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Breed Club
by Emma Simpson
A
group of bulldog enthusiasts got
together on October 20th 1897
in the offices of the ‘OUR DOGS’
paper to form a bulldog club.
This group of like-minded people called it
the Manchester and District Bulldog Club.
The following are extracts taken from the
23rd October 1897 issue of ‘OUR DOGS’
A Bulldog Club for Manchester and
District
On Wednesday evening last a
representative meeting of gentlemen
residing in Cottonopolis and the district We are not certain why this evolved, but, clearly,
interested in the national breed, was held at changes did come about from time to time. For
Our Dogs offices and as will be seen from a instance, one of our old cups is inscribed “The
notice amongst “Dog Clubs” in this issue, a County Palatine of Lancaster and the County of
new club was formed and officers elected. It is, Chester.”
we understand, the object of the club to foster
the well-being of the breed in the limited area The president in our centenary year of 1997
over which its jurisdiction extends, and not to Bob Haydock, feels that one of the reasons
interfere with, or encroach upon, the operations for a proliferation of clubs in the early years
of already established Bulldog organisations. was the problem of travel - only the very, very
rich could afford a motor car. Was this club a
Manchester and District Bulldog Club plaything of the rich? A story is told that in the
old days it was as difficult to get membership
A meeting was held at the office of “Our Dogs” of this club as it was to the Freemasons, and if
on Wednesday the 20th inst., Mr. S Swift in the blackball went in you were not a member
the chair, when the above club was formed. of the ‘Counties’! In the ‘Counties’ catchment
Mr Rylance was elected president, Mr S.H. area, the Oldham and District Bulldog Club and
Deacon hon. Sec. and treasurer, Messrs, Swift, the Liverpool Bulldog Club no longer exist, but
Chesworth, Armstrong, Healeham, Whiley, the Northern Bulldog Club founded in 1933 and
Vowies and Chevin on the Committee. It was operating from Manchester is still very much
agreed that the annual subscription should be with us, as is the Rochdale Bulldog Club, and
7s. 6d. A cordial note of thanks was passed to the ‘Counties’ has close contacts with them both
the proprietors of “Our Dogs” for the use of the to this day.
room. - SIDNEY H. DEACON, Hon. Sec. and
Treasurer. We were, together with the Bulldog Club (Inc.)
the British B.C. and the London B.S., a prime
As time went on the club’s name was changed status club with a Championship show every
to the Manchester and Counties Bulldog Club. year.
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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / JULY 2020
