Lord Charles Beresford also known as Charles William de la Poer Beresford was a British Admiral and Member of Parliament
Beresford had a reputation for kindness to his men, saying ‘Any smart action performed by an officer or man should be appreciated publicly by signal Everyone is grateful for appreciation’
He became a household name for his actions in Egypt and the Sudan and his efforts at expanding the navy Eventually Beresford was given fleet command, but the relationship between him and the First Sea Lord, Sir John Fisher, descended into a bitter feud which threatened to tear the navy in half in the early years of the Twentieth Century
Beresford had been captivated by the sight of the Channel Fleet at age twelve and joined the Royal Navy in 1859 at the age of 13 He started his training as a cadet at the naval training academy HMS Britannia, successfully completing his passing-out examination in March 1861
He was immediately appointed a midshipman on the flagship of the Mediterranean fleet, the steam three-decker HMS Marlborough Beresford described Marlborough as “the smartest and happiest ship that ever floated”
Beresford left Marlborough in early 1863 and was appointed to HMS Defence in the summer of 1863. Defence was one of four new ironclads serving in the Channel Squadron; Beresford was unhappy in Defence, which he described as “a slovenly, unhandy tin kettle, which could not sail without steam… and which took minutes instead of seconds to cross topgallant yards”
He entered Parliament as a Conservative in 1874, representing County Waterford and retained his seat until 1880 Some difficulties arose with the Lords of the Admiralty, who objected to a junior officer debating the navy publicly in the House of Commons Beresford’s parliamentary career was saved by the intervention of the Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, who feared the loss of the seat to an opposition party, should Beresford be forced to resign Whilst an MP he continued to serve in the navy, becoming a commander in 1875
He combined the two careers of the navy and a member of parliament, making a reputation as a hero in battle and champion of the navy in the House of Commons He was a well-known and popular figure who courted publicity, widely known to the British publicas “Charlie B” He was considered by many to be a personification of John Bull, indeed was normally accompanied by his trademark, a bulldog
On 19 March, he was in Winnipeg, where he went on record as being “greatly pleased at the prospects for Western Canada.” He arrived back in Britain at Liverpool with his daughter Kathleen in the Teutonic on 10 April His flagship was, ironically, the new battleship King Edward VII and he “lived in great style”, attended by his Irish servants and his bulldog bitch Kora, with whom he was repeatedly photographed
Lord Beresford died in 1919 at the age of 73, at which point his title became extinct. After a ceremonial funeral at St Paul’s Cathedral, he was buried at Putney Vale Cemetery, south London
The English Bulldog, colloquially known as the British Bulldog or Bulldog, is a medium-sized dog that originated from England. The breed was first registered by the AKC in 1934 in the non-sporting group.
Today the English Bulldog is one of the most popular dog breeds throughout the world.
Their stout structure, humanlike faces and loyal characters made the unique identity of this breed.
Most researchers agree that the Bulldog is either a cross between a Mastiff and a Pug, or a descendant from the Alaunt.
The earliest mentions of the Bulldog breed date back to the early in 13th century when butchers used to keep dogs that were bred to catch and hold wild cattle.
Later on, Bulldogs were bred for cruel blood sports known as bull baiting.
Bulldogs were not only forced to fight with bulls, but also badgers, lions, bears and even elephants.
The blood sports were the popular pastimes of the masses that can be traced back to the year 1209. This was a sick form of animal cruelty to entertain the people back then. This form of animal cruelty as a ‘sport’ was finally banned in 1835.
Bull-Baiting
Normally the fight was staged in a field, a pit, or an arena. The concept of bull-baiting was for the dog to engage the bull.
Bulldogs were trained to crouch low to the ground to shield their bodies from the bull’s horns when it charged. The shoulders were placed on the outside of the body. This was to make sure it could crouch low.
Similarly, the hindquarters of the Bulldog are not as well developed as the forequarters, allowing the dog to be shaken violently without suffering any spinal injuries.
The head of the Bulldog, like his body, is also the part of the fighting strategies that men wanted to develop. The short jaws allows the dog to hang onto whatever it wants with a surprising tenaciousness.
The grip of a Bulldog is very strong and so is the structure of the jaws. Should the Bulldog be able to latch onto the bull’s nose, the Bulldog has a short snout located on the face upwards to allow breathing, while retaining its grip on the bull’s nose.
A New Purpose
Once bull-baiting was outlawed in the UK, it would seem that there would be no further need for the breed, and the Bulldog would probably become extinct.
But a few fans of the breed saved it by giving the Bulldog a new purpose. This is when the English Bulldog made the beautiful change from a fighting breed to a family breed.
The Bulldog’s character changed over the years from an aggressive and vicious fighter, to a loving and loyal family friend.
Nowadays, a Bulldog will rather avoid a fight and is considered one of the most gentle, calm and loyal breeds.
A New Look
Over the years, the look of the Bulldog started to change as well.
They became smaller, more stocky and got a more flattened face. There is a lot of discussion whether this was accomplished merely by selectively breeding smaller dogs or cross-breeding.
Sadly, the last few decades, breeders started to breed even more for looks, and exaggerated the Bulldogs typical looks including their short face, short legs, small behind, and wrinkles. Some of these features are the cause of some of the Bulldog breed specific health problems.
Today’s Bulldog
The English Bulldog is one of the most popular dog breeds these days.
Most people will describe them as friendly, loving and funny creatures with a heart of gold.
A Bulldog is a dog that will make an appearance not only because of its looks but even more so because of its striking character.
Because the Bulldog has such a mild temperament and is very loyal and gentle, it makes an ideal family pet, especially for people who live in the city.
Also, the Bulldog gained a lot of popularity as a very widely used mascot. In the US alone, the Bulldog represents nearly four dozen universities and 250 secondary schools. It is also the unofficial mascot for the US Marines and various sports teams.
Bulldogs are everywhere … in the movies and tv shows, on postcards and posters, you see them everywhere!
How can we explain this breeds popularity? In my personal opinion, what makes a Bulldog is not their unique looks, but but rather it is the Bulldog’s Character that explains it all.
Bulldogs are born to Love the World ♥
Read more about the character of the English Bulldog here.
The Future
It is our hope and wish that we will use the example of how the breed was bred to a new standard of character in the past, and use what we know today about the Bulldog’s health, to maintain not only the English Bulldog’s character and looks, but also make the Bulldog’s health the number one priority.
Strict rules regarding health MUST be a priority, and breed specific health problems need to be bred out of the breed.
The standards and rules need to be changed worldwide. This can only be done when veterinary experts, kennel clubs, breeders and owners worldwide work together.
English Bulldog Timeline
± 1300
First ever mention of a Bulldog
1835
Bull-baiting was made illegal in England by the Cruelty to Animals Act
1878
Dedicated bulldog fanciers formed The Bulldog Club (England)
1889
Handsome Dan becomes the Yale Mascot. The history of Handsome Dan dates to 1889, when Andrew Graves ’92S, a football player and rower during the days of Walter Camp, first named Yale’s mascot. The Bulldog tradition began a few years earlier, in 1890, when Harper, a champion English bulldog, was brought to football games to inspire the athletes
1890
Bulldog Club of America was founded
1913
Bulldog, Ch. Strathtay Prince Albert wins Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
1922
Because of the tenacity and demeanor of the breed, the image took root with both the Marines and the public. The Marines soon unofficially adopted the English Bulldog as their mascot.
At the Marine base at Quantico, Virginia, the Marines obtained a registered English Bulldog, King Bulwark. In a formal ceremony on 14 October 1922, BGen. Smedley D. Butler signed documents enlisting the bulldog, renamed Jiggs, for the “term of life.” Pvt. Jiggs then began his official duties in the U.S. Marine Corps.
1939 -1945
Bulldogs have a longstanding association with English culture, to many the Bulldog is a national icon, symbolising pluck and determination. During World War II, Bulldogs were often likened to Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his defiance of Nazi Germany.
1942
Spike the Bulldog makes his first appearance in the cartoon Tom & Jerry
1955
Ch. Kippax Fearnought wins Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
1987
Jake and the Fatman was an American crime series starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. Fatman McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The Fatman hardly traveled anywhere without Max, his pet bulldog
1999
Baggy Bulldogs was founded
2009
Tillman the Bulldog sets the Guinness World Record for the fastest 100 meter on a skateboard by a dog
2015
Otto the bulldog sets the record for longest human tunnel traveled through by a skateboarding dog
2019
Thor wins Best in Show at 2019 National Dog Show
Let’s finish this blog with some vintage Bulldog photos …
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