The History of Anglesey Draghounds
The Anglesey Draghounds was founded by a group of Flint and Denbigh hunting couples. In the winter of 1971 there were a series of dinner parties which culminated in the formation of the hunt. The group consisted of Tom and Eleri O'Connor (whose idea the hunt was), the owners of the Henffordd Garage (now Pentraeth Automotive) and the Tai'n y Coed Stud where they bred race horses. Also Angela and David Evans, a Llangefni solicitor, Alison and John McInerney, proprietors of Trefor Stables, John and Shirley Pollard (University Lecturer) and Lesley and Lin Heysham who were voted in as Masters because they had facilities to keep the hounds at their home in Bryn Fuchas, Dulas on the north east coast of the island. Leslie was Master for five years and also hunted the hounds. The first Chairman was Tom O’Connor who kept the Henfod Stud. He was followed by Selwyn Lloyd Jones when Anglesey Draghounds was still under the Mastership of Leslie Heysham.
When Leslie retired in 1978, the Mastership was taken over by Eamon O’Donnell, a vet, who kept the hounds in purpose-built kennels at his home at Treriffri, Carmel, near Llanerchymedd. Eamon hunted hounds for seven years and was joined as Chairman by John Beardsley, a local hotelier and father of one of our present Masters. John stayed in post until 1982, when Capt John Pollard of Red Wharf Bay took over for two years. John Pollard’s daughter and granddaughter both hunt regularly.
When Eamon retired in 1985 and moved to the Isle of Man, Leslie Heysham again filled in for twelve months as Master and Huntsman.
Eddie Roberts became Master and Huntsman in 1986, after a period as Chairman from 1984 to 1985. He held the reins with Patrick Furneval as Chairman until 1991.
The tradition of Masters hunting hounds changed in 1991, when our current Joint Masters, Tony Beardsley and Trevor Wear took over. Hounds were re-located at Llain Grin Kennels at Trefor, near Bodedern where they were kept and hunted by Ian Graves for eleven years, before he retired from the post.
As well as being a Joint Master, Tony Beardsley held the Chair until 2002, when Sir Ken Ashley took over. After five years another change was been made in late 2007 with Beth Cowell of Bodffordd becoming the first lady Chair person to hold the post.
After Ian’s retirement in 2002, hounds needed a new home and huntsman. Gwyn Jones of Gwalchmai now looks after the hounds and they are hunted by Carl Owen, of Bangor.
