Page 26 - Online Spring 2022 Newsletter

as treasurer and Miss Glover for her As you can see they were exhibited
efficient roll as secretary. Mike joked as Dutch Barge Dogs!
that she had organised him months
in advance! This was two years before the
formation of the Keeshond Club.
As Mrs Wingfield Digby had not been
well enough to make the trip to
London for the luncheon a telegram
was sent to her and flowers delivered
to Raleigh Lodge after the event. She
died in June at the grand age of 90.
Without her dedication to obtaining
puppies and then founding a kennel
and the breed Club, we may never
have known the joy of living with a
Keeshond.

She first exhibited at the Birmingham
National Show in 1923, a copy of the
catalogue was shown in Mark
Watson’s book.

Birmingham National class entry page
1923
The dogs caused considerable
interest and they were mentioned in
a variety of newspapers including the
Daily Telegraph and Daily Mirror. The
journalist of the Telegraph reported
a record entry of 3,903 and of the
Keeshond wrote:

“The Dutch Barge Dog is a larger dog
than the Schipperke and to
appearance and coat resembles
somewhat the Esquimaux dog”.

Birmingham National 1923 A few weeks later the Telegraph again
featured our breed when Arthur
Croxton Smith, a well-known and
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