55 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



ally for the regeneration of the association. 

 The ground was now firm to begin build- 

 ing such an organisation as would do for 

 women in particular what the Kennel Club 

 has done for exhibitors in general. 



An office was taken at 47, Pall Mall, 

 and a secretary, Mrs. E. P. Robson, 

 engaged. 



All women were eligible for member- 

 ship, with two exceptions : an undis- 

 charged bankrupt, and anyone " who shall 

 be proved, to the satisfaction of the com- 

 mittee, to have in any way misconducted 

 herself in connection with any of the objects 

 for which the association is founded." 



Remembering the large sums of money 

 which many of the old association had been 

 called upon to pay, Rule 16, which says, 

 " The liability of members shall be limited 

 to the amount of their annual subscription 

 (i is.), and to the sum of not more 

 than IDS. 6d. in the event of a winding 

 up," is deserving of notice. 



Rule n states that "every year the ac- 

 counts of the association shall be examined 

 and the correctness of the balance-sheets 

 ascertained by one or more properly quali- 

 fied auditors." These two rules should 

 satisfy even the most apprehensive would- 

 be member. 



There was to be no social side, but the 

 objects for which the association was 

 established, as set forth in the rules, are 

 many and varied, and all have to do with 

 the dog. " To promote the scientific breed- 

 ing of dogs and commerce in connection 

 with the same, to advance the general wel- 

 fare of the dog, and increase the interest 

 of ladies in all canine matters. To sup- 

 press malpractice, to promote and arrange 

 the settlement of disputes by arbitration or 

 otherwise, and to decide questions of usage, 

 courtesy, and custom. 



"To promote the interests of art in con- 

 nection with the study of dogs, and paint- 

 ing and modelling the same; to promulgate 

 information on canine matters and subjects 

 by means of lectures, discussions, pamph- 

 lets, etc." 



In 1904 a new departure was made. In 

 that year the summer show was thrown 

 open to all exhibitors, men and women. 

 Hitherto the Ladies' Fvennel Association 

 shows had been confined to dogs registered 



as owned by women. In the following 

 April (1905) the first members' show was 

 held, in the Horticultural Hall, West- 

 minster. It was managed entirely without 

 any professional help, and was a splendid 

 success in every way a result brought 

 about chiefly by the untiring efforts ol Mrs. 

 Carlo Clarke. 



The idea of a show confined to members 

 did not meet with general approval, some 

 owners considering there was no " kudos " 

 to be derived from winning in such limited 

 company. That it was a good move is 

 proved by the fact that, shortly before the 

 last show (April, 1907), forty-three new 

 members joined. Amongst regular exhibi- 

 tors it is an opportunity for a youngster to 

 have his first lesson in "ring " manners, 

 and possibly more than one household pet 

 has laid the "foundation stone " of a show 

 kennel by returning home with, perhaps, 

 nothing more ornamental than a reserve 

 or third prize card. At the annual general 

 meeting of the association, held at the 

 Garden Hall, Crystal Palace, October i8th, 

 1906, the executive committee were reluc- 

 tantly called on to accept the resignation 

 of the chairman. Residence in Ireland 

 rendered it impossible for the Countess 

 of Aberdeen to attend committee meet- 

 ings, etc., and with the permission of 

 H.M. the Queen and H.R.H. the Duchess 

 of Connaught, she wished to retire. Refer- 

 ence having been made to how much the 

 association was indebted to Lady Aber- 

 deen, not only for money, time, and 

 influence, but, when the L.K.A. was with- 

 out offices, placing her own house at the 

 disposal of the association for meetings, a 

 vote of thanks and regret was passed with 

 unanimous feeling. 



Another resignation was also announced, 

 that of Mrs. Robson, the chairman bear- 

 ing testimony to the excellent work she had 

 done as secretary, and the progress made 

 by the association during her tenure of 

 office. 



The Lady Evelyn Ewart was unani- 

 mously elected chairman, with the follow- 

 ing ladies as an executive committee : Mrs. 

 Preston Whyte (Deputy-chairman), Mrs. 

 Aylmer, the Hon. Mrs. Baillie, Mrs. Barry, 

 Mrs. Douglas Beith, Lady Cathcart, Mrs. 

 Chapman, Mrs. Carlo Clarke, Mrs. Graves, 



