RULES AND BYE-LAWS

OF THE

Thames Hares & Hounds Club

I.

This Club shall be called the THAMES HARE AND HOUNDS CLUB, and its object shall be the promotion of Paperchasing in and near London.

II.

Its Head Quarters shall be the "King's Head" at Roehampton.

III.

Its uniform shall be a white jersey with a black saltier or St. Andrew's cross, or a dark blue jersey with a white saltier.

IV.

The subscription shall be five shillings yearly, falling due on the 1st September in every year, and the entrance fee five shillings.

V.

Candidates shall be ballotted for, one black ball in five excluding, and shall be proposed and seconded by Members at a Meet before they are ballotted for. Every Candidate must be produced for inspection, and introduced by his proposers to the Members present at some Club Run or Club Tea before he can be ballotted for, unless he is personally known to two-thirds of the Members present at his election.

VI.

No one who is not over eighteen years of age, or who is not a gentleman by position and education, shall be eligible for election.

VII.

No one shall be elected a Member who has not actually taken part in a foot race.

VIII.

Farmers and others, who by allowing their land to be run over or otherwise furthering the interests of the Club, may be elected Honorary Associates and invited to attend the Club Feeds, but are not to have any vote.

IX.

No Member shall compete at any Tradesmen's Meeting under pain of expulsion at the next or any subsequent Club Meeting. Members are particularly requested not to run at any sports as to the management of which there is the least doubt; and it is suggested that, in case of doubt, they should communicate with the Secretary of this Club.

X.

A Run shall, unless otherwise settled by the Members present at any Run, take place every alternate Saturday, from October to March inclusive, and there shall be two Summer Runs in June or July.

XI.

The Officers of the Club shall be a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Carver (Members), and a Medical Officer and a Commisary-General (Honorary Associates).

XII.

The Club shall be managed by the Members generally, assembled at the usual Meets; but if any Member has a motion to make affecting the rules or the constitution of the Club, he shall give ten clear days' written notice to the Secretary, who shall send a copy thereof to every member seven days at least before the next Meet, and at such Meet the proposed motion or change shall be discussed and settled.

XIII.

The Rules for the two Challenge Cups shall be as follows:--

(1.)

The Short Distance Cup shall be run for in May and October, over the four miles and five furlongs course from Roehampton to Beverley Bridge, and then along the brook, over the "Rounds," to the left of Wimbledon Mill, and the right of the Iron Houses, to the Well House.

(2.)

The Long Distance Cup shall be run for in January and July, over the eight miles and one furlong course, from Roehampton to the right of the Iron Houses, and the right of the Mill to the "Rounds," through Fishponds Copse, up Combe Wood, down Malden Lane to the Chapel, and then to the left, up Cottenham Park, to Christ Church, and back over Wimbledon Common, to the right of the Mill, to the "King's Head."

(3.)

Entries for each Race will close four weeks before the day fixed, and every one entering shall pay two shillings and sixpence.

(4.)

The winner of each Race shall receive a Bronze Medal, and shall hold the Cup until one week before the next Competition, when he shall return it to the Secretary.

 

BYE-LAWS

I.

In short Runs, the Hares shall have ten minutes law, in long Runs fifteen or twenty minutes.

II.

Hounds must follow scent until they sight the Hares, when they may run to sight irrespective of scent.

III.

The Hound first home in after the Hares, or the first to catch a Hare before he reaches home, to be considered first in the Run of the day.

IV.

If a Run is advertized as a Slow Run, a pace-maker shall be elected by those taking part in such Run; and if any Member refuses to keep behind such pace-maker after having been twice requested to do so, he shall be fined two shillings and sixpence.

V.

In Slow Runs, however, racing will be allowed as soon as the Hounds are within two miles of home.