They were busy times forsailors of HMS Excellent
Up until November 2004 (a new law was enforced in February 2005) sights such as these two were a common occurrence in the villages of Hampshire, especially along the Meon Valley.
After that time fox hunting was banned, although the animals can still be shot as vermin.
In the left-hand photo we see the Master of the Hunt moving his hounds off from outside the Bat & Ball Inn at Hambledon in November 1950.
The pub, at Broadhalfpenny Down was famous for having a line drawn across the bar with different bar times.
It is, of course, the home of cricket and the Hambledon Cricket Club in the 18th century.
In the other photo we see the Master of the Hunt getting the Meonstoke Hunt off from the village on Boxing Day 1950.
Many Portsmouth people were said to have turned up for the ‘off’.