224 Dog Shows and Doggy People 



The late Mr. James Spratt 



THE subject of this sketch, although his name is now a household 

 word amongst Doggy People, was by no means always devoted to 

 the industry with which he was afterwards associated, as he lived 

 for many years in America, where he was engaged as an electrician, 

 lightning conductors being his great speciality, for which he had 

 taken out several patents in this and other countries during his 

 life. He was also a great traveller. 



But it was only in the comparatively declining years of an active 

 life that he took up the making of biscuits, especially those suitable 

 for the feeding of dogs and other live stock, game, and poultry. 



He commenced in quite a small way of business in Old Middle 

 Row, Holborn, London. The actual premises, which were very 

 limited in extent, have long since been demolished in the improve- 

 ments effected in that district. 



The original show-cards, with a Pointer in a field of turnips, 

 may be remembered by some of my readers ; and the " X," so long 

 adopted by "SprattVas a trade-mark on their biscuits, was the 

 idea of Mr. Charles Cruft, who was one of the first employees 

 of Mr. James Spratt, and greatly assisted him in developing the 

 trade he had embarked in. From there, with his right-hand 

 man, Mr. Charles Cruft, he removed to No. 28, High Holborn 

 (a curious old place, which at one time was a farmhouse, where 

 Queen Elizabeth rested before entering the city of London), 

 and it was at this establishment that the business became best 

 known, as under the guidance of young Mr. Charles Cruft it grew into 

 popularity by leaps and bounds. Mr. James Spratt, finding imitations 

 of his goods corning into the market, resolved to issue a show-card 

 and have a trade-mark. The Pointer in the field of turnips, chosen 

 for the former, was from one of the pictures by the late Sir Edwin 

 Landseer, R.A., of which Mr. James Spratt bought up the whole 

 issue of engravings and used them as show-cards. The "X" so long 

 used as a trade-mark was the primitive distinction used by the 

 ledger clerk, Mr Charles Cruft, to mark the trade customers as 

 distinguished from the private customers. The original place of 

 business, 28, Middle Row, was decorated outside with pictures of 

 the chase, representing hunting wild cattle on the prairies. 



Mr. James Spratt came of a good old English family, as his 

 uncle, Admiral Spratt, held a high position in the Hydrographer's 



