| Tales of the Old Gamekeepers | 
 enlarge | Author: Brian P. Martin
Publisher: David & Charles PLC
Category: Book
List Price: £6.50
Buy New: £6.38
You Save: £0.12 (2%)
New (2) Used (6) from £4.79
Avg. Customer Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 241132
Media: Paperback
Pages: 192
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 10.2 x 7.6 x 0.9
ISBN: 0715309528
Dewey Decimal Number: 914
EAN: 9780715309520
ASIN: 0715309528
Publication Date: September 24, 1999
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Poachers Tales ( John Humphries ) February 17, 2004
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
For anyone who enjoj the Countryside and Wildlife,and the life of
country living,be it legal or naughty then you will find this book extremely good reading.
Regards Robert Kirk
 A fascinating insight into the ways of the old gamekeepers. March 9, 2001
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This book portrays the daily life and struggles of the old gamekeepers; mainly covering the 1930's and 1940's, when the hand rearing of pheasant and partridge was commonplace, and mechanized hatcheries were unheard of. It details the laborious tasks of apprentices and underkeepers who were sometimes expected to work twenty four hours a day, all year round - often for pitiful wages. It illustrates through the eyes of the gamekeepers the mammoth task of bringing up as many as ten thousand birds and the sparse thanks they received from their employers and their guests, who included Barbara Cartland and King George VI. But the book is lighthearted too, with many amusing anecdotes and descriptions of gamekeeper 'perks' like snaring rabbits (which would be sold to the milkman for sixpence each), Arabic sheiks who would sometimes 'tip' a competent gamekeeper as much as a thousand pounds for his labours on the shoot; and the poachers who would often share a pint of beer with the keeper - even after being caught. George Pryke, one of the featured gamekeepers, was still working at the age of ninety five years! Proof surely of his loyalty to the overlords and his love of the countryside. There are other references to The Royal Family; some being rated as "good shots" others, like Prince Edward, were terrible. Prince Philip, the book claims, is an excellent shot, but prone to swearing (no surprise there then). This book is punctuated with copies of advertisements for traps and gamekeeper's clothes etc. Along with recipes for by-gone dishes (including rook pie), and other snippets of country lore gleaned from 'Shooting Times' and mainly written by 'Hoverer' a prolific correspondent for the magazine during the 1920's and 1930's. Beautifully illustrated throughout with idyllic country scenes, the author obviously has a true love of the countryside. This book will appeal to every hunter, countryperson or student of modern game husbandry. A wonderfully entertaining read and a must have, for the lover of country nostalgia.
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