Mr, Tom Ashton 



37 



From photo by R. H, Lord, Cambridge 



MR. TOM ASHTON 



mother, I could bring 

 the dog home altogether. 

 This did not take me 

 long, as a better mother 

 no one could wish for, 

 and I was always a bit 

 of a favourite with her, 

 and this, I am pleased to 

 say, lasted till her death. 

 "How many dogs I 

 had at home after that I 

 cannot tell ; but my first 

 appearance in a show 

 ring was over thirty years 

 since, when I exhibited 

 a working Bull-terrier at 

 Wakefield, and thought 

 the judge did not know 

 much about that variety 

 when he gave me 

 V.H.C. ! 



" At that time Bull-terriers were mostly kept for work, and as I 

 fancied myself a bit, and would as soon put on the gloves as 

 have my dinner, I was obliged to keep a smart dog ; but I soon gave 

 it up, as a black silk hat and a black eye did not go well together ! 



" About 1866 I went to live at Sheffield, where 1 had a good 

 berth, and kept quiet for a time, breeding only a few Yorkshire 

 Terriers, which were just attracting notice. 



" One day I bought a smart Fox-terrier from a local butcher, and 

 resolved to show him at Eccleshall, when I ran second to Mr. Richard 

 White's Champion Jester, the same man who used to show Dress- 

 maker and Patchwork. This would be about 1870, I should think. 



" I went on showing for some time on my own account, and then 

 took Mr. Sam. Hill as my partner. I really was the founder of the 

 ' Meersbrook Kennel,' and in the nine years we worked together 

 laid a good foundation, as has since been proved. Since then I 

 have done but little showing, but have had as much judging as 

 most people, and bred scores of good specimens of different breeds, 

 particularly Irish Terriers and Greyhounds, amongst many others. 



" The thing I am most proud of is that I have in my time owned 

 over twenty dogs that have become champions, either while in my 



