Family Heirloom: Brass Racing Dogs Find a New Home

Brass Racing Dogs

Recently my son reconnected with an aunt on his father's side.  Since his father passed away in 1993 there has been little contact with that side of the family.  There was no estrangement it was simply due to time constraints and distance.

When my son visited his aunt last weekend he had a chance to reconnect with cousins, and his aunt kindly showed him family photos and told him stories of his ancestors.

She also gave him a beautiful gift of two brass racing dogs which were owned by Roland Hill, my son's great-grandfather. Roland was born in 1880 in Pontefract, Yorkshire England and died in 1943 in Halifax Yorkshire England. He apparently loved birds and owned many canaries which he kept in cages in the attic of his home.  My son's aunt remembers her grandfather fondly and has told me many stories about him over the years.

The two greyhound racing dogs sat in front of the fireplace for as long as my son's aunt can remember. Perhaps they were a wedding present at his marriage to Kate Wormald in 1905.

The dogs have names stamped on their bases. One is Col. North's Fullerton and the other is Farndon Ferry. A Google search provided information that they were the winners of the famous Waterloo Cup,  at the end of the 19th century. Fullerton, known as Col. North's Fullerton at the height of his success, won between 1889 and 1892. Farndon Ferry won the event in 1902.

My son's aunt wanted him to have these brass fireplace dogs so that he could pass them on to one of his children (along with the story of who first owned them). And that is what I love about genealogy and family who care about family treasures.  The dogs are on a new journey.