A Family History of the Illustrious, Notorious and Eccentric Lloyds of Birmingham, Brigstock and Pipewell Hall - Flipbook - Page 58
dfather Lloyd, in addition to his enthusiasm for fox hunting with the Woodland Pytchley, was a
ame shooting man, and my own passion for shooting came from him.
dges 3 He built up the two separate days, on either side of Pipewell Hall, in their peak years in the
for each to provide 200 brace days. I was too young to shoot, but just remember being taken there
mother who often accompanied grandfather on these shooting days (she instilled in me at an early
at one should never, ever, refuse a shooting invitation if one ever wanted to be asked again as a
g dictum!)
sants 3 He also built up the pheasant shoot in Pipewell Wood to be an excellent shoot, though the
n did not lend itself to showing exceptionally high birds. My earliest memories came from walking
road, alongside our nanny who was pushing a pram. The last drive of the afternoon was taking
just beyond Pipewell Church, where the road runs through the middle of the wood. In those days
ontinued to shoot until it was almost dark (nowadays we stop earlier to allow the birds time to
to their roosts), and I vividly remember the red flashes coming out of the guns as they fired in the
ing.
l of my Lloyd uncles used to set off up the road from the Hall, through the village to shoot grey
els in Pipewell wood, before breakfast. One day they took me along as a 10-year old spectator. On
orning I remember, they were taken short on the sharp bend of the road, just opposite Pipewell
h. They were all performing synchronised piddling on the double white line at the corner, when the
the Rev. Pickering, emerged through the church gate, took off his cassock, greeting them with a
ul bow, saying, "Good Merning, Gentlemen" whereupon the Lloyd uncles doffed their hats in
n, saying, "Good Merning, Mr Pickering", and carried on piddling!
grandfather died, in due course Uncle Pen took over the Pipewell Shoot. I remember being invited
ot at half-term alongside Uncle Pen9s stepson, Robin Murray-Philipson who shot a lot of pheasants
end of Hedgerow Spinney with a 16-bore, and I missed everything with my 4.10-bore. All I had
t that stage comprised mostly sitting rabbits under the guidance of Flack, the keeper, and sitting
n and grey squirrels in trees at our home, Stoke Albany (also, one roosting cock pheasant poached
as silhouetted in the moonlight!).
