Frederic Bolton
Frederic Bolton Master and Huntsman of the Radley College Beagles
Frederic Bolton
© Sarah Farnsworth - safphoto.co.uk
My family: I followed the Heythrop once or twice before I went to Radley - when my aunt Sophie Bolton followed them with my grandmother Vanessa Bolton. I know Simon Lawrence who recently became joint-master of the Heythrop (2008): he lived in a flat at Pudlicote where my grandmother lives, and hunting regularly came up in conversation and I became keen to have a proper go myself.
Dad also followed the Grafton as a boy when my late grandfather Major F Bolton (1956-67) was joint-master there. So I was interested in continuing the family's connection with hunting.
Hello: I followed the beagles from my first year at Radley and became attached to them. I became whipper-in, then hunt secretary, and became joint-master and huntsman in 2006. Even before I became master, I knew all of the hounds by name, etc.
My brothers are not as serious as me, but do come out in the holidays and enjoy running with me - both from the fitness point of view, but also to see as much action as possible: and also to help me.
I am totally deaf in both ears due to meningitis when I was 20 months old. How have I coped hunting hounds? It was easier than I thought it was going to be!
I wear a cochlear implant in my left ear thus restricting hearing coming from the other side of my head. And to solve that problem, I have a runner with me - usually a Radley boy who is fast enough to keep up with me. My brother Adam, who is a keen sportsman here at Radley, helps me out during the holidays when I’m hunting hounds. Otherwise the whips rotate during the day, to follow me and help me out where the hounds are.
Frederic with brother Adam| © Sarah Farnsworth - safphoto.co.uk
My way of hunting the hounds is quite different to most other huntsmen. Most tend to cut corners so that they don’t tire too much. As I lack hearing, I tend to follow the hounds more, and cut much less corners than usual. I can cope with this because of my rowing training. I end up being fit enough to keep this up for the whole afternoon! I see a lot of action, and it has formed a special bond with the hounds by my being there with them most of the time.
Before I became master and huntsman, the hunt committee - especially the chairman and Albert Hickson - thought about how my deafness could inflict on my responsibility over the hounds, especially near areas where the roads are extremely busy, and railway lines where they present danger to the hounds. Thankfully, I have never put the hounds in that kind of trouble: touch wood, it will never happen.
So what we did was give the more the potential danger meets to my colleague and joint-master James Fleming MH, who would hunt the meets where more care and caution might be called for, making use of his hearing.
I have loved my experience as a deaf master and huntsman.
I have found some parts of hunting very difficult, especially where the country can be vast and when the hounds do go wide - then do I have serious difficulties. But I have coped, and have loved my experience as a deaf master and huntsman - and what a very useful experience it has been.
I encourage all deaf readers out there to give beagling or foxhunting a go, and don't let your deafness or your lack of hearing be your obstacle.
Frederic Bolton