THE COURIER - Saturday, April 5th, 1902
THE USE OF DOGS IN WARFARE
NOTES ON THE FAMOUS PANBRIDE KENNELS
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MAJOR RICHARDSON'S DEERHOUNDS AND WAR DOGS By A. Nicol Simpson,
F.Z.S.
Within a mile of Carnoustie Station a kennel of dogs may be seen, which in a
way are unique in the Scottish canine world. The owner, Major Hautonville
Richardson, resides in Panbride House, where the kennels are also situated, and
a keener fancier or more ardent lover of things canine it would be extremely
difficult to find. At the date of my visit the Major had just returned from a
tour along the bents with a number of his dogs, and after lunch we adjourned to
the kennels to see and criticise. The kennels stand to the north of the
mansion-house and, besides the kennels proper, Major Richardson has utilised
the stables and coachhouses for housing his numerous pack.
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| Panbride House in 2015 |
As the kennelman opened the courtyard door over a dozen Scottish terriers
came bounding towards the stranger within their gates. It was with constant
watching one kept the yelping diehards at a respectable distance. We at once
settled down to value the collection. Quite a number were shapely terriers, of
good colour, but somewhat loose in coat, and several I handled as of
outstanding merit were by the renowned champion Gair. After discussing the
relative merits of these hardy vermin killers, I counted the pack and made out
fifteen - quite a large kennel in itself. But Major Richardson believes in
doing things on a large scale, and only smiled when I indicated the terriers
were quite enough for any fancier to own. He sounded the whistle as he opened
the door of a loose-box, and in military fashion ordered the pack to retire.
The merry crowd immediately scampered indoors, but, although hid from sight for
the moment, they kept up the line of communication in the most pronounced of
canine choruses.
NOBLE SPECIMENS
The court being thus cleared, the deerhounds were let loose. What a noble
array! It has not been my fortune to see such a large and interesting private
pack of deerhounds. Marjory, perhaps the best bitch of her breed in Scotland,
came bounding up. She is a charming blue brindle with splendid legs and feet,
and a most typical head. She has gained three first prizes at Edinburgh, and
stood reserve last year at the Crystal Palace show. Her sire was Champion
Selwood Dhouran, and this same dog, I learned, was the sire of Rose, another
blue brindle of undeniable merit. Highland Mary, by Champion Selwood Morven out
of Warich Queen, is a nice red brindle, while Lily, a dark brindle, is by the
same dog. Rose has never been exhibited, I may remark, but Lily has won at
Dundee and other places. In dogs, Peter Simple, by Champion Selwood Dhouran,
and Bran, by Beric out of Thelma, were in every respect true descendants of a
Highland race. The last-named secured first honours at Edinburgh, and likewise
scored successes in other quarters. The deerhounds at Panbride are by no means
exhausted by the instances I have given. There are numerous specimens besides,
including adults and puppies. The bitches Highland Mary and Lily both had
litters, and beauties they were, too.
A FAMOUS DOG
But perhaps the best dog of this variety that ever Major Richardson bred was
the famous Laird of Glengarry, ex Lucy Ashton by Kingsbury Malcolm. This
deerhound scored at the Crystal Palace, Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow &c.
and was ultimately sold for £125. Lucy Ashton herself won at Brighton,
Dundee, and other important centres, while Kingsbury Malcolm gained at Crufts,
Exeter, Brighton, and various other shows. A dog baptised Nero, and which won
second prize at the Palace in October last, had just left the kennels. I
remember this dog as a fine upstanding animal of a blue brindle colour, with a
good hound expression, and a stately aspect, if one may use the term in
connection with dogs. Major Richardson has also owned some grand specimens of
the breed, which are now absent from the Panbride Kennels. There was Bristol
Queen, that did so much winning in her day and generation. First Crufts, first
Glasgow, first Birmingham &c., all stood to the credit of this remarkably
well-proportioned bitch. Then I might name Bristol Bannockburn that secured the
premier honours at Birmingham, amongst other honours, but really the task of
enumerating all and every deerhound, past and present, is like counting the
sands of the seashore. Major Richardson has secured a name at home and abroad
that few - if any - have in Scotland. He has sold more dogs to the nobility and
gentry of Britain than any other fancier, and can count amongst his purchasers
many hailing from foreign parts. At home he has supplied dogs to the Countess
of Glasgow, Lord Lonsdale, Lady Brassey, Lord Dunsany, and many others, while
he has exported from his kennels specimens to America, Australia, Brazil,
India, and, indeed, all the civilised world. Not so very long ago he shipped a
number for Baden Powell's Constabulary in South Africa.
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IRISH WOLFHOUNDS
From the deerhounds we turned to the Irish wolfhounds. And here allow me to say
that although Major Richardson has been eminently successful with this breed,
he does not fix his love upon it. Indeed, the deerhounds seem to be the
favourites. But still the Irish wolfhounds are intensely interesting - at any
rate to a visitor. Champion Marquis of Donegal has to his credit several first
honours, including that of Crufts recently held in London. Molly of Kidnal is
also a winner of several firsts, and Bran (since dead) secured second place at
the Crystal Palace Show. Lady Urith won quite a number of first prizes during
her show trotting career. These Irish wolfhounds, the Major said, he had
personally tested in a wild wolf chase in Russia, and on questioning him as to
their staying powers, he informed me that they acted extremely well, and that a
couple of wolfhounds could do the work of three Borzoi hounds. Of the latter
breed Major Richardson formerly owned quite a kennel, but recently he has
centered his admiration more intently upon deerhounds, and at the date of my
visit he only possessed one example of the breed. This is a grandson of
Champion Michael, and appears at the Dundee show this year.
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Champion Marquis of Donegal |
| Some of the dogs trained for war:- | |
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1/18/2016
