It is on record that the fifth Duke of Buccleuch in 1839
took his Labrador "Moss" in his yacht to Naples; Lord
Home, who was with him, took his Labrador, ''Drake''.
In 1858 J. Craw went from The Hirsel (Lord Home's)
to Netherby as gamekeeper, taking some of these dogs with
him. In 1872 Sir Frederick Graham of Nether by bred
Kielder by Boatswain from Lord Home out of Nell from
the Duke of Buccleuch. Between 1865 and 1875, and pro-
bably before, black water-dogs arrived at Poole Harbour
from Newfoundland, and were acquired by Lord Mal-
mesbury, Lord Wimborne, Mr. Montagu Guest and Mr.
C. J. Radcliffe of Hyde, Wareham.
After many years the kennels of the Duke of Buccleuch
and Lord Home died out, but the pure strain was carried
on by others, whereby Nether by Kielder 1872, and the
Duke of Hamilton's Sam 1884 (descended from the dogs
originally imported) were bred. It vvas said that Lord
Home's Kennel died out after J. Craw left The Hirsel.
The first Earl Cairns lived at Bournemouth, and in the
early eighties of the last century, Lord Dalkeith and Lord
Home spent several winters at Bournemouth ; whence
they used to go to Hurn Court as guests of Lord. Malmes-
bury for shooting.
It is probable that the illness in their respective families
at that time was a large factor in preserving the Labrador
retriever from the extinction which overtook the famous
kennel at Hurn Court a few years later.
It is also probable that Lord Malmesbury gave his dogs
to these two friends, hoping that they would carry on the
breed after his death, in purity. A hope which was justified.
The third Earl of Malmesbury, I8o7-188g, gave them
the following dogs: Ned I882, Avon 1885, Nell 1886,
to Lord Dalkeith, afterwards sixth Duke of Buccleuch ;
Dinah 1885 to Lord Home ; · and Juno, I885, and Smut
188s, brother and sister, to the Hon. Herbert, after-
wards third Earl Cairns, who subsequently gave Juno and
Smut to Mr. F. B. Barnett. |
