Jack Russell (dog breeder)
Encyclopedia
John "Jack" Russell known as "The Sporting Parson", was an enthusiastic hunter and dog breeder as well as an ordained cleric.
Russell was born in Dartmouth, England, the eldest son of John Russell and Nora (Jewell). He was educated at Plympton Grammar School, Blundell's School
and Exeter College, Oxford
. It was at Exeter College, legend has it, that he spotted a little white terrier
bitch with dark tan spots over her eyes, ears and at the tip of her tail, who was owned by a milkman. Russell bought the bitch on the spot and this animal, called "Trump", became the foundation bitch of a line of fox hunting
terriers that would eventually come to be known as Jack Russell Terrier
s. Russell came to live in a village called Swimbridge
in North Devon. After his death, the local public house
was re-named the Jack Russell Inn; it still stands today.
Russell was a founding member of The Kennel Club
. He helped to write the breed standard
for the Fox Terrier (Smooth)
and became a respected judge. He did not show his own fox terrier
s on the conformation
bench, saying that the difference between his dogs and the conformation dogs could be likened to the difference between wild and cultivated flowers.
Russell was born in Dartmouth, England, the eldest son of John Russell and Nora (Jewell). He was educated at Plympton Grammar School, Blundell's School
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
and Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
. It was at Exeter College, legend has it, that he spotted a little white terrier
Terrier
A terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, very active and fearless dogs. Terrier breeds vary greatly in size from just a couple of pounds to over 70 pounds and are usually categorized by size or function...
bitch with dark tan spots over her eyes, ears and at the tip of her tail, who was owned by a milkman. Russell bought the bitch on the spot and this animal, called "Trump", became the foundation bitch of a line of fox hunting
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
terriers that would eventually come to be known as Jack Russell Terrier
Jack Russell Terrier
The Jack Russell terrier is a small terrier that has its origins in fox hunting. It is principally white-bodied smooth, rough or broken-coated which is commonly confused with the Parson Russell terrier and the Russell terrier with the term "Jack Russell" commonly misapplied to other small white...
s. Russell came to live in a village called Swimbridge
Swimbridge
Swimbridge is a village in the English county of Devon. It is situated south-east of Barnstaple and twinned with the town of St.Honorine Du Fay in Normandy, France. The name Swimbridge originates from the clegyman Sawin Birige. Sawin was a founder of a chapelry at Swymbridge in Saxon times...
in North Devon. After his death, the local public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
was re-named the Jack Russell Inn; it still stands today.
Russell was a founding member of The Kennel Club
The Kennel Club
The Kennel Club is a kennel club based in London and Aylesbury, United Kingdom.The Kennel Club registration system divides dogs into seven breed groups. The Kennel Club Groups are: Hound, Working, Terrier, Gundog, Pastoral, Utility and Toy...
. He helped to write the breed standard
Breed standard
A breed standard in animal fancy and animal husbandry is a set of guidelines which is used to ensure that the animals produced by a breeder or breeding facility conform to the specifics of the breed....
for the Fox Terrier (Smooth)
Fox Terrier (Smooth)
The Smooth Fox Terrier is a breed of dog, one of many terrier breeds. It was the first breed in the fox terrier family to be given official recognition by The Kennel Club...
and became a respected judge. He did not show his own fox terrier
Fox Terrier
Fox Terrier refers primarily to two different breeds of the terrier dog type: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier. Both of these breeds originated in the 19th century from a handful of dogs who are descended from earlier varieties of British terriers, and are related to other modern...
s on the conformation
Conformation show
Conformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.A...
bench, saying that the difference between his dogs and the conformation dogs could be likened to the difference between wild and cultivated flowers.
Further reading
- Parson Jack Russell: The Hunting Legend 1795-1883 by Charles Noon, Halsgrove Publishers.