Wateringbury to become household word for shorthorn breeders (1868)

Post date: Dec 29, 2011 4:42:45 PM

The following, somewhat lyrical, report from The Leicester Chronicle of Saturday 25 June 1868 touches upon an industry in Wateringbury which consistently attracted press attention in the nineteenth century often with focus on the extraordinary prices paid for a single cow or bull.

THE WATERINGBURY SHORTHORNS

Hop-yards are not dressed in their best in the last week of the year, yet neatness and order reign there now, and as we glide past tbe piles of poles — like chamois trousers with black feet— our thoughts revert to our own days of hop-cultivation, to the intrusive visitor, to the kiln, and our longings to hear " The De'il come fiddling thro' the town and dance awa' wi' the exciseman." He has " danced awa' " and his mark is no longer on our pockets, and we look forward in confidence to the time when " We'll mak' our maut and brew our drink while he's awa' too." Wateringbury will some day be in the mouths of shorthorn breeders a household word. If the " green-sand" of Kent was included in the caution about building a house, it is certainly a good foundation for a fortune.

Mr. Leney has made a handsome one in 10 years, and that is what cannot be done on the ' red-sand" of the Midlands in thrice the time. He farms 700 acres, of which 150 are of hops, and the half crop of last summer, numbering about 1,000 pockets, represented at harvest time the modest sum of £12,000. The farm has a south-eastern aspect, and inclines down to the river. It was said at the Preston Hall sale of shorthorns, that tbe Grand Dukes and Duchesses would have benefitted by a daily stroll in the Park, in place of the confinement of close boxes. Mr. Leney has not fallen into that error. We found 16 of the breeding cows regaling themselves in a river-side meadow. To them it was a green Christmas, and each one was fat on her Christmas cheer. Even the stalls have one and often two open slides. The exposure appears to give the bulls "coat," but the little white "Princess Alice" calf— the invisible purchase at the Windsor sale — although four feet deep in hop bines looked starved all over.

Most of the cows have been bought in at high prices; for, as a breeder of high-class shorthorns, Mr. Leney has not long been known. The latest purchases are "Princess Alice," from the Queen, at 125 guineas; " Fawsley," 3rd, by 4th Grand Duke, from Mr. Mc Intosh, for 190 guineas ; and " Grand Duchess" 9th, from Mr. Betts for 210 guineas. " Charming" and " Sweetbriar," bred by Mr. Atkins, and sold at the Milcote sale in 1860, for 50 guineas each, at eight weeks old, have contributed largely to the herd. " Fourth Duke of Thorndale," the American bull, which was imported at 400 guineas, and has changed owners twice since, at still higher prices, is the sire of four roans out of "Charming," and has wrought a considerable improvement upon Mr. Atkins' foundation in hair and flesh. The portrait of one of them, "Chorus 2nd," has a place in the Herd Book, and a charming cow she is. There are specimens from the herds of Messrs. Lang- stone, Robinson, Sharpe, and Vis. Hill. Of the fine bulls in the stalls, one was under orders of removal to the Windsor Royal Farm for a season. " Waterloo Duke," bred by Mr. Harrison, and " Knightley Grand Duke," bred by Mr. Tanqueray, have done good service ; and we hope the white " Lord Oxford " (2nd) will re- pay the 200 guineas he cost at the Preston Hall sale. He has immense depth of fore-quarter, but not a nice head. He is convalescent now, but has not been well through tbe summer months, so does not show to ad- vantage. Of the eight or ten bull calves, two or three are very good ; but the pride of the herd was the group of yearling and two-year-old heifers, not petted and cushioned in solitary confinement, but gnawing at a piece of old turf, with a shed and yard for shelter ; and again, hop-bines for a bed when it was wanted. Each was "a thing of beauty;" but interest naturally cen- tred in the last importation from America, the white " Duchess of Geneva" and the two " Maids of Oxford," secured on the Windsor sale day at a cost of 1,260 guineas.The fourth "Maid" is thick all over, and we hope to see her again in Leicester in July.

Manchester Times of 28th June 1879:

DEPRESSION IN AGRICULTURE.-A correspondent of the Times writes: "Probably nothing proves more forcibly how much the present depression in agriculture is felt than the fact that it has at length very seriously affected the value of certain tribes of shorthorns, which two or three years since were very fashionable, and brought extraordinary prices. Messrs. Leney and Sons, of Wateringbury, Kent, have always taken high rank among breeders of 'the red, white, and roan,' and at their sale in July, 1875, 28 cows and heiferm made an average of £180. 10s. 6d. each; but at their sale yesterday, conducted as the previous one was by Mr.Strafford, of Euston Square, an average of £87. 8s. 3d. only was realised for 24 females. The decline was most marked in the Fawaley or Knightley varieties, which Messrs. Leney and Sons have cultivated very much in skilful welding with Duchess blood. The highest price made for one of these yesterday was 110 guineas, which was given by Mr. Sheldon, of Brailes, the others only realising 42, 46, 50, 67, 52, and 57 guineas. To show the magnitude of the drop the Fawaleys at the former sale sold for 80, 150, 160, 75, 300, 200, 115, and 100 guineas. The only 3 animal yesterday which elicited keen competition, or anything having the appearance of sensational bidding, was Princess Oneida II.,by Sixth Duke of Oneida(30,097), of the Lady Sale branch of the Princess tribe well overlaid with Duchess crosses. Lord Bective and Mr.A.H.Lloyd,of Bletchingley, both wanted her badly, and a sharp duel was kept up between the two for a considerable time, ending at last in the latter giving way, and allowing the beautiful heifer to be secured by Lord Bective for 515 guineas. There were two splendid young females of the Wild Eyes tribe, twin sisters, which Mr. H. Brassey got dirt cheap, according to the general verdict, at 100 guineas and 155 guineas. At the 1875 sale a sister to these, similarly bred and no better, realised 400 guineas. The only others which yielded three figures yesterday were Oneida Gwynne, by Sixth Duke of Oneida, for whom Mr. Foster, of Kilhow, gave 100 guineas; and Acomb II., by the same magnificent sire, sold to Mr. Sheldon for 100 guineas."

Bury and Norwich Post , 1st July 1879:

AGRICULTURE. Fall in Prices for Shorthorn Cattle.— A correspondent to the Times says that probably nothing proves more forcibly how much the present depression in agriculture is felt than the fact that it has at length very seriously affected tbe value of certain tribes of short- horns which two or three years since were very fashion- able, and brought extraordinary prices. Messrs. Leney and Sons, of Wateringbury, Kent, at their sale in July, 1875, sold 28 cows and heifers at an average of £180 10s. 6d.. each; but at their sale on Tuesday, the 24th ult., an average of £87 8s. 3d. only was realized for 24 females. There were two splendid young females of tbe Wild Eyes tribe, twin sisters, which Mr. H. Brassey got at 100 guineas and 155 guineas. At the 1875 sale a sister to these realized 400 guineas.

The Sheffield Independent on 5th July 1879:

At Messrs. Leney's, Wateringbury, Kent, 24 cows and heifers averaged £87. 8s. 3d. A Princess yearling made the highest figure of 515 guineas, and was bought by Lord Bective.