Richard Lloyd (1847-1906)

Richard Lloyd was the son of a victualler, another Richard Lloyd, and spent his childhood living in Long Acre, St Martin in the Fields, London.

By 1871 he was a clerk working at The Grapes and Punch House, Ware, a pub (now just The Punch House) run by the Ellis family from 1811 to 1923, and which is still in existence. At the time the landlord was William Ellis and also present were his wife, Ellen Ellis and her sister Mary Ann Cox. In 1876 Richard married Mary Ann Cox, daughter of Thomas Cox, Gentleman, in Ware parish church.

At the time of the 1881 census William Ellis had died and Richard was living at the Punch House as manager to Ellen Ellis, who is described as a wine merchant. Ellen continued living at the Punch House until at least 1911, but Richard (still manager for a wine merchant) and Mary Ann had an expanding family (eventually 4 sons and 3 daughters) and at the time of the 1891 and 1901 census were they were living at White Horse Road, Ware. Richard died in 1906 at Alpha Cottage, Francis Street, Ware.

It is not known when Richard started to breed cocker spaniels but he was one of the founding fathers of the breed and bred many greats such as the Heir Apparent who was sire of 8 champions. He won a first in the first "open to all breeds" Cruft's Dog Show held at Islington in 1891.

Herbert Summers Lloyd (1887-1963)

Herbert Summers Lloyd was born in Ware, the youngest son of Richard and Mary Ann Lloyd. Hw was initially apprenticed as a printer, but gave this up to follow his father in breeding cocker spaniels, after his father's death in 1906. As the card shows he charged 3 guineas for the stud services of his dog Hampton Guard in 1909. In 1911 he was living with his widowed mother at 4 Francis Road, Ware, describing himself as a canine specialist. By this date he was calling dogs from his kennels "of Ware" and continued this practice after the kennels moved from Ware.

While he was at Ware he was a member of the Hertfordshire Battalion of the Bedfordshire Territorial Regiment for three years. He presumably left when he moved from Ware, with the kennels, as when the First World War broke out he enlisted in the 7th (City of London) Battalion of the London Regiment, he gave his address as Herts Kennels, Ruislip, Middlesex.

Herbert Summers Lloyd

His sister Gertrude looked after the Kennels during the war and when he returned to civilian life he married Ellen Amelia Wittleton at Wembley, in 1919. He was secretary of the Cocker Spaniel Club from 1921 to 1959, and published the first edition of his book The Popular Cocker Spaniel in 1924. He was the most successful breeder/owner at Crufts, having won "Best in Show" on six occasions in the 1930s and 40s, with dogs such as Luckystar of Ware and Tracey Witch of Ware. After the Second World War he was awarded the MBE for his services as head civilian trainer, War Dogs Training School. He moved to Ware Cottage, Denham Way, Maple Cross, Rickmansworth where he died in 1963.

His daughter Jennifer Lloyd Carey first attended Crufts at the age of 11, in 1948, and by 2011 had shown 40 dogs, won classes, and been a judge three times.

For more information see A Tribute to the "Grandmaster", Mr. H. S. Lloyd.

by Carol Lee Dawson on Gunwise