An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

150 AUTOBIOGRAPHY the marvellous collection of Lepidoptera of Lord Walsingham, which he has now given to the nation, and to see the extraordinary way in which be had acclimatized Lilium Giganteum which was seeding like a weed. Having determined to leave St. Leonard's and take up my abode in the city, which I thought might suit me better, I put up St. Leonard's Priory for sale on the 16th J nne, but there were no bids, and it was afterwards sold on 9th October to Mr. Knyvet Wilson, the cricketer, for..£ 1250, a heavy loss to me. For the first time I saw rainbow trout taken ; they were so by R. J. W. Purdy in bis " pond," at ''Paradise" near Foulsham, and when in his garden I saw a fine large clearwing hawk moth which I could not identify. All the early summer I tried at archery but my maimed loosing finger stopped me doing any good. On the 3rd July I actually walked back to Norwich from a garden party at Rainford, but this was ahout the last long walk of one who was once a walker ! On the 26th June I shot badly at N arburgh, but succeeding in getting all three arrows at one end, the target blew over, and smashed all three. In July I was consulted about the public right on Oulton Broad. Later on I shot a little better. On 31st R.J.W.P., Bessy, and I went with the Norfolk and Norwich Arcb~ological Society's excursion round the Watton district, a very hot and tiring round of 13 hours! Just about this time there bad been some very big trout caught in Buxton Mill Pool, and Capt. Jickling* came and had a most persevering try, but though he threw a very straight fly he got nothing, I think because there was none left! My son A.L.R. and his wife paid us a short visit at Lammas, he with his nose in a sling, a ceiling in the new building at No. 13 having fallen on him. This was the only ill-luck "No. 13" has brought to date. My finger getting better I shot much better in private (129) at 60 only, and at the Bintre Meeting actually g0t a prize, scoring 119 for the two ranges ! On the 12th August I had an excellent sail with H .B. *He was wounded twice in the War losing one arm, and I fear will throw no more flies.