The Cocker Spaniel Who Had Four Brothers

My first post in 2015 is a double! Featuring two photographs taken at the same time but featuring different poses.

In the first photograph four brothers pose together with their Cocker Spaniel- some of the brothers look more pleased to be having their photographs taken than others! Note the carefully arranged wooden building blocks on the table in the centre of the image.

In the second photograph the youngest (and most fidgety) of the brothers is posed on his own with the Cocker. This little boy obviously wasn't happy with the arrangement of the building blocks, having knocked them down and spread some of them on the floor as well!

I'm sure the sweet little Cocker was kept very busy by the four brothers. Known for their tireless energy and intelligence the Cocker is a perfect companion. I will at this point admit I am somewhat biased, having known many lovely Cockers in my life and currently owning one! (click here to see a photo of my working Cocker Hedley.)

This dark coloured Cocker certainly could do with a trim! The dog's face is narrow and quite delicate, and from this I would think it not unlikely that it is a female.

Photographer Henry Jonathan Hitchcock was born in Leicester in 1869. He married his wife Edith Mary Smith in October 1895 and they had two daughters. Henry opened his photographic studio in the family home at 64 Sparkenhoe Street in Leicester in 1899. My photographs date from circa 1902 when Hitchcock began using the name "Lawn Studio" which you can see on the mount of the photographs.

Want more Spaniels? Click here for my other Spaniel related articles on this website.


Sources:

• H. J. Hitchcock in the early photographers directory (Leicester)

• Henry Jonathan Hitchcock in the 1881 England Census [database on-line]. 

• Henry Jonathan Hitchcock in the 1901 England Census [database on-line]

• Henry Jonathan Hitchcock in the 1911 England Census [database on-line]

• Henry Jonathan Hitchcock & Edith Mary Smith in the FreeBMD. England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index, 1837-1915 [database on-line]

Winifred & Her Rough Collie

I have a number of photographs with children & their pet dogs in my collection, but I think these two photographs would win an award for the most charming.

In the first photograph Winifred's little hands are slightly blurred as she clutches onto the lead of her Rough Collie, who according to the annotation on the reverse might be called "Whit".

Winifred's portrait was taken by photographer William Coles. His Studio resided at 60 Queen's Road from approximately 1890 to 1908, during which time Coles photographed HRH Princess Eulalie of Spain as well as his more ordinary clients. Below is a postcard view of Queen's road from circa early 1900s.

Click on the image to enlarge

Winifred was certainly a lucky little girl to have such a beautiful Rough Collie as a pet. Take a look at the second photo of the pair in a slightly different pose. Doesn't the dog's fur look soft?

Click on the images to enlarge

Winifred was a very lucky little girl to have such a beautiful Collie as a pet. The origins of the Collie hail from Scotland were they were used for a variety of agricultural pursuits. The Collie is one of the most ancient breeds with more than a passing resemblance to the wolves from which it is descended.

Theo Marples, Victorian editor of Our Dogs magazine describes the breed thus:

"The modern rough-coated Scotch Collie is, without doubt, one of the handsomest examples of the canine species, his long, intelligent head, enormous coat and frill, proportionate frame and symmetry, and great buoyancy of disposition appealing to all dog lovers, and which account for his at once coming into popularity."

 

 Engraving of two champion Collies from Dogs of the British Isles, 1872

A Short Family History of Winifred Hutchings Larcombe

Winifred was the first daughter of Frances (nee Poulton) and Ernest Hutchings Larcombe. You can see their portraits below.

Click on the images to enlarge

 Frances & Ernest married on 30th June 1894 in St Albans.

Winifred was born in April 1895. The family lived comfortably, Ernest worked as a law clerk and the family was able to afford a domestic servant who lived with them in their home.

In 1911 when she was 16 Winifred was a Bridesmaid, but she herself would never marry. She died aged 60 in 1956.

Sources:

• Hertfordshire Genealogy - The Photographs & Postcards of Coles of Watford
• William Coles, Photographer in the 1911 England Census
• Larcombe-Morpett Wedding in the Goulburn Evening Penny Post Newspaper, 14th of October 1911
• The Larcombe family in the 1901 England Census
• The Larcombe family in the 1911 England Census
• Wedding of Frances Poulton & Ernest Larcombe in England & Wales Marriages
• Show Dogs, Their Points & Characteristics, How to Breed for Prizes & Profits, Theo Marples, 1915