History
THE SOUTHDOWN SHEEP SOCIETY
A Man Ahead of His Time
History recognises John Ellman of Glynde as a great master breeder whose influence on the Southdown breed still reaches across two centuries to the present day.
What is perhaps less well known is that his contribution to agriculture in general was also outstanding. His achievement around the turn of the Eighteenth Century in producing a sheep which would consistently outperform all contemporary breeds was only equalled by the great flair he exhibited in promoting and marketing his sheep.
Should anyone be labouring under the misapprehension that it was the MLC which invented promotion and marketing, think again.
His reputation was such that the King himself (George III), and his Royal Dukes, visited Glynde on a number of occasions. Other notable visitors included the Dukes of Bedford, Richmond, and Sussex, the Earls of Leicester and Egremont, and many other great land owners from far and wide.
Glynde Southdowns became foundation stock on many of the great English estates. They were also taken to Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. One consignment even went to the Emperor of Russia.
Rams from Glynde were frequently hired out for the season; the fee was usually from 50 to 100 guineas. In 1902 the Duke of Bedford hired a ram for two seasons at the magnificent fee of 300 gns.
Towards the end of the Eighteenth Century, Napoleonic Wartime legislation actually encouraged fresh meat production as home supplies at that time were inadequate. Because of the shortage, the meat trade was booming and huge profits could be made.
The annual "Sheep Shearings" at both Blackham and Woburn rekindled interest in sheep and attracted large crowds of land owners and tenant farmers, all keen to inspect at first hand the new improved types of stock on view, as well as new feeding and management methods.
In 1798, under the Chairmanship of the Duke of Bedford, twenty-nine of the leading rural improvers of the day, among them John Ellman, formed the first Committee of the Smithfield Club.
The first Smithfield Show was held the following year, in 1799. John Ellman, as one of the Show's staunchest supporters, exhibited his Southdown sheep. Nearer home, in 1797 he had played a leading role in the formation of the Sussex Agricultural Association. At the first show at Lewes in 1798 he won the award for the best Southdown ram. The following year he did even better, winning the shearling ram class, which carried a first prize of 40 gns. He also had the best two year old ram, and, for good measure, the best shearling ewes.
H. George Hughes
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| Sheep belonging to Oscar E.Pyle of Southdown Farm being driven from Angmering and meandering over Long Furlong on the way to the Findon Sheep Fair on 14th September 1935. Oscar Pyle owned a famous Southdown flock. |
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| An Austin pulls over for them, 1936 |
| These photographs are shown by kind permission of Valerie Martin - www.findonvillage.com and these and more can be seen in the Findon Village Antiquities section of her website at http://www.findonvillage.com/0169_the_50_50_chance.htm |
| For more old photographs of Findon Sheep Fair and the
Southdowns sold there, click here. These also are shown by kind permission of Valerie Martin from her site on Findon Village. |
| For more on the history of the Southdown; details and photographs from the old Flock Books |
| 1892 |
| 1893 |
| 1896 |
| 1901 |
| 1902 |
This document maintained by rutinum@aol.com.
Material Copyright © 2002 The Southdown Sheep Society