THE OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG

CLUB OF SCOTLAND


The Club's History, (1932 - .....)

By Lew and Margaret McWilliam

Chapter Two

From the previous chapter it may be noted that the earliest written record for an Old English Sheepdog in Scotland was for a bitch named 'Lady Flora', born in 1878. Lady Flora was bred by Mr. John Lawrie out of 'Rover' and 'Flora I', and owned by Mr. Robert Haig. Flora's home in the south east of Edinburgh faced out onto the Salisbury Crags - an ideal exercise area and better known for its 'Arthur's Seat' and 'Bonnie Wells O' Weary' as well as being a back drop for 'Holyrood Palace'. We know that in 1882 Flora aged 4 years travelled the short distance from her home in Parkside Street to Waverley Market where she was exhibited at the first ever Scottish Kennel Club Show and won a second prize plus the princely sum of £2.00. It was customary in the early show days to place a 'for sale price' against your entry and Flora's was £20.00. The dog which beat her was for sale at £150.00 and named 'Sir Guy'. He was a two year old dog of unknown pedigree owned by Mr. Oswald Knott of Ashton-under-Lyne Previously that year 'Sir Guy' had won a 1st at Alexandria Palace and also firsts at Winchester and Birmingham in 1881. This first ever breed class in Scotland was listed under "Sheepdogs, English, Old Fashioned, Short Tailed".

Six years later in 1888 the Old English Sheepdog Club was founded in England by a group of owner-breeders. Mr. Freeman-Lloyd produced a pamphlet on the breed thus establishing the name as well as the nature of the dogs as we know them today. About this time Mr. Andrew Carnegie and a friend, Mr. William Wade introduced the breed into the United States far the first time and it was here that the demand for Old English Sheepdogs increased, thus ensuring the breeds future both at home and abroad. There were numerous famous owners in America including the Vanderbilts and later on the Roosevelts.

At the turn of the century there were only a few Scottish exhibitors such as Mr Archibald Grant of Boness and Mr. J. Walker-Ramage of Edinburgh. The latter had a dog named 'Scoutmaster' which was bred by Mr. T. S. Morris in 1911 ex King Clown and Kyle's Lassie. Unfortunately the First World War and the years of subsequent depression meant that few people were able to afford to guarantee classes at the major shows. The Northern Old English Sheepdog Club via their Secretary Mr. George Goodrick, were doing sterling work in this direction, as were the O.E.S. Parent Club and the Southern Old English Sheepdog Club which in 1924 offered no fewer than five different trophies at the Scottish Kennel Club show. These were the 'Snowflake' cup, the 'Frusher' cup, the 'Chandler' cup, the 'Grant' trophy and the 'Willing' trophy. It was at this time two new Scottish dogs appeared on the scene, 'Sassenach Queen' owned by Mr. W. J. Wight from Moffat and 'Dunniker Lad' owned by Mr. T. Hamilton from Kirkcaldy. However, at the S. K. C. Show in Edinburgh in 1926 there was only one dog entered from Scotland, a fine Elkington Squire bitch called 'Buff, belonging to Mr. and Mrs. N. J. MacMillan. She was a superb bitch and according to various experts at that time, would have won top honours had they persevered with her show career. However, Mr. and Mrs. MacMillan later mated her to 'Hillgarth Blue Coat' and the resulting litter became the foundation of the show stock in Scotland. It was from this litter, born March 1927 that
Miss Betty Davidson purchased 'Eskgrove', her first Old English Sheepdog and founded her famous 'Eskgrove' Kennels. Although 'Eskgrove' and her son 'Samson of Eskgrove' were frequent winners in Scotland, gaining several Best of Breed awards, it was Eskgrove's grand-daughter 'Thyrza' who in 1937 won three Challenge Certificates to give Miss Davidson and Scotland their first ever Champion. Thyrza was bred by Mr. D. N. Ure from Alloway out of his own bitch 'Jess Sanstail'. Mr. Ure had owned and bred good quality bobtails and beardies for several years which included a puppy sold to the well known Newcote Kennels, owned by Miss Flint, and a whole litter to Mr. H. A. Tilley, Shepton Mallet. However, Thyrza initially belonged to Mr. A. R. Davidson from Dalkeith who transferred her to Miss Davidson after the death of 'Eskgrove' at ten years of age. In 1930 Mr. A. R. Davidson and the Reverend W. B. C. Buchanan from Kilmarnock joined forces to guarantee six breed classes at the Ayr show. This was the first show out with the Scottish Kennel Club Show to feature bobtail classes and, a little later, two more classes were obtained at Perth Open Show to form the basis of a circuit. Another outstanding enthusiast of the breed was Dr. A. C. R. McKerrow from St Andrews who had bred and owned several good quality bobtails including some puppies he acquired from the famous 'Robbery' Kennels in England. Dr. McKerrow was a veteran of the First World War and was injured at Gallipoli after which he returned to Edinburgh. He qualified as a Doctor of Medicine from Edinburgh University and subsequently practised as a G.P. in St. Andrews for over forty years. Although he was an extremely busy man, Dr. McKerrow found the time and energy to breed and show several varieties of gundog and working breeds and also attained championship status in judging them. Moreover he was an expert exhibitor and judge of flowers and, in particular, roses.

It was basically the aforementioned people who in the autumn of 1932 submitted, to the Kennel Club, draft proposals for the founding of The Old English Sheepdog Club of Scotland. After publishing an invitation for objections in the Kennel Gazette, The Kennel Club formally recognised the club's existence in February 1933. The Rev. W. B. C. Buchanan was the first secretary and treasurer and remained so until the second world war. Mr. A. R. Davidson was given the high honour of being the First President and was also a committee member of The Scottish Kennel Club. Mr. Davidson. being a very 'Generous Man", gifted a silver bobtail mounted on a stone plinth as a token of his appreciation and this trophy remains with the club to this day.


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OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG CLUB OF SCOTLAND

Secretary: Mrs. Margaret Strachan

31 Fortieth Avenue, Whitehills, East Kilbride G75 0SS

Phone: 01355 520417