‘Lambert and Rawlings’, manufacturers of silver goods Coventry-street Haymarket. - She married in ’57 at Newcastle upon Tyne her tutor Mr George Willins, b '18 Great Melton Norfolk.
They moved to Gorgate Hall Hoe - East Dereham [some hundred miles North East of London] where, according to the White Directory, Mr George Willins resided in 1864. The census 1881 mentions him there as ‘ a farmer of 120 acres employing four men and a boy ‘. Residing there, Mrs George Willins owned Gurth b '78 out of the Reverend FH Hichens’ Mab ex ch The Shah’ son; Gurth got a 1st in puppy class at the Alexandra Palace show of ‘78 and a 2nd prize at Ipswich ‘82 ; Gurth’ litter brother Max changed hands three times before his 1st birthday, namely Lord Hinton, Mr Horace Wright and finally Mr Stefano Castelli, stock broker of Pelham Street South Kensington.
After some years of marriage, George Willins disappeared from the scene and Jane moved to Bradmore House, looking for treatment for cancer, together with her adopted son George Jr. Norfolk Diary - July 1 ‘75 – ‘Called out to take a private baptism at 'Gorgate'. The child was an infant who had been deserted in London, and which Mrs Willins, of Gorgate, having no children of her own, has brought into Norfolk and adopted, though she is entirely ignorant of its parentage. The child was baptized George Wm Simpson Willins and was literally cradled in luxury. This good-hearted woman is a very queer one - dresses almost like a man; commits assaults on her grooms; keeps a racer or two, and is well known at Newmarket, Ascot, and Epsom as ‘Croppy’ by reason of her hair being cut close to the head. About George Jr there was been much speculation regarding his parentage involving the Prince of Wales, and Lily, b ‘53, the daughter of the dean of the Jersey island, the very Reverend William Corbet Le Breton, who was married to Edward Langtry in ‘74. She did not make her first stage appearance until ‘81 but soon obtained the reputation as one of Britain' most beautiful actresses; nicknamed the Jersey Lily – see at right -, Mrs Langtry became the mistress of the Prince, future Edward VII. Lily' husband died in ‘97, and 2 years later she married the extremely wealthy Hugo de Bathe. Mrs Geo Willins’ was said to be particularly keen on adopting that baby and no other. Was this indicative of some relationship?
Another theory was that George Jr Willins’ father was Fred Archer 1857-86 – see above at right -, the well known jockey. EM Humphris’ book ‘ The Life of Fred Archer’ pp 63/64 mentions – ‘About 1870 his father William Archer visited Newmarket to see how his little boy was getting on and he took Fred to the sale of Mr Naylor’ horses. Mrs Willins, of Gorgate Hall East Dereham [ed - some forty miles NE of Newmarket] was there too. She sometimes attended the Cheltenham Races, and Fred is even said to have ridden a pony of hers in an event previous to this time. At any rate, this well-known patron of the Turf, in her somewhat mannish attire, was well known in Archer’ village, as at nearly every race-meeting in the country. William Archer pointed to his little son, and said to Mrs Willins – ‘Here, Madam, this is the one to ride over fences‘. Mrs Willins took the hint, and went to ask Mathew Dawson’ leave for Fred, a pygmee under five stone, to ride a pony of hers, the well known Maid of Trent, in a steeplechase at the featherweight of 4 stone 11 lb. Years afterwards, and not long before his death, Fred Archer gleefully described to an interviewer how he scored his first winning mount at Bangor prior to his successful début on the flat at Chesterfield. This proves that Mrs Willins, who ran horses on almost every course in the kingdom, when she claimed that Archer rode his first winner for her. He afterwards, during his apprenticeship, rode two winners for the same lady at Rugby. Ed - A certain Joseph Archer was mentioned as ‘farmer’ at Gorgate Farms.
Fred Archer, also known as ‘the Tin Man’, was a legend in his lifetime, and has been ever since. Intelligent and ambitious, he was a natural horseman who understood tactics too. He was simply the best all-round jockey that the Turf has ever seen, winning 2748 races, including 21 Classics, riding a/o the unbeaten Ormonde.
Mrs Willins named one of her own bred pups b '86 - ch Cambrian Princess ex ch Victor Hugo - after Ormonde, the one who was exported to the President of the Illinois Hampshire Breeders Association, Mr Charles E Bunn 1863-48 of 710 Main road Peoria, prominent stockman of Shetland & Hackney ponies and Hampshire hogs. A 3rd litter out of ch Cambrian Princess was born Sept '88, this time sired by ch Beaufort. Their son & sis Ayrshire & Seabreeze went to ch Beaufort' breeder Dr J Sidney Turner and became winners at important English shows; Dr Turner' last Mastiff litter was out of Seabreeze sired by Dion - Beaufort Grace ex ch Hotspur -.
Fred Archer had been Champion Jockey 13 times when he shockingly took his own life at the age of 29. Fred Archer was born in Cheltenham, the son of William Archer, the winner of the Grand National on Little Charlie in ‘58. His first important win was in the '72 Cesarewitch, and his first Classic in the '74 2000 Guineas, after which he became Lord Falmouth' retained jockey
Lord Falmouth was Dawson' principle owner and the Archer/Dawson/Falmouth combination became amazingly successful. Over half of Fred Archer' Classic victories were for Falmouth - see at right together with Fred Archer -, although it could be said that he might have won even more had he not been restricted to Lord Falmouth' horses. Archer lived at Mat Dawson' stables, Heath House, until he married Dawson' niece Helen Rose at Newmarket in ‘83. Lord Falmouth donated a silver dinner service as wedding present and Mrs George Willins a ‘painting of herself’! He then built Falmouth House. The expenses of this, together with unfounded suggestions that he had pulled certain horses, and the pressure of remaining at the top of his profession, may have contributed to his suicide. However, the loss of his first child and then his wife during the birth of their second child must have been a major factor. On top of this Archer had a great deal of trouble maintaining his weight. He was 5ft 10’ tall, and had to resort to sweats and a strong daily purgative to ride at around 8 stone 6lb.
A reader’ letter by Mr Chas E Bunn of Peoria Illinois publ in Forest and Stream dd June 1894. - 'In your last issue Mr J L Winchell writes a very excellent article on Heavy Mastiffs, and the Forest and Stream comments slightly on the same. The fact that Mastiffs are again forging to the front is certainly encouraging to the breeders who have hung on to the grand old breed. I have been confident for several years such would be the case.
The real value of a Mastiff is not appreciated until one is owned. I admit, on the bench the more showy St Bernard, with his gay color and brilliant coat, overshadows the Mastiff. But when a dog is wished for — a general all-round companion, yard and house dog; the Mastiff, of all large dogs is king. A St Bernard washed, groomed and in good coat, as seen at a show, is indeed a pretty sight, but take one to your home, give him his liberty in wet weather and dry, in hot and cold climates, and see how much he resembles the beauty you saw at the show, unless indeed you can keep a groom for him alone.
A Mastiff, owing to his short coat, is much the easier to handle, in fact, a roll on the grass is all he needs to keep his coat in shape, and he will generally take care of himself. Of course the sensational prices paid a few years ago for St Bernards was bound to set breeders for revenue crazy, and St Bernards became the rage. And another reason why Mastiffs were given up in the East (Note— I will not admit such to be the case in the West, for where in the West in any years did you see as good a display of Mastiffs as at Chicago in 1892 and 1893?) is the fact that a good Mastiff is perhaps as hard to breed as any animal I know of, and many, after trying and failing, gave up and dropped by the wayside. If you breed a poor Mastiff you have nothing but a yellow cur. A St Bernard, even not up to show form, and though lacking in muzzle and character, owing to his showy color will often pass with a novice, whereas a Mastiff without type, muzzle, skull and all that goes to make a Mastiff, is a cur in appearance. - At left - Advert published in 'Kennel Secrets' dd 1893 authored by Ashmont aka Dr Joseph Franklin Perry of Ashmont kennels who imported in '85 a/o two ch Crown Prince' daughters, ie Lorna Doorne b '82 out of ch Beau' dau ch Ilford Baroness, and Bal Gal b '83 out of Prince' dau Lady; in '86 Dr Perry wrote to the Old English Mastiff Club suggesting the formation of an American branch of the OEMC.
What I started out to say I must now bring forward; Mr Winchell lays great stress on size. I would sound a note of warning: size is one point only and really about the last to be considered, if we are to sacrifice anything let it be size. Indeed I have made up my mind after years of study on the subject, the perfect Mastiff should not weigh above 150 to 160 lb and the bitch 125. In my own kennel I value some 140 lb to 150 lb Mastiffs more than I do some weighing 150 to 170 lb, equally as well bred, but not so trim or symmetrical as the smaller bitches. In the past we all have striven for size and what have been the results? Ruined legs, cow-hocked, snipy muzzles and awkward ungainly beasts.
In this second wind which Mastiffs are gaining, let us lose sight of size and breed good Mastiffs with soundness and type. I well remember what ‘Billy' Graham once wrote me years ago. I gave him an order for a good Mastiff to be purchased in England, but my one instruction was he should not weigh less than 175 1bs. My one idea was size. Mr Graham replied - 'he could find no good Mastiffs that heavy, but at 150lb could send a typical and sound Mastiff.' This set me to thinking, and I have since learned there is much besides size to a Mastiff.
Mr Winchell mentions the names of his dogs in his article, which I believe gives me license to also refer to them as an illustration, otherwise I should mention no particular clogs. We want type, and we want soundness. We want to breed dogs with type as found in the head of Black Prince, but we do not want his short body or bad hindlegs. In Boss' Princess is the body and soundness without the type as presented in the head. As I have pointed out we must have both. What is a head without body, and what is a body without a head? The even, well-balanced Mastiff is what we want, and not the typeless giants, and in breeding for a while, should we not let size go?
I believe a bitch of the description of Boss' Princess, no matter what her size, should always be beaten by smaller typical bitches. In support of my theory follow Mastiff literature backward for twenty to forty years and you will find the majority of all good Mastiffs were not giants. Take, for example the Mastiff of this age— Beaufort. He easily stands at the head, has type, has soundness, has all that goes to make a dog, but he is not large. Again, I sound the bugle, beware of that false god— size. In conclusion, I wish to say to Mr Winchell I wish him to understand this is no attack on his dogs; I refer to the Mastiffs as a breed. I may say also that I have seen quite a number of Black Prince' pups, and in no case has he transmitted his bad hindlegs or short body. For this reason and possessing type he will be of great value as a breeder. Ed – The ‘Black Prince’ mentioned in this article refers to Mr Winchell’ Am ch Beaufort' Black Prince - ch Orlando' dau Gerda ex ch Beaufort -.
Forest & Stream of also the year 1894 also mentions - 'We regret very much to hear that Mr Chas E Bunn has sustained a severe loss in the death of his well-known stud Mastiff and winner, Ormonde. Many fanciers would feel discouraged after losing five such animals as Edric – ed ch Orlando’ dau Emma ex ch Jack Thyr -, Ilford Cameo – ed ch Ilford Chancellor’ dau Christine ex ch Jack Thyr -, Miss Caution, Caution' Own Daughter - see at right - ed ch Hotspur or ch Orlando’ dau Lady Dorothy ex Ilford Caution -, and Ormonde within one year. Mr Bunn is made of the right stuff, however, and will hold on as long as he can keep a Mastiff.’ – Re Caution’ Own Daughter – on the back of her portrait is noted a/o – ‘She was one of the last Mastiffs sired by Am ch Ilford Caution who seemed to have the faculty of transmitting the main characteristics of his wonderful head. From Lady Dorothy, her dam, she gained that intense look of Mastiff quality which is so much admired by connoisseurs of the breed. She was one of the main winners of her day, and as evidence of her intrinsic merit, she won these prizes notwithstanding the fact that she was in a measure, handicapped by her chocolate face markings.’ -
Text added to Ormonde’ oversized (A2) pedigree paper tracing back as far as Robinson’ Bold & Thompson’ Rose, parents to the brindle Holdsworth’ Lion born 1820. It correctly mentions that after Mrs Willins died Ormonde changed hands, namely to Mr Chas Wm Cunningham, steward of Kensington Infirmary – see also Miscellanea Four -. At Southampton Sept ’89 he indeed got 1st prize, seconded by King Harold b ’87 & bred by Mr King out of Ranger’ dau Duchess sired by Captain III, the latter brother of Dr J Sidney Turner’ foundation The Lady Rowena bred by Mr Darlington out of ch Colonel’ dau Negress ex ch Rajah. Ormonde' sire ch Victor Hugo sired also ch Jubilee Beauty, the one who produced ch Peter Piper' sire Tom Bowling. Mr Bunn describes his purchase Ormonde as – ‘a fine, large dog, standing about thirty inches high, large skull and muzzle, good bone, and a coat like satin, beautiful fawn in color, and of a good disposition. In breeding he cannot be excelled’.
But judge reports re Ormonde, then owned by Mrs Willins, publ in the Kennel Gazette paint a less flattering image ... - Crystal Palace Feb '87 Mr Mark Beaufoy - 'Puppy Class 2nd Ormonde, 10 months old, has a fair head, but his appearance is quite spoilt by a very bad ring in his stern.' -; Ranelagh July '87 Mr M B Wynn - 'Ormonde, who promises to grow into a fair specimen, is too large in ear, and is at present somewhat hollow in back.' - Crystal Palace Feb '88 Dr J Sidney Turner - 'Ormonde, peaked in skull, fair ear and muzzle, but he is a bad mover, and has a very staring light eye and a horrid ring tail.' -
From Wikipedia - Edward Jesse 1780-68, writer on natural history, was born at Hutton Cranswick Yorkshire, where his father was vicar of the parish. He became clerk in a government office in ‘98, and for a time was secretary to Lord Dartmouth, when president of the Board of Control. In 1812 he was appointed commissioner of hackney coaches, and later he became deputy surveyor-general of the royal parks and palaces. On the abolition of this office he retired on a pension, and he died at Brighton. The result of his interest in the habits and characteristics of animals was a series of pleasant and popular books on natural history, the principal of which are as follows - Gleanings in Natural History (1832–1835), An Angler's Rambles (1836), Anecdotes of Dogs (1846), and Lectures on Natural History (1863). He also edited Izaak Walton' The Compleat Angler, Gilbert White' Selborne, and Leitch Ritchie' Windsor Castle, and wrote a number of handbooks to places of interest, including Windsor and Hampton Court.
Some ‘Kennel Secrets’ by Ashmont dd 1893~ Part III Breeding, Chapter I ~ Selection of sire. ‘Breed to the best‘ is of course a golden rule, provided it is rendered rightly - that is, the selection is consistent and the breeder is influenced not alone by obvious excellence of the individual, but by the family history as well. In other words, he has a proper conception of it who looks for a combination of qualities when seeking a sire, and considers not merely the dog himself and his dominant characters but the characters of his family, the constancy with which good qualities have been transmittedà, whether the existing perfections will compensate the ancestral defects &c .~
That there may be no mistaking the meaning of all this still another case is assumed, and of a bitch light in head. Her owner, an intelligent breeder, instead of choosing as a sire a heavy-headed dog, mates her to one that is perhaps a little of the light side, and the puppies come right. Why did he this? He knew what there was in his bitch’ pedigree. In a word, he knew that she was closely related to a strong-headed family, and that the sire he had selected for her was also from a family that were good in head. But had he selected a short-faced and thick-headed dog of a short-faced and thick-headed family, the result would doubtless have been far from his liking. The obvious conclusion is, that in selecting a sire one must not only be familiar with the available dogs themselves but have a good knowledge of their family histories; moreover, he should know whether or not their offspring very generally resembled them or some of their ancestors. Some sires and dams, in fact, seem to have little individuality, as shown by their inability to reproduce themselves. Two inmates of the writer’ kennels plainly testified to this fact. Both were two removes from ‘Crown Prince, and nothwithstanding they had dense black muzzles, no matter how mated they almost invariably ‘threw puppies’ having the same peculiar chocolate-colored muzzle of their noted ancestor.
Manifestly, therefore, a good, shapely and well-marked dog may prove an indifferent stock-getter, while, on the other hand, one with a glaring defect – as bad color of muzzle, size of ear, expression of eye , &c. – may turn out admirably. And although such results may sometimes be purely accidental, as a rule they are due to that peculiarity of ‘throwing back’.
Were only two dogs available, one with a grand head yet of small-headed ancestors, and the other small-headed but of a family noted for good heads in the two generations before him, her owner would probably have the best results from the use of the latter. In fact, to buy a dog and breed him to every bitch in the kennel is one of the worst mistakes which a breeder can make, and one which, as a rule, destroys many of the chances of eminent success. Therefore he is wise who depends largely upon others for his sires. When selecting from prize-winners one must needs be very cautious, and bear in mind that high health and vigor are essentials of infinite importance. The principal objections to in-breeding are, that it greatly weakens the nervous system, producing excessive excitability, intensifies constitutional defects, leads to decrease in size, creates a disposition to disease and impairs the reproductive functions.'
Quote from the OEMC website – ‘There seems to be an increase in the word 'Flews' creeping into critiques. There is no such word in the breed standard. The definition of 'Flews' in the Oxford dictionary is 'the thick hanging lips of a bloodhound or similar dog'. The Breed standard states: 'Lips diverging at obtuse angles with septum, and slightly pendulous so as to show a square profile'. Note the wording, 'slightly pendulous', not the pendulous lips of a bloodhound that 'Flews' brings to mind. The hanging part of the lips has always been referred to as 'Jowl'. The definition of Jowl in the Oxford dictionary is 'the lower part of a person's or animal's cheek, especially when it is fleshy or drooping'.
Once again, the definition of 'Flews' in the Oxford dictionary refers to 'the thick hanging lips of a bloodhound or similar dog'. In the spirit of such a general source of information, it seems rather odd to exclude the Mastiff as a dog similar to the Bloodhound, the latter reportedly one of the breeds used by certain early Mastiff breeders in order to ?improve? their strains; thereby comes that even present-day there are still canine historians who consider the original Mastiff to be a Hound. The word ‘flews' is indeed not in the present breed standard, although it might be of interest to note that the same OEMC website mentions - in the chapter 'Brief History' - 'The Breed Standard was first published in 1859 by ‘Stonehenge’ (Dr John Henry Walsh) in The Dog in Health & Disease stating that the points of the Mastiff are: A head of large size between that of the bloodhound and bulldog in shape having the volume of muscle of the latter, with the flews and muzzle of the former.', but also the Stonehenge standards dd 1866 & 1878 mention 'flews', respectively - ‘flews deep’, and - 'the flews should be distinctly marked so as to make the square distinctly pronounced; but they must not be pendulous to anything like the degree as is exhibited by the Bloodhound.’ - The present Bloodhound standard, just like the present Mastiff standard, does not mention ‘flews' but – ‘In front, lips fall squarely making a right angle with upper line of foreface.’; in literature about the Bloodhound, the wordings 'flews' and 'jowls' are both in use. The vulgarising nature of Wikipedia describes our breed, btw faultily named the ?English? Mastiff, a/o - 'The Mastiff has a distinctive head with dewlap and flews.’ - Below - A famous Bloodhound owned by Mastiff breeder Mr Mark Beaufoy, owner of a/o ch Beau. Dr J Sidney Turner owned Bloodhounds too and Mr Edwin Brough, arguably the most prominent Bloodhound breeder in Victorian times, once owned the Mastiff ch Turk; in 1896 they both drew up the Bloodhound - or Sleuth-hound - standard which was adopted by the Association of Bloodhound breeders est 1897.
The following quotes – copy/paste archive.org/stream - from Mr M B Wynne’ The History of the Mastiff substantiate the presumption of the Bloodhound influence in early Mastiff breeding. – 1) ‘Stonehenge in The Dogs of the British Isles, under the St Bernard, states that the portrait of Bernard de Menthon (who was a Savoyard) is still in existence, and that his dog is depicted on the same panel, and that the dog appears to have been a Bloodhound ; but as the benevolent founder of the Hospice flourished about 960, and died in 1008, aged 85, I cannot think the painting can have been taken from life, however it shows that the Bloodhound (probably selected from its keen sense of smell) was one of the earliest varieties kept at the convent.’ Note – So possibly Mastiff breeding had also Bloodhound ancestry via St Bernard crosses. - 2) ‘In this opinion Mr Thompson stumbled closely on the fact that in-breeding has a tendency to weaken the colouring matter, and produce white patches or spots, but white spots or patches are no sure proof of purity of blood, they merely denote that close breeding has taken place. The Bloodhound is often hail shot, owing no doubt to their excessive in-breeding, and Mastiffs with a known Bloodhound cross often inherit these white spots from their Bloodhound ancestor.’
–3) ‘It may be urged that if preference may be given to any colour, the fancy have an equal right to say the Mastiff should have the level jaw and long head; that the undershot jaw is merely a monstrocity both in the Bulldog and Mastiff, a little consideration however will show the merest tyro the incorrectness of any such argument, which may be seen by analogy. In the lop-eared rabbit for instance, the fancy have a right to select any particular colour and marking, and the lop ears may be a monstrocity, or an adaptation on the part of nature to fit the animal for its conditions of existence; but let anyone argue the lop ears should be bred out, and a normal small ear take its place, what would be the result? The breed would no longer be the lop-eared variety ; the same with the Mastiff, a baiting dog, with the characteristic short muzzle, and undershot jaw of its trade or use, which if bred out or allowed to degenerate into other types, the breed would become no longer the Mastiff, as they approached nearer in type to their Boarhound, Bloodhound, or Alpine sheepdog ancestry; foul crosses which have been introduced to the detriment of the true type.’ -
4) 'The immediate descendants of Mr Nichols' Quaker, and his Venus, were very houndy, having generally long pointed muzzles, deep hanging flews, long folding leathery ears, very suggestive of a Bloodhound cross in one of their immediate ancestors. Miss Hales' Lion, a fine dog in other respects, was very much spoilt by this houndiness. Old Turk inherited something of it from his dam, Hilda ; Hilda was full sister to Miss Hales' Lion, and was a long bodied, large bitch, with very poor head, light bone, and was decidedly leggy. Miss Aglionby's Wolf inherited still more of the houndy type than Turk, and his descendants have been much spoilt by it.’
Page 158 is of particular interest because it contains a specific circumscription of the 'flews' shown by the true Bloodhound – ‘In the hound the lips of the lower jaw hang down at the corners of the mouth, and there is more or less a fold of loose skin that falls from immediately behind the eye, to the corner or end of the mouth, which causes the deep hanging flews, so termed from fluod,
to flow, because this fold of skin acting as a canal causes a certain amount of moisture or slavering, always to be present in dogs in which this peculiarity of the true hound is strongly marked, as in the Bloodhound ; the Mastiff should be quite free from anything of the sort. In the true Mastiff, also in the Bulldog, the portion of the lip that covers the cynodonts should be' very pendulous, the upper lip falling forward and hiding the lower lip, and any appearance of the inner hairless skin or true lips, while the corners of the mouth (which in the hound hang, showing the indented hairless inner lip, forming the flew) should in the Mastiff group be puckered up, giving a pouting appearance, as if the animal had a gum boil or swollen face.’ - Good examples of this 'pouting appearance' are shown - see above at left - by Mr Harrison Weir' drawing of Cautley' Quaker - winner at the Birmingham show 1861 -, and by a head study of ch Havengore Hotspot b 1958; but, of course, in present practice the Mastiff breed is almost packed with specimens demonstrating the 'flews' described by Mr M B Wynne whose book, by the bye, not a single time mentions the wording 'jowls'.
Lion, the famous Alpine Mastiff Lion painted by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer [1802-73], was brought direct from the St-Bernard Hospice and claimed in 1815 to be the biggest dog in England. His owner Colonel Edward Cust of Leasowe castle at Birkenhead bred a litter out of a dam also of the St-Bernard Hospice and sired by his Lion. ‘Caesar’, the standing dog in Landseer’ picture ‘Alpine Mastiffs reanimating a Traveller’, was reportedly their son. ‘ Quote – ‘It is important to note that , at any rate up to this period , none of the dogs described show the slightest trace of a Bloodhound cross. This must have been made at a later date ...’ Richard Strebel, German cynologist & animalier painter, asserts that - ‘it took place in England , but giving any proof of his statement’ -. At left - Drawings by Harrison W Weir ca 1857 - the Mastiff, arguably one of Mr Lukey' Mastiffs, presents the 'swollen face'; the Bloodhound drawing shows deep pendulous lips.
In 1867 Stonehenge suggested that - ‘the Mastiff was being crossed with Bloodhounds, heads becoming narrow, eyes sunken and the haw exaggerated; the Bulldog was used in order to get a shorter face, for the Mastiff head then was a longer head than was desired.’ - In 1878 Stonehenge published a revised standard, warning especially for the Bloodhound cross regarding ‘the flews should be no means be pendulous, the eyes mild in expression but without sad & solemn look, the ears without the slightest approach to a fold & no troatiness'. Further on he mentions - ‘jaws moderately long , full upper lip, flews distinctly marked so as to make a square outlook, the neck of sufficient length to avoid loss of symmetry.‘ -
In 1880 it was Mr M B Wynn who revised the standard of the Mastiff Breeding Club, a/o ~ 'expression lowering , broad stop , muzzle not tapering towards the nose , line of profile level [not drooping as in Hounds]. Large nostrils , lips should fall forward [not hanging at the corners of the mouth as in Bloodhounds],' - &c. Mr Edwin Nichols, the breeder of a/o the Mastiff champions Miss Hales' Lion, Punch, Mr Mark Beaufoy' Beau & Victor Hugo, bred also quality stock of several breeds as a/o Bloodhounds, St Bernards, Bulldogs & Newfoundlands [being the President of the latter breed club]. Mr Nichols' acquaintance Mrs Cunliffe Lee was also keen on breeding large breeds of dogs as the St Bernard, Bloodhound, Mastiff & particularly the Newfoundland. - Newspaper clip dd Aug ‘31 - 'A highly original outcross of which I have heard is that made by Lord Aylesbury, who has used a Mastiff to his Bloodhounds. I am told these three-quarter bred hounds can hunt a line fourteen hours cold.’ - At right – A print titled ‘House, Kennel & Field’ presenting dog breeds a/o the Mastiff & the Bloodhound, both in an almost similar coat color pattern. It was published by the firm ‘Currier & Ives’ NY founded by Messrs Nat Currier & James Merritt Ives who described their business as ‘Publishers of Cheap and Popular Pictures’; their firm produced in excess of 7500 different titles, totaling over one million prints from 1835 to '07.
Mr George Henry Rushton, son to Rev John Rushton - Archdeacon of Manchester, bred in the late 1860s Bloodhounds, a/o King Solomon I out of his Juno - Mr Becker' Brenda ex Mr Cowen' Druid - sired by the famous ch Regent - Empress ex Mr Cowen' Druid - owned by Mr Charles Edward Holford 1831-88 of High Oak House Ware Herts. Merchant & commission agent Mr G H Rushton of Hale Bowdon Cheshire died in 1870, aged 40; his Bloodhound brood Juno and his Mastiff brood Sybil* - ch King' dau Countess ex ch Turk - became purchased by Mr John Leigh Becker - see also Parkinson page - who bred Ben b 1872 - out of Mr Rushton' Sybil* sired by Lord Nelson (winner of 30 prizes) owned by Mr David Sloane of Mason - & Swan street Manchester; Lord Nelson being out of T Smith’ Nell sired by Wilding’ dog - Mr Edwards’ Tigris x Lord Stamford’ Lion -. Mr JL Becker' Ben became renowned as the sire of Mr Alston' ch Colonel b May ‘76, the one behind the finest strains of the 1880s.
An article about the origin of the Mastiff which, the usual stuff aside, contains some quotes of interest. - 1) Mr Robt Watson, the Scot who emigrated to America, was inclined to throw out all the heroic tales in favor of the theory that the Mastiff was merely one form of the smooth-coated Collie, ie the ‘House Masty’, an overly-heavy shepherd dog used mainly for guarding property. - 2) ‘Richardson decided that the Mastiff was a mixture of Bulldog and Talbot hound', - the latter according to Wikipedia - ‘The Talbot was a type of white hunting dog. It is now extinct and has been credited with being an ancestor of the modern Beagle and Bloodhound.’ William Somervile in his poem The Chase publ 1735, describes the former use of ‘lime-hounds' (leashe hounds) on the Scottish Borders to catch thieves, obviously referring to the Bloodhound and the Sleuth-hound, but adding that the (white) Talbot was the ‘prime' example of this type of hound.' - The 'Richardson' referred to was the Scot H D Richardson, Major of the 7th Dragoon Guards at Dublin, and author of a dozen books on domestic animals, a/o ‘The dog: its origin, natural history and varieties’ dd 1842.
Mr Edwin Brough mentions in his book ‘Bloodhounds: History - Origins - Breeding – Training’ dd 1907 a/o that Mr John Leigh Becker bred two of the then finest Bloodhound bitches, namely Brenda by his stud Raglan and her dam Duchess, later on sold to Count le Couteulx who purchased Mr Charles Edward Holford’ famous Regent & Matchless too. - 'The writer – ed Mr Edwin Brough – remembers being told sometime in the seventies by the late Mr J Leigh Becker how he had a poacher hunted for several miles with a Bloodhound. A groom went with the hound, and eventually ran the man to ground in a public-house, and recovered a hare from him; but Mr Becker did not prosecute the poacher and was very anxious that the matter should not be talked about, as he had the impression that it was illegal to hunt a man with Bloodhounds, and he evidently considered that it would not tend towards popularity. This feeling has now largely died out, probably in consequence of the public having become better informed as to the harmless nature of the Bloodhound at the time when so much attention was being drawn to him by means of the Jack the Ripper murders, and since then through the educational effects of the various Bloodhound trials.’ –
Note – Mr John Leigh Becker 1811-88, Manufacturing Chemist of Foxdenton Hall Chadderton nr Manchester, was the son of Ernst Hannibal Becker, a German immigrant from Ohrdruf Thuringia, who set up vitriol works at Middleton. Mr J L Becker bred one of the first Bloodhound broods of Mr Edwin Brough 1844-29, ie Mr G H Rushton Juno' sis Clotho b '69 - out of his Brenda ex Mr Cowen' Druid -. Mr J L Becker' niece Lydia Ernestine Becker was a leader in the early British suffrage movement, as well as an amateur scientist with interests in biology and astronomy. She is best remembered for founding and publishing the Women' Suffrage Journal between 1870-90. At right - Original print dd 1872 by artist Alexander Francis Lydon 1836-17 presenting a/o a Mastiff with a tawny coloured coat colour incl a white chest.
The first KC Stud Book dd ’74 - Chapter Bloodhounds - mentions several other Mastiff fanciers too; ie the owner of the Mastiff Druid b ‘65 by Lukeys Wallace, Mr Phillip J D Lindoe of Bournemouth, owned the Bloodhound Hero b ’65 & bred by Mr Purnell out of Chauntess ex Young Needwood – 2nd prize at Birmingham ’67; the breeder of Mr Barker' Mastiff Tiger by Lord Byron' Tiger, Mr James Hinks, bred the Bloodhound Vengeance b '61 out of Empress sired by Druid -; the owner of the Mr J L Becker' Ben’ sire Lord Nelson, Mr E Sloane of Mason/Swan street Manchester, owned the Bloodhound Oscar bred by Mr J L Becker – out of Brenda ex Mr Holford’ Regent -; and finally the Earl of Caledon 1846-98 of County Tyrone, President of the Mastiff breeding Club est '73 – Secretary Mr M B Wynne – and owner of the Mastiff bitch Vesper by Lord Middleton’ Charley, owned the Bloodhound Thanet bred by Mr C E Holford out of Mr Brierley’ Vengeance ex Luath.
The Earl of Caledon' Mastiff Vesper went to Mr Swain** who mated her to Lord Middleton' Lion resulting in Lion b '70 3rd prize at Birmingham '74, owned by Mr Edward Spawforth Warrin of the Redditch & New York Needle Works; the Mastiff Brutus II b '80 was bred by the Earl of Caledon and owned by Mrs Josephine Maria Ellis, the wife of Captain Robert Conway Dobbs Ellis of Gortmore House Omagh. The Ormonde pedigree mentions Mr Swain**’ Rose b ca ’55 as paternal grand-dam of Bill George' Tiger, the one who sired the 1st Mastiff champion, ie Mr Edgar Hanbury’ Duchess. Above - Lord Middleton aka Henry Willoughby 1817-77, Master of Foxhounds who resided the most part of his life at Birdsall House - here above - nr Malton East Yorkshire.
Miss Florence May Crump 1901-88 born at Leamington Spa being the grand-daughter of Mr Edward Crump 1847-28, of the firm ‘Crump and Wagstaff’ - Fruiterers, Italian Warehousemen, and Florists at 68 Regent street Leamington Spa –, nurseryman at Ranelagh Gardens Leamington, and flowers & fruit exhibitor/judge -. Miss Crump, formerly of Wyndley Warwick road Leamington Spa, was one of the then very few people who ran boarding kennels, bred several dog breeds and thereby she also owned first-class Mastiff stock.
As far as known she unfortunately bred only one Mastiff litter b Dec ‘32, namely out of Wyndley Boadicea sired by Mrs Norah Dickin’ Thor, containing a/o Goring Gem who became exported to a Mr Greenlee of the United States and another one was sent to a Belgian fancier. Wyndley Boadicea was bred & owned by Mr Bob Thomas out of ch Yosemite Menai sired by ch Havengore Bill and was originally named ‘Menai Lady’ but after his untimely death, his Menai Mastiffs were sold to a number of breed connoisseurs. Wyndley Boadicea became transferred to Goring breeder Mrs Norah Dickin who bred in Feb ‘34 another litter from her, this time sired by Ascelin’ brother Deleval Wulfric [Deleval Gyda ex Thor] resulting in a/o Goring Magnolia. - At right - 'The Grange' Marton road Long Itchington nr Leamington Spa.
Ch Menai Juno b Sept ‘25 - out of ch Yosemite Menai sired by ch Ashenhurst Cedric - produced a litter for Bob Thomas of Menai sired by ch Cedric’ son King Agrippa, amongst them Penn King Peter owned by Mrs Reginald Lund Kent née Dorothy Leary b ’00 of White Lodge Lower Penn village. In ‘28 Miss Crump, together with Mr Harry Keeling, FCA Fellow Chartered Accountant & Birmingham Dog Show Society Secretary 1920-'35, was able to purchase the 3y old Menai Juno - already a champion & Crufts ’28 cc winner - from the Menai breeders. Unfortunately ch Menai Juno never again produced any KCSB registered progeny. Miss Crump also owned the litter sisters b Oct '29 & bred by Messrs R H Thomas & C R Oliver - out of ch Menai Yosemite sired by ch Havengore Bill - , ie Wyndley Britannia (later on purchased by Mrs RM Langton of Woodbrook kennels and renamed Menai Lady) & Wyndley Boadicea, litter sisters of ch Havengore Christopher' sire Havengore Mark. Miss Florence May Crump bred also a/o Landseer Newfoundlands, Mr Harry Keeling being a judge at championship level, a/o of Newfoundlands.
Note - The census 1891 mentions for ‘2 Clarence Street Leamington Spa' - Edward Crump, Head, 44y, Farmer & Fruit Grower, Employer, b Shorthill Salop; his wife Ellen née Bridgwater, 43y, b Meifod nr Oswestry Wales; William Ernest, Son, 16y, Drapers Asst, Employed, b Wootton Isle of Wight; Frederick Charles Crump, Son, 12y, born Seventon Hants; Ada Beatrice Crump, Dau, 10y, born Seventon Hants; Graham S Crump, Son, 7y, born Leamington Warwicks; Gladys W Crump, Dau, 4y, born Leamington Warwicks; Elsie M Crump, Dau, 1y, b Leamington Warwicks; Charlotte Crump, Sister, 34y, Florist Asst, Employed, b Shorthill Salop.
At left – fr l to r – Mr Bob Thomas’ 1) Menai Stella – exported to Miss Elizabeth Goodrich Stillman 1905-56 Kenridge kennels Cornwall-on Hudson NY – out of Menai Maida – ch Weland’ dau Brunhilde ex ch Hellingly Joseph’ sire Wantley King Baldur -, 2) Menai Stella' sire Menai Anglesea and 3) his brother Menai Comet – who sired Mrs Dickin’ Thor. Ch Menai Juno’ sibling Menai Anglesea got in ’26 as youngster reserve ccs at Crystal Palace under ch Arolite’ breeder Mr J G Joice – cc ch Havengore Bill – and at Edinburgh under Mr Tom Hooton – cc ch Ashenhurst Cedric -; and in ’28 reserve ccs at Edinburgh under Mr Chris Houlker – cc ch Benvolio -, and at Birmingham under Nuneaton breeder Mr Nevile Walker Hall – cc ch Westcroft Blaise’ brother ch Bulger.
Arthur Wardle’ painting was inscribed ’To my friend Fred Hawkings’; arguably it represents his ch Ashenhurst Cedric' son Goldhawk Imperator - who sired Mrs Samuelson' ch Cinque Ports Michael. - The article of Dr J Sidney Turner was part of the treatise 'Analysis of Breeding' publ in Our Dogs April '37 and authored by Mr Raynes Lauder McLaren b Jamaica 1859-41, civil engineer m in ’88 Miss Edith Kennedy. He was active in the Junior branch of the South of England Airedale Terrier Club - est 1898 by Mr Holland Buckley - and they lived at Greater London, later on at Little Ffynches Rustington nr Worthing Sussex. – The given, that quote – ‘although each child may inherit ¼ from each parent’ -, includes for their children the theoretical chance of inheriting the respective same quarter from each parent is ¼ x ¼ = 1/16 or ca 6%. - More about the subject of germinal heritage to be found under Miscellanea Three No 120.
Mr Charles Houseman Mason’ Our Prize Dogs [1888] reads as following ~ ‘Lady Dorothy, fawn with black points. Muzzle and ears black as ebony. White spot on breast and narrow line on throat. Feet shaded white. Color excellent. Skull flat, wide and deep. Forehead broad and well wrinkled. Eyebrows well defined. Eyes excellent in size, shape and position. Ears superb – the best we ever have seen in this country. Muzzle short, blunt, deep and wide, but cut away rather too much just before the eyes. Lower incisors projecting. Expression excellent. This is a most promising head. Neck short and strong. Back and loin wide and strong. Chest deep and roomy. Flanks somewhat tucked up, but certain to come down. Hindlegs and hocks faultness. Forelegs not quite straight, but sure to improve. Feet better than average. Tail of nice length and well carried. Coat and skin could not be better. Symmetry and quality of a very high order. A most promising young bitch, and one that, with ordinary luck, will undoubtedly make a brilliant record. She will never be a large one – multum in parvo.’ - Lady Dorothy b April '86 & bred by Belgian Rev Henry van Doorne - out of Dr Turners Cedric The Saxon’ dau Wunna ex ch Orlando or ch Hotspur - became owned by Dr J S Turner who exported her to Melrose breeder Mr E H Moore - Mass US; Cardinal Beaufort was brother of Sir Stafford’ dau ch Frigga Secunda; their maternal cousin Am ch Beauforts Black Prince to be seen at left. Their respective dams - ch Frigga & Gerda - were bred by the same Reverend.
Article dd 1902 by Dr J Sidney Turner of Upper Norwood London. - The Mastiff stock of Mr Robert aka 'Bob' Alfred Leadbetter collected between 1900-'08 not less than 43 cc’s which represents 2/3 of the available set, taking into account he also judged Mastiffs five times at championship level in that same period. Concerning ccs awarded to ownbred specimens, he only was surpassed by Mr Arthur W Lucas who a/o bred champions Marchioness, Colonel Cromwell & Countess Invicta. Mr Robert Leadbetter ~ A most popular Mastiff judge - According to the KCSB, he judged Mastiffs not less than 13 times. Presumably due to private problems - on March 5 ‘10 he was declared bankrupt - Robert Leadbetter Esq did not judge from ‘09 until ‘19 when he became partner in ‘The World Zoological Trading Company Ltd’ formed ‘to carry out the business of hunters and trappers of wild animals and their subsequent disposal’. The next year he formed in conjunction with Mr Gerald Palmer ‘The Arena and Stage Menagerie Company’; the intention to provide acts for music halls and to deal with wild animals. But on March 31 ‘22, a receiving order was put on this company as well.
Crufts ’28 was his last Mastiff judge appointment. A year later Robert made history when he was brought before Aylesbury Court to be the first person in the county to be prosecuted under the Theatrical Employers Registration Act. Again being described as an animal importer, Mr Robert Leadbetter was summonsed ‘for carrying on the business of theatrical employment without being registered’ and ‘for abandoning a performer at Aylesbury town hall’. On March 22 ‘35 his ninety years old mother Margaret Susan née Rose died and Hazlemere Park was eventually put on the market again. Robert sold his own house and bought a caravan in Wycombe Marsh - nr Hazlemere Park - where he spent the rest of his life as a recluse with his dogs. 05 September '39 – ‘Robert Leadbetter, independent of High Wycombe, was fined £10 by the local magistrates on Wednesday for causing unnecessary suffering to animals and was ordered to dispose of more than 20 animals which he keeps as pets. Inspector T. Roberts, RSPCA, said that 13 goats, two sheep and five donkeys were released from unsuitable and dilapidated sheds they stumbled as though drunk. They had been kept for a considerable time in a small space and were ravenous. A pony, lying too weak to raise its head ...' - Mr Robert Alfred Leadbetter b '73 Q3 died on February 17 ’54, aged 80.
A grotesque breed example avant-la-lettre dd 1874 by the artist Ernest Griset 1843-07, one of the greatest Victorian illustrators of the genre. He illustrated ‘the Mastiff and the Curs‘ story of Aesop' Fables [with text based upon Croxall, La Fontaine and L' Estrange, with copious additions from other authors, 1st edition publ in 1869 by Cassell, Petter, & Galpin - London] with a/o marvellous drawing of a lying specimen oozing the heavy square breed type, not as such on display during those days of early dog shows. Mr Ernest Griset was born in Boulogne France but came to England when he was a child. His parents may have emigrated during the 1848 revolution, and the subsequent seizure of power by Napoleon III, either because of their political activity or because their livelihood was destroyed. He studied art with the Belgian artist Louis Gallait. He spent the rest of his life in north London near the Zoo where he drew the animals all his life. He drew beautiful studies of which are now in the collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum. He also produced satirical illustrations and drawings of comic animals, insects and birds for books and periodicals. He was able to give almost human expressions even to insects, and there are amazing drawings of ant dramas in The purgatory of Peter the Cruel, in which a cruel boy is transformed in turn into a cockroach, an ant, a snail and a newt.
On 9 July 1877 a false report of his death appeared in The Times which described him as 'an admirable and apparently inexhaustible draughtsman who possessed much satirical power and produced countless drawings in grotesque of animals and human savages, which wise collectors obtained for trivial sums at an untidy little shop near Leicester Square.' This shop was in Suffolk Street, and he had produced and sold sketches there from the mid 1860s. On 16th July, The Times admitted that he was not dead, or 'even ailing.' He contributed to the magazine Fun [which was similar in style to Punch] for some years, and the editor, Mr Tom Hood, wrote verses for his drawings in Mr Griset' grotesques, published in 1867. Mr Mark Lemon, the editor of Punch, invited him to join the staff in 1867 but he left after disagreements in 1869.
Chilterns’ Hazlemere Park has played a very important role in the history of Hazlemere. The Park lies between the Holmer Green Road, Western Dene & Brimmers Hill periphery. At the turn of the XIXth century a fine Georgian house was erected [nearby a two hundred years old Cedar tree of Lebanon], later known as Hazlemere Lodge - see at left - built. Its owner, ironmonger Mr John Staples Ive 1788-63, appears to have ministered a large estate, for it is recorded that he liked to ride over the fields to a little hut in Great Kingshill near Pipers Corner to enjoy a quiet smoke. In 1865 the estate Hazlemere Park [covering an area of 306 acres , equal to ca 1/2 square mile] was bought by Mr George Heatley, a wine merchant from London who set himself up as the local squire. He is thought to have had three smaller lodges built a/o a lovely located Brimmers Hill Cottage - see centre - at Lower Lodge Lane. After his death the estate was managed by his wife until 1894.
The new owner of Hazlemere Park became Mr Alfred Leadbetter, the senior partner in ‘Lucas, Leadbetter & Bird’ beer brewers and wine-merchants [Cressex ~ High Wycombe, some five miles south west of Hazlemere Park], liberal and president of Wycombe Canine Club & Wycombe Musical Society. In November 1894 he was riding his horse at Cressex Farm, when he suffered a severe epileptic seizure. His subsequent health caused much concern, so that when Mrs Heatley decided to put ‘Hazlemere Park, a country mansion in the Chilterns’ up for sale, Alfred was persuased to buy it.
Unfortunately, he had only been in residence a few weeks, when on the morning of July 19 1896, despite urgent medical attention of his father-in-law Dr William Rose, he died in the prime of his life. - The executors of his will were his widow Margaret Susan, his friend Sebastian Gassiot, Cadiz and Oporto merchant of 15 Harp lane London, and his sons Robert Alfred Leadbetter and John Wilfred Rose Leadbetter. The estate continued to be run by his wife Margaret Susan née Rose. His four sons being given a quarter share in his wine-merchants’ business; his daughter Mary died at an age of only 10 weeks. Unfortunately, the sons quarrelled and because none had a head for business, it suffered.
The estate kept going through under the Leadbetter name until it was sold to Mr Foyer in the 1930s. For the first few years Lewis Claude b '76 appears to have tried the hardest. He is listed as representing the wine-merchants at the coronation of King Edward the Seventh in 1901, the year after he married at Strand London Miss Gladys Irene Constance Camilla Vivian, grand-daughter of Charles Crespigny Vivian, 2nd Baron Vivian. It appears he had sold up and left High Wycombe. After their divorce, his wife Gladys married in ‘19 2nd Lieutenant-Commander Raymond George Francis Herault de Caen. Mr Lewis Claude Leadbetter died in ’51 at Banbury Oxfords. Maurice Arthur or ‘Skinny Leadbetter’ b ‘79 as he was nicknamed , sparked the imagination of the locals , being a jockey in his younger days , brilliant horseman & trainer he caused a scandal when he openly cavorted with a married woman, Mrs Guillerma Justa Dresser née Norton b ‘77 Spain, who later divorced and married Maurice at Kensington in '13. He shot himself in 1955 after his wife became very ill.
John Wilfred b ‘75 married Miss Florence Dempster Parker, daughter of Mr John Parker of Desborough House, head the oldest firm of solicitors in Bucks and formerly Mayor of High Wycombe. Mr John Wilfred Leadbetter became a churchwarden for a number of years, despite this he eventually turned to drink; they lived at Primrose Hill Farm where he died in 1942.
The eldest son Robert Alfred b '73 – see above at right - had an immense interest in wild animals, and on moving to Hazlemere Park he began to purchase a number of dogs, horses and more exotic species. By 1900 he had what was described as ‘the finest, best-kept and properly managed kennels in Buckinghamshire’ - see here at left - and was well-known throughout the country and on the continent. His specialities were Great Danes & Mastiffs, his bitch Elgiva winning over a hundred ‘firsts’ and had the honour of never being beaten. At this time his miniature zoo included a hyena, an Indian Jackal & sacred Zebu cattle.
In all he had over 60 animals including ‘cart horses and mares’. With such a knowledge of horses and dogs, Mr Robert Leadbetter was also an expert foxhunter and in 1903 he became Master of the Old Berkeley Hunt. Commenting on his appointment the Victoria County History stated ~ ‘On becoming Master, Mr Robert Leadbetter erected kennels on his estate to compensate for the growing difficulty of hunting the more populous southern part of the county. Mr Leadbetter has successfully opened up the corner of Aylesbury Vale which lies between the Chiltern Hills and Hartwell, and good sport is now obtained in that district, which had previously been short of foxes.’
At this point in his life Robert was not only well-liked , but he was a great socialiser. His guests were entertained with parties and gambling sessions in the great drawing room, which housed two drinking wells and was decorated with huge playing cards. On September 17 1902 Mr Robert Leadbetter invited the villagers to come and look at his splendid show of hunters, hackneys, ponies - see at left his Ben, billed the world’ smallest horse -, brood mares, foals and young stock. They were not allowed though to see his priceless collection of dogs and his private menagerie. Realising the disappointment he had caused, Robert readily agreed to open his menagerie at a later date, the monies collected from admission to go to the aid of Wycombe Cottage Hospital. He invited the Daily News to visit the zoo, the visit became interrupted by news that the lion Sultan had escaped!
And so it had, but the following day’ headlines ‘Thrilling Adventure at Private Zoo – An escaped Lion’ rather overdid things - 'The keeper forgot to close the cage after cleaning out, subsequently he found himself in face with the lion outside the cage. Sultan, smelling a lioness in a nearby cage, turned its back and walked off while the keeper sought refuge in the cage. While the lion was busy rubbing his nose with the lioness, the keeper made good his escape, again leaving the cage door open; this time, though, the lion casually walked back, past tigers and bears, and calmly stepped back into his own cage! The story prompted Robert Leadbetter to show that his zoo was safe, and he arranged for a full visit of the press the following week. He told the Daily News that - ‘he once had a lion cub which loved to stretch out on the hearth in front of the fire, but the servants let the fire go out, rather than go near the animal. He kept a jackal, described as an imp of mischief, having the habit of stealing my boots and hiding them behind curtains, and taking all the logs and coals from the fire. I had also a monkey that was very jealous of women, and would attack them if they spoke to me.’ -. He began breeding horses in earnest and from 1907 he began showing these and other animals at the Crystal Palace, but the price of animals began to decline and the advent of the motor car meant his horses did not sell well either. - Centre – Mr Leadbetter prize list. - At right – the graphic of yearly registrations of Mastiffs – blue bars – vs St Bernards – red bars – between 1908 and 1933 shows that St Bernards were far ahead before WWI but their relapse during the years of war was even more dramatically compared to the Mastiff breed which recovered afterwards to approximate the 200 mark and even outclass the St Bernard registrations from 1927 until 1931.
At left – A historical photograph of Robert Leadbetter’ Head kennelman Mr Thomas Gardner together with the Hazlemere brother pair in 1907 - the five years old Czar Peter & the four years old Archie, the latter being the sire of two champions – Hazlemere Ronald & Widmere Bess whilst their sis Kilmacolm Lucy got two cc’s & two reserve tickets . According to Mr William Drury Drury’ book – ‘British Dogs, Their Points, Selection, And Show Preparation' publ in 1903, a ‘Mr Gardner was Head kennelman to her Grace the Duchess of Newcastle, President of the Borzoi Club.’The Sphere London 09 July – ‘It was a proud day for Gardner, the Duchess of Newcastle' kennelman, when he was presented by the Queen with the royal trophy which had been awarded to the Borzoi, Ivan Turgenev, her Majesty - ed Queen Alexandra 1844-25 - enhancing its value by the few gracious words she used on’, &c - Maybe the same person who changed for some reason from employer, and seemingly a man in high esteem under the then prominent doggy people. Mr A F Sherley’ standard booklet ‘Hints to Dog Owners, A Manual for the Daily Use of Dog Owners, Breeders, Fanciers, Dealers, Kennelmen & Others in the Care and Treatment Of Dogs’ with more than sixteen editions [until 1936] was maybe one of his tools as thé kennelman par excellence. Note - Mr William Drury Drury 1874-28, of Stepaside nr Dublin, formerly of Dorset House St Johns road Sevenoaks, was for many years editor of a popular weekly magazine for antique collectors and art connoisseurs named 'The Bazaar - Exchange and Mart'. British Dogs aside, he edited - Popular Dog Keeping, Popular Toy Dogs, English And Welsh Terriers, Scotch And Irish Terriers, The Fox Terrier, The Greyhound, Fruit Culture, Garden Animals, Home Gardening, The Book Of Gardening, & Hardy Perennials too.
Centre – This Spratts Patent’ advert, displaying a ‘Night Dog for Gamekeepers’ by Mr Richard Hewitt Moore - the one who drew the correct OEMC head type too -, was published by the Illustrated Kennel News in the early years of the XXth century, long before the Bull-Mastiff was recognised as a breed by the Kennel Club. The perception of Mr Moore’ drawing is of a rather clumsy dog with a puzzled forehead oozing fortitude, large leathery ears and long but square muzzle; almost Mastiff-like in bulk, standing four square, annex rather straight hindquarters. Nevertheless, it gives a fine idea of the typical expression of the BM breed in its early stage as par example shown some twenty years later by Tiger Torus, described by breed connoisseur Mr Jack Barnard as ‘one of the finest night dogs that ever lived‘, and the one who sired the first breed champion Tiger Prince. At right – ‘Taking the two ton Spratt’ biscuit into the Crystal Palace' on the occasion of the 70th Kennel Club Championship Show' dd Oct 1931.
At left - painting made by the Dutch artist Otto Eerelman 1839-26 – see centre – mostly known as a painter of horses but he also drew a/o a quite interesting Mastiff head ca 1895 18/24i sized, and arguably representing Mr Louis R Dobbelmann’ Rotterdam Max - out of ch Crown Prince’ daughter The Princess sired by Am ch Minting’ brother Charley Wood -. The hammer prize for this piece of art scaling £12000.
Rotterdam Max sired Eldee’ Duke and Eldee’ Duchess who both were quite successful in the showring, even at Crufts & Crystal Palace as were also their halfbrothers ch Holland’ Black Boy & Black Peter, all being bred from the same Eldee’ Maid aka Maid of The Wye b '93 & bred by Captain John Leonard Piddocke of Ross-on-Wye - out of ch Beaufort' dau Lady Dudley ex ch Montgomery’ son Montgomery II -.
In 1898 the art album ‘Paardenrassen‘ – see at right - aka Horse breeds, a 18/24i large folio was published by Zutphen, Schillemans & Van Belkum with forty-one chromolithographs by Mr Richard Schoenbeck based upon Eerelman’ paintings, commented by Captain & Veterinarian Eugenius Antonius Ludovicus Quadekker and with Queen Wilhelmina’ darling horse ‘Woyko‘ at a prominent first place in the beginning of the folio. One of the most famous art books on horses of a value exceeding £ 20.000. The chromolithographed plates being produced under supervision of the Belgian artist Jean Louis Goffart, and no expenses were spared to make the plates resemble as close as possible Mr Eerelman’ original oil-paintings. The plates indeed are of impressive beauty, depicting the thoroughbreds of the world as if alive, such as Persian, Arabian, Turkish, Belgian, Andalusian and Lippizaner horses; each plate is accompanied by an extensive 4 pp description in which a/o the history, development, physics, breeding and training of the particular horse are discussed.
In 1919, Groningen celebrated the eightieth birthday of their fellow townsman Otto Eerelman. Its government named a street after this fine artist and commissioned him for a large painting [ 75/100i ] of the famous Groningen Stallion Show at August 28 1920, that as a tribute to the liberation of the city in August 28 1672. At old age Otto Eerelman became knighted for his artistic labours, a/o as a court painter of the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina. He was a real Master in dog portraits, especially to observe the finesse in coats.
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