Born into poverty in 1835 Bobby played truant from school to follow the local pack of hounds. On leaving school he worked as a waller, like his father before him, and then stone mason before taking on building projects in and around Kendal. By 1884 had had become landlord of the Hyena Inn and although the founding date of the Kendal Otter Hounds is not known it was around this time that Bobby purchased three otter hounds and started a 'scratch' pack. He continued otter hunting to great acclaim, until retiring 14 years before his death in 1912. His other great interest was cock fighting which brought him to court at least once! All these exploits are recorded in this book.

The town in which he lived has for the most part forgotten him or is indifferent. The local museum has no display and had never heard of him when Ron Black visited recently, despite the probability of his first and last hunt being from the bonded warehouse he built on the banks of the river Kent only yards away. He deserves better; perhaps this book will help.