

In 2004 fox hunting was made illegal, but the Surrey Union Hunt, which traces its history back to 1798, continues within the restrictions of The Hunting Act.

Do you remember the hunt meetings in Guildford? Do you recognise anyone in the photos, provided by Graham Richings and taken by his father. Do you know which year the photos were taken? Please use the “Leave a reply” feature below.

Were you there? Do you recognise anyone in the photos? Do you know which year they were taken?

Responses to Were You There? – Surrey Union Hunt Meeting

Charles Gilmour Reply

December 14, 2017 at 7:00 am

Beautiful pictures. Well done for publishing them. I’m sure you’ll get some complaints, but this was a fantastic spectacle at the time and we shouldn’t try to deny our history. Move on, get better, learn and develop, but respect what has been.

Many false claims are spread about hunting with hounds. I am sure there are some who will break the law as in any group of people, but almost all involved will be horrified at the thought of acting illegally. Not least because many: doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, police officers, financial advisors, carers, etc. who take part cannot afford to risk their career on a criminal record.

It’s time for the animal rights movement to re-direct their energy to real problems and for the hunts to be allowed to recreate the traditional Boxing Day Meet in village, town and city centres.
India Waters Reply

July 23, 2018 at 1:00 pm

An excellent decision by Bernard Parke in 1989. It is a real shame that still a minority of the population such as Charles Gilmour wish to revert back to this unpleasant and inhumane sport.

No-one would dispute the beauty and adventure of seeing the hunt in preparation, it’s the needless killing and harming of innocent animals that is in question.

Interesting to hear what ‘real problems’ Mr Gilmour refers to?