SEALYHAM TERRIER BREEDERS ASSOCIATION
Established 1928
Formation of the STBA
Report 1928
On January 17th 1928 Mr Holland Buckley convened a meeting at 84 Piccadilly. The object was to form a new club for the interests of Sealyham Terrier Breeders. Twenty-two breeders were present and thus begun our present Association. A summary of our progress during the year is as follows:
The Sealyham Terrier Society and the Sealyham Terrier Badger Digging Association were formally wound up and their funds and trophies handed over to this Association. A unique opportunity occurred during the summer of running our first Championship show in conjunction with the National Airedale Terrier Association and Mr Buckley made arrangements whereby we shared expenses and profits with them. A wonderful show was held on September 11th in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Regent Park – glorious sunshine and a record entry of well over 400 of the best dogs in the country. Thirty-four silver souvenir cups and cash specials were offered, one of each class; four silver medals and six county silver specials, to be won twice; all these were given by the members of the Association, headed by our President, Lord Dewar.
Cash specials and spoons were offered for competitions to our members at the following shows: Great Joint Terrier, Windsor, Bristol, Taunton, Cardiff, Richmond, Bournemouth, Brighton, Kennel Club, Worcester, Edinburgh and Birmingham.
Our full membership for 1928 was 89. It was hoped that this year an even greater number will join.
Winifred Barber
Taken from the 1929 Year Book and republished in 2013 Year Book
Lord Dewar at the time he was President of the Sealyham Terriers Breeders Association
Lord Dewar – Founding President of STBA
(Taken from an article in Sealyham Times 2012)
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Sir Thomas Robert Dewar was born January 6th 1864 in Perth, Scotland and son of John Dewar Sr. And with his brother John they comprised the John Dewar and Son Ltd. Educated in Perth and Edinburgh, Sir Thomas and his brother worked to build their family’s Dewar spirit label into an international phenomenon. Dewar visited over 25 countries in the process of promoting his whisky labels and published the book “ramble Round the Globe” about his experiences.
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Dewar served as a justice of the peace for Kent and was Sheriff for London in 1897. He was elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament for the constituency of Tower Hamlets, St George in 1990 and served until 1906. He played an important part in the Aliens Act of 1905 legislation. He was knighted by King Edward VII in 1902 and created Baronet of Homestall Manor in East Grinstead, East Sussex in 1917 by King George V. Two years later he was raised to the Peerage as Baron Dewar of Homestall.
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Dewar’s home at Homestall gave rise to his Sealyham prefix “Homestall”. There was four Homestall Champions: Ch. Homestall Dod, Ch. Homestall Delilah, Ch. Homestall Diana and Ch. Homestall Dictator. Dod and Dictator were famous sires. The former sired CH Brash Beau (top stud), Ch. Homestall Diana and Ch. Felcourt Swell (who became Ch. Felcourt Swell of Paddington after export to USA). Dictator was Diligent and the first famous St. Margaret champion, Ch. Slick of St. Margaret. Three other Homestalls are found in most pedigrees today: Homestall Drama, Homestall Dickens and Homestall Doris.
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Dewar was one of the most sought-after dinner companions of his day for his popularity as a guest and his extraordinary talent as a raconteur. He was noted for his “bon mots” which developed their own cult and witty sayings gave way to a new word name after him, “Dewarisms”. As popular as he was, Dewar never married and died on April 11th 1930.
