Mr Newington's Sussex Spaniel Dog Rosehill Rock.
Five-and-twenty years ago, typical specimens of the Rosehill strain were scarce, and since that time not a great deal has been done towards maintaining the purity of breed.
Very few Spaniels shown in the Sussex classes can claim purity of breeding, the introduction of black blood by mating Champion Bachelor to Negress, being the cause of this. Jacobs Bachelor was by Buckingham ex Peggie and own brother to Rover III.—though very different types of Spaniels.
The author was personally acquainted with these and many other old Sussex Spaniels.
I always took Buckingham to be a very typical Sussex and Rover III. was much of the same stamp as his sire; whereas Bachelor was more akin to the Dam Peggie—of course much her superior, though quite unlike his brother, Rover III.
At one time the judges would not look at Champion Bachelor, Messrs Willet then preferring Rover III.
Later on the order was reversed, and we believe—though cannot be certain—at the London Kennel Club Show. Champion Lawyer—at one time in my possession—was a heavily built type of Sussex. The Rev. Mr Shields, Mr Fuller, and Mr Newington, all had some of the pure Rosehills, and I also bought a good bitch from Mr Henry Hawkins by Rover III. ex Duchess. The last time that old Buckingham ever appeared on the show bench—and then not for competition—was at the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society's Show, held at Preston about 1880.
Although the litter out of which I bought Countess was an exceptionally good one—and Countess very typical—Messrs Willet would not award them prizes, owing, they said, to the faintest evidence of tan markings, observed with difficulty.
The typical colour for the Sussex is a light golden liver, and this Bachelor certainly was, Rover being darker.