Seeking Help To Trace

[moosmum]

I have come up against a brick wall trying to trace a letter written to a major Brittish news paper in the times of the 1st/2nd world wars.

It could well have been the "Times Of London."

It was written in response to the huge numbers of dogs being taken to the gas works for euthanasia at that time to "assist with the war effort" and was credited with bringing the practice almost to halt over night.

I have very little to go on,the full letter was published in a memoir type book written by a little known author I found in the "naturalist' section of the public Library 30 years ago.I can't remember his name or the Books tittle,only that it sounded like a book on English Country Gardens at a glance.

The author was a great fan of dogs and told many of his own stories and mentioned many more famous stories such a Greyfriars Bobby.

May have been published in the 60's.

I think,but I'm not sure,that the quote below is a small part of this letter.

"He is your friend,your partner,your defender,your dog.

You are his life,his love,his leader.

He will be your,faithful and true to the last beat of his heart.

you owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."

Any one who either has access to the on line archives for the major Brittish papers,or even can supply me with email address's for the editors or Archivists for those papers?

Or Know of this book?

It may clear up the mystery of the author and give us back the whole of it.Just as relevent for our times now.

[OSoSwift]

I think that has been mentioned on here before and for the life of me I cannot remember the persons name. Some smart DOLer will though

[Guest RANDCMOORE31]

I think you may have posted this before - someone did, anyway. I did some research back then - but could not find the origins either.

[moosmum]

I think you may have posted this before - someone did, anyway. I did some research back then - but could not find the origins either.

Yes,it was me.I couldnt find the old post though.I'm not the best on a P.C with limmited use on gennerator power and newish thing for me.So sorry about the repeat.

I'm hoping at least for contacts for the Major Brittish papers,so that maybe I can enlist their help,or from their archivists.

Apparently you can access the archives on line,for a fee Sounds like people pay for on going use.

But I don't use a credit card and with my lack of p.c knowledge,no idea how long it would take me to figure out how to find the thing!

Thanks for your previous help tho'.

Can any one supply emails for those major London papers that were operating in the war years?!

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

here it is http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=200540

[jazawayaya]

Excuse my ignorance but how would euthanizing huge numbers of dogs have helped with the war effort?

[moosmum]

Thanks Jaxx,

Again,sorry for doubling.I need practice for searches or something.

Jazawayaya,

Don't ask me,but thats the excuse used .

I think it may have been since people were struggling so much to meet their own basic needs at the time,and felt guilty "wasting "resources oon their dogs when so many people were going without.

The author of the letter supposedly went past the gas works every day and was heart broken to see people lined up to surrender their dogs.

I have heard from several sources that this happened,with an astronomical number of dogs gassed.

The bits I can vaguely recall point out the many ways dogs show their devotion,watching you leave for work and greeting you at the door on your retun,living for the kind word and gentle touch,the head on your lap and soulful eyes.The gentlness with children.

I think at one point saying "He would give his life for you".

A very beautiful work that I would love to see revived,and badly needed in these times when we are in danger of allowing dogs to be legislated out of exsistence.

Maybe the extra detail in your link to my original post will jog some ones memory,but I think the book authors name ended with man or mann.(been trying self hypnosis almost to recover any detail :D )

Edited November 10, 2010 by moosmum

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

there was very little food around and everything was rationed.

it was thought that by euthanasing the dogs it would conserve the food for humans so pts your dog and you were helping the war effort...thats how people were convinced to do it

[Natsu chan]

It was due to rationing. There was a shortage of a lot of things in the UK and Europe at the time it happened here too but to a far lesser extent. Things like milk, butter, meat, clothing etc. There's a book about it I read years ago, I can't think what it was now but it was very interesting and enlightening. You'll find that a lot of European breeds have a genetic bottle neck around the time of the second world war as due to the war and the associated rationing a lot of breeders simply didn't have enough food for the dogs or staff to continue to breed.

Edited November 10, 2010 by Natsu chan

[Jed]

At that time, Buster Lloyd Jones was a KC judge who bred dacshunds - and wrote quite a few books around and later than that era. I think he was a vet, but have forgotten.

I do believe he wrote a bit on euthing of purebred dogs. Owners were asked to do it because food, particularly meat, was in very short supply, and it was felt that it was unfair for dogs to be fed when people were going hungry. Some dogs breeds were brought almost to extinction. My reading leads me to understand that people (breeders etc) who were keeping numbers of dogs were criticised for being unpatriotic. Numerous packs of hounds and terriers were decimated as well.

I'd google Buster Lloyd Jones.

Quite a few articles were written in the English dog magazines in the late 40s and early 50s, regarding this, and it may be that you will find one. We had heaps of (out of date) them when I was a kid, full of all kinds of articles, poems, people's opinions etc - and I did read about what happened during the more, but more from the slant of increasing the dogs and bloodlines, and how to do it.

The UKKC library may contain something of interest.

Sorry, I know that isn't what you wanted, but hope it gives you a start

[Skruffy n Flea]

i did a search for 'dogs' on the 'times of london' archive site and found this list. if the page doesn't load just click your browser's refresh button and then click 'retry' on the dialog box that then appears on your screen.

you need to subscribe in order to gain access to any of the archives.

there is also a 'contact us' link on the bottom left of the page.

i don't know if i've been of much help but i would certainly love to read the letter that was credited with bringing the practice almost to halt over night.

good luck moosmum :D

[Skruffy n Flea]

sorry moosmum, that link didn't work at all so let me fix it here:

click here then type 'dogs' in the search box. that'll reveal a list of archived newspaper articles that are date referenced.

again, good luck :D

[moosmum]

Thanks Jed,and Scruffy :D

It all helps.

I'm hopefull I might find it in the archives,just depends on if our "card' will work to subscribe and I can figure it all out in a day

I typed in my search with out subscribing and it did bring up a result (used the 1st line of the quote) that I wasn't able to view.If it was the whole of the area blanked it could well be what I'm looking for.

Buster Lloyd Jones would be a good one to check out too.I know the letter was attributed to some one well known at the time,just suprised if it is the same letter being quoted from,that the author is forgotten.