Kingston Sleighing Club

[image - Kingston waterfront, sleigh, soldiers] Kingston Driving Club 1849 and 50 Members [column]Major General Hon. C. Gore Major Forbes Baron de Longueil Lt. [Lieutenant] Moggridge RE Treasurer [/column] [column]Hon P. B. de Blaquiere Captain Cane XX Regiment Lt. Miller RA Lt. Hill RA[/column]

Members [column] Lt Evans RA Lt. Anstey xx Regt Lt. Tomson xx Regt Lt. Sutyens xx Regt Lt Rothercoue xx Regt Captain Sharpe xx Regt Lt. Col. Horn xx Regt Major Crofton xx Regt Captain McCausland RE [/column] [column] Lt Adair xx Regt Lt Mansfield Turner xx Regt Lt McNeil xx Regt Lt. Col. Young AA General J. Gore, Esqr A.D.C. Dr Cole xx Regt Lt Morrison RE Dr Combe RA Lt Sedley RE [/column]

Members [column] Lt. Seale RA Dr. Yates Dr. Robinson Mr. Muttlebury Mr. Kirkpatrick Mr. McLean Lt. Poley XX Regt Lt. Davis Royal Navy Mr. Hinds Mr. Bowen[/column]

[column] Mr. Stevens XX Regt. Mr Turner XX Regt Major Symons RA Baron de Rottenburg A [Lt.?] General Captain South XX Regt. Mr. Corbett Sheriff Mr Forsyth Mr. H. James XX Regt. Lt. Col. Dalton R.A.

First Meeting of the Kingston Driving Club, 26 December 1849 for the day President- Major Gen.Hon. C. Gore Vice President- LCol Horn, XX [Regiment]

Vice President's report of the day's proceedings

Shortly after 2 pm the President led off from the Royal Artillery Park, along King St. and up Princess St. into the Bath Rd. followed by a goodly train of 22 sleighs, the Vice bringing up the rear and in this order proceeded to the Village of Waterloo, returning thence to Mrs. Gore's house where mullagatane and a variety of other good things were discussed by the votaries of the sleigh in a style not often surpassed for rapidity.

Lunch being thus speedily terminated the Club again started out on the Penetentiary Road as far as Mr Kirkpatrick's carriage drive, thence homeward & reassembled with Royal Artillery Park where the next day of meeting was announced by the Vice President as also the nomination of the new V.P.

The V.P. being in a position to note the various occurrencies during the day's excursion, congratulates the Club upon its well appointed sleighs, and cattle generally as also upon the good order preserved throughout the drive & these were but three instances under the notice of the V.P. in which members were unable to follow their leader throuought the run.

The horse ("Dan O'Connell") + his master, (though old friends) it appeared held very different opinions upon that particular occasion, some say upon the question of "Repale of the union", if so, the former decidedly carried his point by parting company with the club at the critical time when nearing the mansion of the hospitable President. -

Much commiseration was excited in favor of those two gallant charioteers, Messrs Morrison & Sedley, by the disappointment they experienced just prior to the assembling of the Club. It appears that the flunky having harnessed their horses in readiness, and on entering the stable for the purpose of putting them to, one of the steeds taking advantage of the door being open, with a snort, invited his companion to probably to the effect of the words of Tom Moore, "Fly to the Desert fly with me" and away they did fly together, not to the Desert though,

(for they were not Arab steeds), but in the purlieus of the French Village, a small hamlet somewhere about the suburbs of the city; nor could the impetuous progress thither, of these fiery steeds be arrested, until they had fairly gained that locale, in which it is said they quietly pulled up and permitted themselves to be captured, alas! too late for their gallant owners.

When gentlemen set out on a sleighing excursion, more particularly when they are honoured by fair sleighing companions, it is absolutely requisite that their harness should be in good order and that the traces should not be constantly getting unhooked. An accident of this nature happened in less than two minutes after the start of last Wednesday, and doubtless the Hero of Moultan will take the gentle hint thus conveyed. These things attended to in proper time will oftentimes spare a man the annoyance of being compelled to pull up at his harness-maker's in place of the enjoyment of a drive with the K.D. Club.

The weather on Wednesday last was somewhat severe, windy, and snowing the whole day, yet it was delightful to observe that neither the ardour of the knights of the ribbons and whip, nor that of their fair companions was to be cooled thereby upon that occasion.

The pace at starting was not fast, but naturally enough mended considerably when the horses' heads turned towards home and the noses of their drivers towards the mullagatawny.

Fred Horn V.P for the day