John HARTLEY, who on the 1851 census states he was born in 1799 at Little Borton, Oxfordshire, this village is a bit of a mystery to me, may be it is the village of Little Bourton near Cropbredy, the spelling in the 1851 census is clearly Little Borton.
Other possibilities are:
The village of Middle Barton has no Church, it uses the churches of Steeple Barton & Westcote Barton. Little Barton was often called Westcote Barton.
A part of Headington, Oxfordshire is called Barton. The Headington area included the three villages of Old Headington, New Headington, and Headington Quarry, as well as Headington Hill, the Marston Road area, Barton, and Sandhills. The parish registers are on the IGI, but no John Hartley there.
I am wondering if he was of the Catholic faith, but when he moved to Hampshire in around 1818 he christened his children in the parish churches at Sherfield English, Hampshire and West Wellow, Wiltshire.
His wife was Sarah, on the 1851 she states she was born 1796 in Bucknell Oxfordshire, I have not found their marriage, or her baptism, the eldest child I have for them is Anna Maria 1819 in Sherfield English Wiltshire.
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Saturday, 4 April 2009
My Keplies. Pictures speak louder than words !!
Rusty
Roo 
Rusty & Roo
Roo & Rusty
Rusty & Roo
Roo & Rusty
Monday, 30 March 2009
Thomas Gibb(e)on's Family Chart
The descent of Thomas from John and then William is proven by the wills of William Harte and John of Taunton. Spelling of the surname vary.
Thomas' parents both died when he was young, so who cared for the family after that?
Descendants of John GIBBENS
---------------------------
1-John GIBBENS b. Cir 1530, d. After 1609
+Unknown
--2-John GIBBENS of Taunton Castle b. Cir 1565, d. Bef 19 May 1610
+Thomasine HARTE m. 14 Dec 1588, St. Mary Magdalene Taunton Somerset, par.
William HARTE and Elizabeth
--3-John GIBBENS
--3-William GIBBENS of Holcomb Rogus b. Cir 1590, bur. 2 Jan 1618/19,
Holcomb Rogus Devonshire
+Johane ZEALE b. Cir 1594, m. 18 Jun 1613, Ansford Somerest, bur. 26 May
1619, Holcomb Rogus Devonshire, par. Thomas ZEALE and Unknown
--4-?? Major Thomas GIBBON M.P.?? of Christow c. 1616, Holcomb Rogus
Devonshire, d. 1 Mar 1666/67, Whitestone Exeter Devonshire, bur. 4
Mar 1666/67, Christow Devonshire
+Elizabeth DAVY of Canonteign d. 6 Jul 1660, bur. 6 Jul 1660,
Christow Devonshire, par. Robert DAVY and Rachell
--5-Thomas GIBBON b. Abt 1650, bur. 21 Sep 1715, St Lawrence, Exeter
--5-Edmund GIBBON of Tiverton c. 28 Feb 1653/54, Christow Devonshire,
bur. 1701, St. Peter's Tiverton
--5-Mallor GIBBINS c. 16 Aug 1656, Christow Devonshire
--5-Robert GIBBINS c. 23 Jun 1658, Christow Devonshire
--5-Three Daughters GIBBINS
+Margaret bur. 6 Sep 1684, Christow Devonshire
--4-Thomasine GIBBENS c. 31 Mar 1616, Holcomb Rogus Devonshire
--4-John GIBBENS c. 19 Feb 1617/18, Holcomb Rogus Devonshire
--3-Robert GIBBENS
--3-Philip GIBBENS
--3-Thomas GIBBENS
+Unknown
--4-Thomas GIBBENS c. 5 Mar 1611/12, St. James Taunton
--4-Jaine GIBBENS c. 20 Jan 1614/15, St. James Taunton
--3-Thomazine GIBBENS
--3-Mary GIBBENS
--3-Jane GIBBENS
--3-Dorthie GIBBENS
--3-Elizabeth GIBBENS
--2-Unknown GIBBENS
+John TOMPKINS
--3-Elizabeth TOMPKINS
--2-Susan GIBBENS
+HILL
---------------------------
Thomas' parents both died when he was young, so who cared for the family after that?
Descendants of John GIBBENS
---------------------------
1-John GIBBENS b. Cir 1530, d. After 1609
+Unknown
--2-John GIBBENS of Taunton Castle b. Cir 1565, d. Bef 19 May 1610
+Thomasine HARTE m. 14 Dec 1588, St. Mary Magdalene Taunton Somerset, par.
William HARTE and Elizabeth
--3-John GIBBENS
--3-William GIBBENS of Holcomb Rogus b. Cir 1590, bur. 2 Jan 1618/19,
Holcomb Rogus Devonshire
+Johane ZEALE b. Cir 1594, m. 18 Jun 1613, Ansford Somerest, bur. 26 May
1619, Holcomb Rogus Devonshire, par. Thomas ZEALE and Unknown
--4-?? Major Thomas GIBBON M.P.?? of Christow c. 1616, Holcomb Rogus
Devonshire, d. 1 Mar 1666/67, Whitestone Exeter Devonshire, bur. 4
Mar 1666/67, Christow Devonshire
+Elizabeth DAVY of Canonteign d. 6 Jul 1660, bur. 6 Jul 1660,
Christow Devonshire, par. Robert DAVY and Rachell
--5-Thomas GIBBON b. Abt 1650, bur. 21 Sep 1715, St Lawrence, Exeter
--5-Edmund GIBBON of Tiverton c. 28 Feb 1653/54, Christow Devonshire,
bur. 1701, St. Peter's Tiverton
--5-Mallor GIBBINS c. 16 Aug 1656, Christow Devonshire
--5-Robert GIBBINS c. 23 Jun 1658, Christow Devonshire
--5-Three Daughters GIBBINS
+Margaret bur. 6 Sep 1684, Christow Devonshire
--4-Thomasine GIBBENS c. 31 Mar 1616, Holcomb Rogus Devonshire
--4-John GIBBENS c. 19 Feb 1617/18, Holcomb Rogus Devonshire
--3-Robert GIBBENS
--3-Philip GIBBENS
--3-Thomas GIBBENS
+Unknown
--4-Thomas GIBBENS c. 5 Mar 1611/12, St. James Taunton
--4-Jaine GIBBENS c. 20 Jan 1614/15, St. James Taunton
--3-Thomazine GIBBENS
--3-Mary GIBBENS
--3-Jane GIBBENS
--3-Dorthie GIBBENS
--3-Elizabeth GIBBENS
--2-Unknown GIBBENS
+John TOMPKINS
--3-Elizabeth TOMPKINS
--2-Susan GIBBENS
+HILL
---------------------------
Thomas Gibbon of Exeter
Christow Church MI to Elizabeth Gibbon wife of Thomas Gibbon, 1660. bearing the Gibbons and Davy arms
Elizabeth Gibbon, scion of the illustrious house of Canonteign, beautiful, chaste and pious wife of Thomas Gibbins Esquire who bore his four sons and three young daughters, she being heavy with child died of an excessive haemorrhage and was buried on the same day on the 6th day of July in the year of Our Lord 1660.
Look again at the mournful view of the well remembered spouse and darling of her husband, once his sweet ornament death destroyed by the poured out blood of the double life. But for itself death became with the birth the foetus a new life. The ghostly chains of terrible death are broken and for both there now remains a quiet peace that will not die.
This is the confusion over Thomas Gibbon of Exeter, was he from Wales or Somerset, or, were there two men of the same name in Exeter in the mid 1600s? Was he a relative to Edward of the Cathedral? Edward's 2nd wife was a Mary Bluett of Holcomb Rogus.
How do I know that Thomas of Christow was the MP? --- I don’t have any thing to confirm that.
References:.
ECA book 61 1619 page 201 Edward Gibbons of the Canonton.[Canonteign] in Christow. This reference relates to Edward, musician, (c. 1598 – 1645) of Exeter Cathedral and if that is correct then Edward and Thomas's father may well be related.
Edward was chucked “out of doors” by Cromwell’s gang aged 80 in 1645 from his house in the Christow/ Dunsford area. Dr. John Walker's "Suffering of the Clergy" written 1714
Major Gibbons 1646, appointed Governor of Exeter Castle, 13 Mar. From: 'Index: A-J', Journal of the House of Commons: volume 5: 1646-1648 (1802), pp. 1-38. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=25462&strquery=Gibons. Date accessed: 09 September 2005.
Gibbons Thomas son of William of Holcomb, Devon, pleb. Lincoln Coll. Matric. 17 Apr 1635 age 19, barrister at law, Inner Temple 1646. MP for Exeter 1654 /5 and 1659. (see Foster's Judges and Barristers) born c. 1616. [from the Oxford Alumni]
Freemen of Exeter List by D&CRS.
Thomas Gibbons, gent. 10 Jul 1654 by order of the Mayor and Council.
DCNQ Vol 68 page 108
Thomas Gybbons paid £27 when parliament sat for 86 days 27 Jan to 22 Apr 1659
Devon Documents chapter 39 page 165. Devon Justices of Peace 1643 - 60
Thomas Gibbons 8 Jul 1659 (Restored Commonwealth)
From: 'List of speakers: Parliaments of 1656 and 1658-9', Diary of Thomas Burton esq, volume 4: March - April 1659 (1828), pp. 487-99. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=36964. Date accessed: 06 October 2005. Gibbons, Colonel, Exeter, 1654, 1658-9.
Deed references in DRO
Thomas Gibbons c. 1662 ref. 484m/T5/1
Thomas Gibbons of Christow,
Land at Mamhead, Harcombe Wood, Cockland . With Kirkham
Thomas Gibbons c. 1663 ref. 484m/T19/10D
Land at Farringdon . Little Dodsfield. With Kirkham of Pynhoe
Thomas must have left Canonteign to live in Whitestone c. 1660. This was the year his wife Elizabeth Davey died. I am wondering if Thomas lived at Canonteign courtesy of his wife and then had to leave on her death.
The coat of arms in Christow Church are very similar to ones use by Gibbons from Kent, Dorset and one of the Norfolk Gibbon families.
How do I know that Thomas of Christow was the MP? --- I don’t have any thing to confirm that.
References:.
ECA book 61 1619 page 201 Edward Gibbons of the Canonton.[Canonteign] in Christow. This reference relates to Edward, musician, (c. 1598 – 1645) of Exeter Cathedral and if that is correct then Edward and Thomas's father may well be related.
Edward was chucked “out of doors” by Cromwell’s gang aged 80 in 1645 from his house in the Christow/ Dunsford area. Dr. John Walker's "Suffering of the Clergy" written 1714
Major Gibbons 1646, appointed Governor of Exeter Castle, 13 Mar. From: 'Index: A-J', Journal of the House of Commons: volume 5: 1646-1648 (1802), pp. 1-38. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=25462&strquery=Gibons. Date accessed: 09 September 2005.
Gibbons Thomas son of William of Holcomb, Devon, pleb. Lincoln Coll. Matric. 17 Apr 1635 age 19, barrister at law, Inner Temple 1646. MP for Exeter 1654 /5 and 1659. (see Foster's Judges and Barristers) born c. 1616. [from the Oxford Alumni]
Freemen of Exeter List by D&CRS.
Thomas Gibbons, gent. 10 Jul 1654 by order of the Mayor and Council.
DCNQ Vol 68 page 108
Thomas Gybbons paid £27 when parliament sat for 86 days 27 Jan to 22 Apr 1659
Devon Documents chapter 39 page 165. Devon Justices of Peace 1643 - 60
Thomas Gibbons 8 Jul 1659 (Restored Commonwealth)
From: 'List of speakers: Parliaments of 1656 and 1658-9', Diary of Thomas Burton esq, volume 4: March - April 1659 (1828), pp. 487-99. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=36964. Date accessed: 06 October 2005. Gibbons, Colonel, Exeter, 1654, 1658-9.
Deed references in DRO
Thomas Gibbons c. 1662 ref. 484m/T5/1
Thomas Gibbons of Christow,
Land at Mamhead, Harcombe Wood, Cockland . With Kirkham
Thomas Gibbons c. 1663 ref. 484m/T19/10D
Land at Farringdon . Little Dodsfield. With Kirkham of Pynhoe
Thomas must have left Canonteign to live in Whitestone c. 1660. This was the year his wife Elizabeth Davey died. I am wondering if Thomas lived at Canonteign courtesy of his wife and then had to leave on her death.
The coat of arms in Christow Church are very similar to ones use by Gibbons from Kent, Dorset and one of the Norfolk Gibbon families.
I need to work out how Thomas came to have the arms. Did Thomas “borrow” the arms to match his status as an MP or was he granted them? Is he a descendant of the Norfolk family and Edward Gibbons of the Cathedral? Orlando, Edward's brother used this coat of arms, so perhaps not:
Or the family of Kent and Edward the Historian? I can find no evidence that Edward of the Cathedral used a coat of arms. Where does William of Holcomb Rogus, father of Thomas, the MP fit in?
This article below adds more confusion.
[Ref: Dev & Corn. RS, Exeter Parish Registers II Vol. 2 - 3 page 612 / 3]
This was taken originally from extracts printed in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette from Nov 1881 to Jul 1883 by Robert Dymond.
Memorial Stones Allhallows, Goldsmith Street
A stone with a long Latin inscription records the burial of the infant son Edmund, the youngest child of Thomas Gibbon Esq. And Grace, his wife. The inscription is undated, but the register shows that the child was bapt. 19 Dec 1684, and bur. 11 Apr 1685. The father was recorder of Exeter in times when the holder of the office usually resided in the city, and was more intimately concerned with municipal affairs than is now the case. Thomas Gibbon served the office for four years, from 1684, having been appointed by the crown on the surrender of the city charter. He was of Welsh extraction, his grandfather, William Gibbon, who practised as an attorney in Devonshire, being the younger of the two sons of William and Wenllion Gibbon of Pendoylon, co. Glamorgan. William Gibbon, the attorney, had a son, Thomas, of Christow, who, being destined to the higher branch of the legal profession, was admitted a student of the Inner Temple in Nov 1637 and called to the Bar in 1646. His two sons, Thomas and Edmund, were also barristers, the former appearing as “Councellor Gibbon” in the parish register in 1690, when he and “Councelloer Row” were godfathers to a son of the Rev. Thomas Rundle the minister of Allhallows. Thomas Gibbon, the Recorder, was appointed Serjeant at Law in 1700, and was buried at St. Laurence, Exeter, 21 Sep 1715. The learned Serjeant was twice married. In addition to Edmund he had, by his first wife, a son, Thomas, (who died unmarried and a lunatic), and George, who became Lieut. Governor of Plymouth town and citadel but, dying childless 1 Feb 1746, his extensive estates at Offwell and elsewhere in Devon were escheated to the Crown (by Inquisition 15 Jul 1746), though afterwards restored (by a judgment of 22 Geo. II [1749]) to his kinsman Thomas Gibbon of Whitchurch, co. Glamorgan, a lineal descendant of the eldest son of the Sergeant’s great grandfather. The Serjeant’s second wife was Margery, one of the daughters of Sir George Cary of Tor Abbey knt. This lady was born 22 Oct 1672, her marriage settlement is dated 15 Jan 1707 and, having survived her husband, she died without issue in 1717.
[Ref: Dev & Corn. RS, Exeter Parish Registers II Vol. 2 - 3 page 612 / 3]
This was taken originally from extracts printed in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette from Nov 1881 to Jul 1883 by Robert Dymond.
Memorial Stones Allhallows, Goldsmith Street
A stone with a long Latin inscription records the burial of the infant son Edmund, the youngest child of Thomas Gibbon Esq. And Grace, his wife. The inscription is undated, but the register shows that the child was bapt. 19 Dec 1684, and bur. 11 Apr 1685. The father was recorder of Exeter in times when the holder of the office usually resided in the city, and was more intimately concerned with municipal affairs than is now the case. Thomas Gibbon served the office for four years, from 1684, having been appointed by the crown on the surrender of the city charter. He was of Welsh extraction, his grandfather, William Gibbon, who practised as an attorney in Devonshire, being the younger of the two sons of William and Wenllion Gibbon of Pendoylon, co. Glamorgan. William Gibbon, the attorney, had a son, Thomas, of Christow, who, being destined to the higher branch of the legal profession, was admitted a student of the Inner Temple in Nov 1637 and called to the Bar in 1646. His two sons, Thomas and Edmund, were also barristers, the former appearing as “Councellor Gibbon” in the parish register in 1690, when he and “Councelloer Row” were godfathers to a son of the Rev. Thomas Rundle the minister of Allhallows. Thomas Gibbon, the Recorder, was appointed Serjeant at Law in 1700, and was buried at St. Laurence, Exeter, 21 Sep 1715. The learned Serjeant was twice married. In addition to Edmund he had, by his first wife, a son, Thomas, (who died unmarried and a lunatic), and George, who became Lieut. Governor of Plymouth town and citadel but, dying childless 1 Feb 1746, his extensive estates at Offwell and elsewhere in Devon were escheated to the Crown (by Inquisition 15 Jul 1746), though afterwards restored (by a judgment of 22 Geo. II [1749]) to his kinsman Thomas Gibbon of Whitchurch, co. Glamorgan, a lineal descendant of the eldest son of the Sergeant’s great grandfather. The Serjeant’s second wife was Margery, one of the daughters of Sir George Cary of Tor Abbey knt. This lady was born 22 Oct 1672, her marriage settlement is dated 15 Jan 1707 and, having survived her husband, she died without issue in 1717.
No mention of a MP here!!
Oxford Alumini gives us this: CD version page 560.
Gibbons Thomas (Gibbens) son of William of Holcomb Devon, pleb. Lincoln Coll. Matric. 17 Apr 1635 age 19, barrister at law, Inner Temple 1646. MP for Exeter 1654 /5 and 1659. (see Foster's Judges and Barristers) [born c. 1616, died 1667 in Whitestone]
Gibbon Thomas son of Thomas of Whitstone Devon, gent. Wadham Coll. Matric. 30 Mar 1666 age 16. Poss. Barrister at Law Inner Temple 1673 (as of Oxford, gent. ), bencher and serjeant at law 1700. Father of next…. (see Foster's Judges and Barristers) [born c. 1650]
Gibbon Thomas son of Thomas of London [?] arm. Wadham Coll. Matric. 18 Mar 1696/7 age 16, student of Inner Temple 1701. [born c. 1681]
(see Foster's Inns of Court Reg.)
Fosters Judges & Barristers. These are 5 vols of 15ins x 9ins x 2ins of soft leather spines and rather worn marbled front and back covers and inside page after lined page of tiny writing , presumably J Foster`s own, of names and details , so:-
1) Edmund of the parish of Christow , Devon , adm to Lyons Inn 22nd Nov 1672, Inner Temple 1682
2) Edmund son and heir of Edmund of the Inner Temple adm 1683
3) George 2nd son of Thomas of Exeter, adm to Middle Temple 1697
4) Thomas son and heir of William late of co Devon gent decd , adm Inner Temple 1638 barr 1646 .
Oxford Alumini gives us this: CD version page 560.
Gibbons Thomas (Gibbens) son of William of Holcomb Devon, pleb. Lincoln Coll. Matric. 17 Apr 1635 age 19, barrister at law, Inner Temple 1646. MP for Exeter 1654 /5 and 1659. (see Foster's Judges and Barristers) [born c. 1616, died 1667 in Whitestone]
Gibbon Thomas son of Thomas of Whitstone Devon, gent. Wadham Coll. Matric. 30 Mar 1666 age 16. Poss. Barrister at Law Inner Temple 1673 (as of Oxford, gent. ), bencher and serjeant at law 1700. Father of next…. (see Foster's Judges and Barristers) [born c. 1650]
Gibbon Thomas son of Thomas of London [?] arm. Wadham Coll. Matric. 18 Mar 1696/7 age 16, student of Inner Temple 1701. [born c. 1681]
(see Foster's Inns of Court Reg.)
Fosters Judges & Barristers. These are 5 vols of 15ins x 9ins x 2ins of soft leather spines and rather worn marbled front and back covers and inside page after lined page of tiny writing , presumably J Foster`s own, of names and details , so:-
1) Edmund of the parish of Christow , Devon , adm to Lyons Inn 22nd Nov 1672, Inner Temple 1682
2) Edmund son and heir of Edmund of the Inner Temple adm 1683
3) George 2nd son of Thomas of Exeter, adm to Middle Temple 1697
4) Thomas son and heir of William late of co Devon gent decd , adm Inner Temple 1638 barr 1646 .
Thank you for reading all this, I would love to hear from you if you can add to this, or have be able to research these men.
Monday, 23 March 2009
Roo & Rusty
Our collies were getting rather old and seemed to have decided to retire from farm life, so we decided to look for another younger collie. (Jun 2007)
The local Animal Rescue Centre had a lovely looking little collie to re home, but, sadly, she was not to go to a home with young children. In the next pen was this little tri coloured chap. He looked at me and I looked at him. It was the moment I knew Roo would come home with me. Dear Roo, he has helped me so much, my soul mate.
I had never heard of the breed before, Roo is from a Collie mother by a Kelpie dog. So once it was confirmed he would come to us, I searched with Google to learn more. Roo will be three in April 2009.
Roo arrived at a time when life was big struggle, family members seriously ill, my own health not good, but Roo got me walking and the time we have together out in the lovely country side around here has restored me.Roo is such a sensitive boy, we were at a funereal and as it was far from home we took the dog with us, while giving him a break from the car he sought out the daughter of the bereaved family and sat with her the rest of the day, amazing.
Roo has settled in with us so well, bless him. In November 2008 dear old Sam our much loved collie died, he was having fits and the vet treated him, but sadly he did not recover, we lost a dear friend. We hand reared him so he meant a great deal to us. Poor Colin, my hubby, it was hard for him. Sam went every where with him, in the lorry, truck or tractor.On the UK Kelpie forum I found a local dog put up for re homing, and Rusty came to the farm. (Nov 2009)
Rusty is about 17 months old, (Mar 2009) he came from a farm on Dartmoor, he was put up to be re homed because he would not work the sheep away from his shepherd, he was happier to stay by the ATV. The farmer was struggling to get him to work on the Moors, here the dogs have to go off and bring the sheep back to the lowlands, but Rusty would not do this. And therefore not what the farm required. I picked him up on the Monday and we found him to be a dear little dog, rather thin, with a very kind temperament.
The next day I walked the dogs across the fields and poor, poor Rusty touched the electric fence we use to make paddocks for the pigs. He bolted, he was untagged and unchipped, the search lasted two days, two horrid days of terrible worry. We went around the area with posters, knocked on doors talked to all the local farmers, had chums all on the look out for him. He was found by a lovely couple who spotted him in the corner of their garage, they took him in and fed him, the next day the local farmer stopped for a chat and she asked him if he knew of anyone looking for a dog, and he did, so it was all soon resolved.
The two dogs love to sleep by the fire, wake up for a mad dash around the garden every hour or so, barking at nothing, back to sleep again, until I take them for a walk!!!! Colin often tries to take Rusty with him, but he usually gets out of the vehicle and is soon back by the fire again!!! Roo is fine on his own and not too bad with the sheep, but as we have not had our own sheep on the farm this winter I have stayed away from them, but when he and Rusty start to run in the sheep they split and tumble them over, and with the river along the edge of the meadow, the lambs could easily drown. When Colin gets the weaned lambs up in a separate field away from the river I will see how we go. Roo, on his own listens to me and will stop, but both together just go loopy!!! Rusty, won’t work the sheep at all, and given the chance will run home, that was when we first had him, so now the better weather is here, I must get out with him and see if we can make any progress. I can see why he was sacked from his Dartmoor home!!
Reading more about the breed it is the general consensus that they do not fully mature until the age of three, so Rusty has time to prove himself. We will not rush him, just give him time to gain confidence and enjoy being out and about. He seems to have a dislike of open space.
Searching on Google, I find that many of the photos of Kelpie like dogs are not given the breed name, they seem to be just Shepherd or Doberman cross. It is the same here in the UK, the breed is taking a long time to get recognition. The thing that worries me is how many are coming up for re homing, as folk find them just too full on and hard work. When walking out with Roo folk often think he is an Alsatian or Rottweiler pup.
Since having Roo I have notice how many breeds of dogs have the black and tan markings all in the same places, would be interesting to learn more about this.
It must be taken on board that this is a working breed and will not sit happily at home waiting for the keeper to come back from work, I am lucky here, the back door is open all day and the dogs can come and go around the farmyard. If you take on a Kelpie or a cross you will have the most wonderful loyal dog, and also a hurricane!!
The local Animal Rescue Centre had a lovely looking little collie to re home, but, sadly, she was not to go to a home with young children. In the next pen was this little tri coloured chap. He looked at me and I looked at him. It was the moment I knew Roo would come home with me. Dear Roo, he has helped me so much, my soul mate.
I had never heard of the breed before, Roo is from a Collie mother by a Kelpie dog. So once it was confirmed he would come to us, I searched with Google to learn more. Roo will be three in April 2009.
Roo arrived at a time when life was big struggle, family members seriously ill, my own health not good, but Roo got me walking and the time we have together out in the lovely country side around here has restored me.Roo is such a sensitive boy, we were at a funereal and as it was far from home we took the dog with us, while giving him a break from the car he sought out the daughter of the bereaved family and sat with her the rest of the day, amazing.
Roo has settled in with us so well, bless him. In November 2008 dear old Sam our much loved collie died, he was having fits and the vet treated him, but sadly he did not recover, we lost a dear friend. We hand reared him so he meant a great deal to us. Poor Colin, my hubby, it was hard for him. Sam went every where with him, in the lorry, truck or tractor.On the UK Kelpie forum I found a local dog put up for re homing, and Rusty came to the farm. (Nov 2009)
Rusty is about 17 months old, (Mar 2009) he came from a farm on Dartmoor, he was put up to be re homed because he would not work the sheep away from his shepherd, he was happier to stay by the ATV. The farmer was struggling to get him to work on the Moors, here the dogs have to go off and bring the sheep back to the lowlands, but Rusty would not do this. And therefore not what the farm required. I picked him up on the Monday and we found him to be a dear little dog, rather thin, with a very kind temperament.
The next day I walked the dogs across the fields and poor, poor Rusty touched the electric fence we use to make paddocks for the pigs. He bolted, he was untagged and unchipped, the search lasted two days, two horrid days of terrible worry. We went around the area with posters, knocked on doors talked to all the local farmers, had chums all on the look out for him. He was found by a lovely couple who spotted him in the corner of their garage, they took him in and fed him, the next day the local farmer stopped for a chat and she asked him if he knew of anyone looking for a dog, and he did, so it was all soon resolved.
The two dogs love to sleep by the fire, wake up for a mad dash around the garden every hour or so, barking at nothing, back to sleep again, until I take them for a walk!!!! Colin often tries to take Rusty with him, but he usually gets out of the vehicle and is soon back by the fire again!!! Roo is fine on his own and not too bad with the sheep, but as we have not had our own sheep on the farm this winter I have stayed away from them, but when he and Rusty start to run in the sheep they split and tumble them over, and with the river along the edge of the meadow, the lambs could easily drown. When Colin gets the weaned lambs up in a separate field away from the river I will see how we go. Roo, on his own listens to me and will stop, but both together just go loopy!!! Rusty, won’t work the sheep at all, and given the chance will run home, that was when we first had him, so now the better weather is here, I must get out with him and see if we can make any progress. I can see why he was sacked from his Dartmoor home!!
Reading more about the breed it is the general consensus that they do not fully mature until the age of three, so Rusty has time to prove himself. We will not rush him, just give him time to gain confidence and enjoy being out and about. He seems to have a dislike of open space.
Searching on Google, I find that many of the photos of Kelpie like dogs are not given the breed name, they seem to be just Shepherd or Doberman cross. It is the same here in the UK, the breed is taking a long time to get recognition. The thing that worries me is how many are coming up for re homing, as folk find them just too full on and hard work. When walking out with Roo folk often think he is an Alsatian or Rottweiler pup.
Since having Roo I have notice how many breeds of dogs have the black and tan markings all in the same places, would be interesting to learn more about this.
It must be taken on board that this is a working breed and will not sit happily at home waiting for the keeper to come back from work, I am lucky here, the back door is open all day and the dogs can come and go around the farmyard. If you take on a Kelpie or a cross you will have the most wonderful loyal dog, and also a hurricane!!
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