Disgruntled ‘commoners’ were not happy when (not for the first time) the Marquis of Exeter moved some fish from the River Welland to his own pond. Perhaps they didn’t understand – after all, they probably used the fish for food, rather than sport!
“The water in the river Welland at Stamford has been this week drawn off, and a large capture of fish has been made by men in the employment of the Marquis of Exeter. Formerly there was very good rod-fishing in this neighbourhood, but of late years the Marquis has coveted all the amusement for himself, and frequently has had the river dragged to supply the pond in Burghley Park. It is understood tha the recent netting has been to stock a pond on the premises at Ketton occupied by Lord Burghley. No one would wish to debar the young legislator from proper recreation, after the heavy fatigue consequent upon close attention to his Parliamentary duties; but those who are denominated the ‘public at large’ think it not quite the thing that they should be deprived of their share of recreation in order to increase that of a single individual.”
The Stamford Mercury, 12th April, 1850.