BETHUNE OF BLEBO 41 



Coming to modern times, the herd owned by Mr 

 Alexander Bethune of Blebo had a successful course 

 for many years. The herd, which was founded about 

 I860, was almost cleared out by rinderpest in 1865, 

 but with two cows and the bull Master Blithe (29,314) 

 from Alloa, Mr Bethune set out again as a breeder. 

 At Alloa, in 1870, he secured the fine red cow Bessy 

 Bell, by Lord Eagle out of Blue Bell, by Knight 

 Errant (18,154). She had a heifer calf next spring by 

 Baron Booth. He made an important purchase at 

 Costerton on 18th May 1869, his selection then being 

 the famous Highland Society winner of 1868, Romp- 

 ing Girl, by Enoch Arden (23,890) out of Brown Girl, 

 by Sir Jacob Wilson's noted Duke of Tyne (17,751), 

 the Worcester Royal first-prize winner. At the sale 

 of Mr Millar's famous Singleton herd, Mr Bethune 

 acquired Ringlet 14th, of the highly-esteemed line 

 which won the family prize at the Bristol Royal of 

 1878; and at that disposal also he selected Rose 

 Flower, of Mr Bruere's favourite blood. Ringlet 14th 

 was a massive white by Lord Prinknash (34,655). 

 There was much of the old Booth grandeur in one of 

 Mr Bethune's later purchases that of Aylesby Fogga- 

 thorpe, for which he paid 225 gs. at the Aylesby 

 Manor dispersion sale in 1875. He bought a most 

 handsome cow also from Mr Unthank of Netherscales. 

 That was Lady Havelock, by the almost pure Booth 

 bull Antonius (27,902), and in her new home she 

 produced the beautiful heifer calf Dewdrop. More 

 Booth blood was introduced through the Sir Simeon 

 cow Eastthorpe Rose 2nd and her heifer calf, 



