One of the breeders of Cockers whose dogs appear in the first stud book of 1874 is Mr W Boulton of Accrington in Lancashire. He also bred some of the most influential Field Spaniels of the time, all bred from the same stock. These first two Cockers were named Regent and Regal (litter brothers). Mr W Twists Dash and Mr S Ridleys Bob also featured at the time.

It is not easy to find authentic pedigrees but Mr. C. A. Phillips can trace his own strain back to 1860 and was able to publish the pedigree of Rivington Dora for 18 generations!

In 1870 Mr Richard Lloyd founded a kennel of spaniels. His stock encompassed both Field and Cockers. He based his lines on Mr. Bolton's, Mr Bowers and the Rev. Shields lines and proceeded along quite different lines to his contemporary Mr Farrow. Mr Lloyd's first entries in the stud book were with Beauty and Countess.

Mr Lloyd subsequently went back to the Field and Sussex lines to secure an important brood bitch called Frivolity from Dr Spurgin. Upon the death of Richard Lloyd his son Hubert Summers Lloyd took over the kennel and with his keen eye for a dog took the kennel forward in a different manner to his father. Currently the Of Ware line is in the stewardship of Jennifer Lloyd Carey who is the daughter of H S Lloyd.

It was in 1880 that the most famous of all the "pillars" of the Cocker stud, Mr. James Farrow's Obo (born 14/06/1879), made his first bow to the public, he and his litter sister Sally having been born the year before. He won the highest honours that the show bench can give, and the importance of his service to the breed both in his owner's kennel and outside it, can scarcely be over-estimated. Nearly all of the best blacks, and many of the best coloured Cockers, are descended from him. At this period the type mostly favoured was that of a dog rather longer in the body and lower on the leg than it is at present, but the Obo family marked a progressive step, and very rightly kept on winning under all the best judges for many years, their owner being far too good a judge himself ever to exhibit anything but first-class specimens.

The famous Obo strain of the latter may be said to have exercised more influence than any other on the black variety both in this country and in the United States.

Meanwhile, although the blacks were far the most fashionable, among them was Mr. C. A. Phillips, whose two bitches from Mr. James Freme, of Wepre Hall, Flintshire, succeeded in breeding from one of them, whom he named Rivington Sloe, the celebrated dog Rivington Signal, who, mated with Rivington Blossom, produced Rivington Bloom, who was in turn the dam of Rivington Redcoat. These dogs proved almost, if not quite, as valuable to the coloured variety as Obo did to the blacks, and formed the foundation of Mr. J. M. Porter's celebrated Braeside strain which afterwards became so famous. Mr Porter's line started in the mid 1880's. Braeside Bustle was whelped in July 1894 and put coloured Cockers on the map.

Braeside Bustle (blue roan) was line bred to Mr Lloyd's Frivolity and his sire was Mr Lloyd's Viceroy (S: Toots x D: Coquette) who incidentally were both black!

These early Cocker spaniels formed the foundation of the breed as we know it today and lie behind all the current day dogs. Cocker Spaniel’s were developed to locate the whereabouts of the live quarry by scent and then to flush the quarry out of the hiding places by going into and under bushes and brambles to disturb the quarry and bring it out into the open. open.

The Cocker Spaniel Club was founded in 1902.

The Sussex is one of the oldest of the distinct breeds of Land Spaniels now existing in the British Isles, and probably also the purest in point of descent, since it has for many years past been confined to a comparatively small number of kennels, the owners of which have always been at considerable pains to keep their strains free from any mixture of foreign blood.

The modern race of Sussex Spaniels, as we know it, owes its origin in the main to the large kennels kept by Mr. Fuller at Rosehill Park, Brightling, near Hastings. Sussex spaniels were originally bred as gundogs to work the thick heavy clay soil and dense gorse bushes of Sussex and West Kent in England (hence their name!).

This gentleman, who died in 1847, is said to have kept his strain for fifty years or more, and to have shot over them almost daily during the season. Upon his death they were dispersed by auction, and none of them can be traced with any accuracy except a dog and a bitch which were given at the time to Relf, the head keeper. Relf survived Mr Fuller for forty years, and kept up his interest in the breed to the last. He used to say that the golden tinge peculiar to the Rosehill breed came from a bitch which had been mated with a dog belonging to Dr. Watts, of Battle, and that every now and then what he termed a "sandy" pup would turn up in her litters.

Several enthusiasts began to revive the breed in or around 1870. Mr. Saxby and Mr. Marchant are said to have had the same strain as that at Rosehill, and certainly one of the most famous sires who is to be found in most Sussex pedigrees was Buckingham, by Marchant's Rover out of Saxby's Fan.

It was from the union of Buckingham, who was claimed to be pure Rosehill with Bebb's daughter Peggie that the great Bachelor resulted, a dog whose name is to be found in almost every latter-day pedigree, though Mr. Campbell Newington's strain, to which has descended the historic prefix "Rosehill".

Around 1879 Mr. T. Jacobs, of Newton Abbot, took up this breed with great success, owning, amongst other good specimens, Russett, Dolly, Brunette, and Bachelor III., the latter a dog whose services at the stud cannot be estimated too highly. When this kennel was broken up in 1891, the best of the Sussex Spaniels were acquired by Mr. Woolland, and from that date this gentleman's kennel carried all before it until it in turn was broken up and dispersed in 1905. So successful was Mr. Woolland that one may almost say that he beat all other competitors off the field, though one of them, Mr. Campbell Newington, stuck most gallantly to him all through.

Mr. Campbell Newington had been breeding Sussex Spaniels for over a quarter of a century with an enthusiasm and tenacity worthy of the warmest admiration, and his strain is probably the purest, and more full of the original blood than any other. His kennel has always maintained a very high standard of excellence, and many famous show specimens have come from it, notably Rosehill Ruler II. (a splendid Sussex, scarcely inferior to Bridford Giddie), Romulus, Roein, Rita, Rush, Rock, Rag, and Ranji, and many others of almost equal merit.

Colonel Claude Cane's kennel of Sussex, started from a "Woolland-bred" foundations, the best he has shown being Jonathan Swift, Celbridge Eldorado, and Celbridge Chrysolite.

By the time of the Second World War there were few Sussex being bred from and it is thought that after the war only 5 Sussex Spaniels remained.

Fortunately the breed has had dedicated followers and in particular Miss Schofield who became Mrs Freer (Fourclovers), kept the breed going throughout the War Years. After that it was a long haul to get the numbers up again. Mrs Freer devoted her time and energy over a period of 60 years to breeding Sussex Spaniels.

The Sussex Spaniel Association was formed in 1924. The breed has always had a good character for work, and most of the older writers who mention them speak of Sussex Spaniels in very eulogistic terms. They are rather slow workers, but thoroughly conscientious and painstaking, and are not afraid of any amount of thick covert, through which they will force their way, and seldom leave anything behind them. The Sussex is an expert in tracking smells, once prey is found he barks to alert his master.

A well-bred Sussex Spaniel is a very handsome dog. Indeed, his beautiful colour alone is enough to make his appearance an attractive one, even if he appears unsymmetrical and ungainly in his proportions.

This colour, known as golden liver, is peculiar to the breed, and is the great touchstone and hall-mark of purity of blood. No other dog has exactly the same shade of coat, which the word "liver" hardly describes exactly, as it is totally different from the ordinary liver colour of a Pointer, or even a liver Field Spaniel. It is rather a golden chestnut with a regular metallic sheen as of burnished metal, showing more especially on the head and face and everywhere where the hair is short. This is very apparent when a dog gets his new coat.

The Clumber was developed for use as a “beater” to flush wild game, Clumber’s are able to leave no cover unexplored as they push their way into the thickest cover and drive the game out from within for the guns.

Tradition has it that the first Clumber Spaniel type of dog arrived at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire from the kennels of the French aristocrat, the Duc de Noailles, at around the time of the French revolution (years 1789-1815).

However no trace of their origin can be found in France and for the present day at least the Clumber is accepted as a purely English product. It has been suggested that the Duke of Newcastle, finding that the Spaniels that had been presented to him were too fast, reduced their pace by crossing them with a heavier breed. What the cross or crosses were will never be known, but the Clumber's general type, his massive frame, powerful limbs, white coat with lemon markings, and his solemn and majestic aspect and demeanour suggest the St. Bernard. There is also a theory that they owe their origin to a cross of Baron Cuvier's Alpine Spaniel, a dog indirectly related to the St. Bernard.

It is without doubt that the Clumber we know today was developed by the gamekeepers to his Grace. The Mansell family served and supplied gamekeepers to the Duke and his descendants for at least five generations and for this time (1760s to 1850s) of one hundred and ten years essentially had control of the white spaniel and its breeding.

From Clumber Park specimens found their way to most of the other great houses in the neighbourhood, notably to Althorp Park, Welbeck Abbey, Birdsall House, Thoresby Hall, and Osberton Hall. culminating with King Edward VII. He enjoyed using his Clumbers at Sandringham where he bred many working and show champions, the best remembered of these being Sandringham Sparkle.

It is from Osberton Hall kennels owned by owned by Mr. Foljambe, that most of the progenitors of the Clumbers which have earned notoriety derived their origin.

Nearly all the most famous show winners of early days were descended from Mr. Foljambe's dogs, and his Beau may perhaps be considered one of the most important "pillars of the stud," as he was the sire of Nabob, a great prize-winner, and considered one of the best of his day, who belonged at various times during his career to such famous showmen as Messrs. Phineas Bullock, Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Rawdon Lee, and Mr. G. Oliver.

The Clumber Spaniel was recognised officially in 1879.

Welsh Springer’s are reputed to be a cross between the English Springer and probably a Clumber in order to account for the red or orange markings and the vine-leaf-shaped ears however there is some evidence that the Brittany Spaniel featured somewhere along the lines as the Welsh Springer Spaniel’s head is similar to the Brittany.

The breed appears to have originated in Wales and was first recognised by The Kennel Club in 1902. Prior to this recognition they were known as Welsh Cockers. This type of dog was bred for hunting rabbits, birds and other game in the undergrowth and getting them to run or fly, originally for the falcon but nowadays, for the gun.

It is unknown exactly how old the breed is. However, a painting by Van Dyck in 1680 depicts a dog which looks like very much like a Welsh Springer Spaniel, and it is obviously a very ancient and distinct breed of pure origin. They were originally bred for, and indeed still used for, flushing game for the hunter to despatch.

Rover of Gerwyn, born in 1901 was the first champion of the breed. However, it was after the wars that breeding began in a larger scale.

The Welsh Spaniel Club was established in 1923.

By the year 1812 a pure strain of English Springer’s was being developed. The Boughey family of Aqualate in Shropshire bred ‘Mop 1’. He is the first recorded English Springer and appeared rather “Clumberish” with a coat which was inclined to be curly, however he was of the desired Springer type.

English Springer Spaniels were originally known as Norfolk Spaniels, they subsequently gained the title of English Springer Spaniels because of their usefulness in "springing" game for the gun. There was not much breeding in the Norfolk area; still the breed was named after Duke of Norfolk who, in fact, lived in Sussex! The name was officially changed into Springer Spaniel in 1902. It was already then that the two varieties, English and Welsh Springer’s were recognised.

English Springer Spaniels were liver and white or black and white and were 17-18 inches tall at the shoulder.

In 1899, a newly formed Sporting Spaniel Society held working trials on the estate of its president, William Arkwright of Sutton, Scarsdale.

The first Springer Field Champion in the world was Rivington Sam (who’s mother was registered as a Cocker spaniel and features heavily in the early Cocker pedigrees), lies behind many of the present-day Springer's. It was generally acknowledged that Sam was a first cross between a Cocker and an English Setter and over the years, outcross blood of breeds such as the Clumber Spaniel, the Irish Setter, and the Field Spaniel was introduced. This had some advantages, such as improving heads, but, fortunately, the Springer emerged as an entirely distinctive breed.

As with all the early Spaniels, dogs were much of a mixed bag, and when English and Welsh Springer’s were given recognition as separate breeds in 1902, recognition was purely on the basis of appearance. Many dogs were registered with doubtful pedigrees and some with no pedigree at all. As a general rule, if the dog was red-and-white, it was registered as a Welsh Springer, and if it was liver-and-white, it was classed as an English Springer, although a number of other physical characteristics would also have separated the breeds.

The principal breeders and owners have so far been Mr. W. Arkwright (as mentioned above), Mr. Harry Jones, Sir Hugo FitzHerbert (also mentioned above), Mr. C. Bethune Eversfield, and Mr. Winton Smith.

In 1903 the Kennel Club offered a class especially for English Springers at their show, and in 1906 the liver-and-white dog Beechgrove Will was made the first Champion in the breed, and Fansom became the first Champion bitch.

Springer Spaniel’s were developed to locate the whereabouts of the live quarry by scent and then to flush the quarry out of the hiding places by springing into and over the bushes and brambles to disturb the quarry and bring it out into the open.

The English Springer Spaniel Club was founded in 1921.

In common with all the Spaniels the Cocker Spaniel and the Field Spaniel was the same breed only separated by weight. The Cocker Spaniel was shown under 25 pounds and the Field Spaniel was shown over 25 pounds.

The breed then took a different path, which nearly led to its destruction. The breed became a short-legged, heavy-boned dog, only 12 inches high and weighing as much as 40 pounds. In 1948, the Field Spaniel Society was reformed in Britain and breeders started eliminating the exaggerations in the breed.

The modern Field Spaniel may be divided into two classes. Indeed, we may almost say at this stage of canine history, two breeds, as for several years past there has not been very much intermingling of blood between the Blacks and those known by the awkward designation of "Any Other Variety," though, of course, all came originally from the same parent stock.

It is clear that a dog similar to the Field Spaniel has been around for a long time. C. DE Arcussia in his book on Falconry written in 1598 speaks of them and of their being used in connection with the sport of hawking.

The first strain of blacks of which we know more about belonged to Mr. F. Burdett, and was obtained from a Mr. Footman, of Lutterworth, Leicestershire, who was supposed to have owned them for some time. Mr. Burdett's Bob and Frank may be found at the head of very many of the best pedigrees including Cocker Spaniel pedigrees which further goes to illustrate the intermingling of Field and Cocker Spaniels at the outset.

Upon the death of Mr Burdett most of his Spaniels became the property of Mr. Jones, of Oscott, and Mr. Phineas Bullock, of Bilston, the latter of whom was most extraordinarily successful, and owned a kennel of Field Spaniels which was practically unbeatable between the dates of the first Birmingham Show in 1861 and the publication of the first volume of the Kennel Club's Stud Book in 1874, many, if not most, of the dogs which won for other owners having been bred by him. His Nellie and Bob, who won the chief prizes year after year at all the leading shows, were probably the two best specimens of their day.

Another most successful breeder was Mr. W. W. Boulton, of Beverley, whose kennel produced many celebrated dogs, including Beverlac, said to be the largest Field Spaniel ever exhibited, and Rolf, whose union with Belle produced four bitches who were destined, when mated with Nigger, a dog of Mr. Bullock's breeding, to form the foundation of the equally if not more famous kennel belonging to Mr. T. Jacobs, of Newton Abbot.

It was Mr. Jacobs who, by judiciously mating his Sussex sires Bachelor and Bachelor III., and others with these black-bred bitches, established the strain which in his hands and in those of his successors, Captain S. M. Thomas and Mr. Moses Woolland, carried all before it for many years, and is still easily at the top of the tree, being the most sought for and highly prized of all on account of its "quality."

The original Field Spaniels were black or liver with black being the dominant colour (as with many of the original Spaniels). The points of both black and coloured Field Spaniels are identical, bar colour, and here it must be said that black and tan, liver and tan, and liver are not considered true variety colours, though of course they have to compete in those classes.

Some of the earliest breeders of the Field Spaniel are Mr. F. E. Schofield, Dr. J. H. Spurgin, and Mr. J. W. Robinson. In the early days of breeding blacks, when the bitches were mated either with Sussex or liver and white Springer’s or Norfolk Spaniels, many parti-coloured puppies resulted however these were usually destroyed by the breeders.

The Field Spaniel is used for his ability to flush and retrieve birds from dense undergrowth.

The Field Spaniel Society was founded in 1923.

The first Cocker in America is said to have arrived with the Pilgrim Fathers on the Mayflower in 1620. Settlers in subsequent centuries brought more with them to help explore and exploit the country's wildernesses.

American Cockers were developed from the English Cocker in the 19th century, to retrieve quail and woodcock. The English and American Cocker Spaniel had identical histories up until around the 1930's. They were considered one breed of spaniel.

Originally they were divided from the English Cocker solely on the basis of size, but over the years they were bred for specific traits and the differences grew greater. By the 1940s the American Cocker differed so much in type from the English Cocker that it became impossible to judge them together and in 1945 the two breeds were separated and each officially recognised with their own standards.

As with the other Spaniel breeds, American and English Cocker Spaniels were classified by size. Thus several different types of spaniels could come from the same litter. Cockers and toys were the smaller types, and, as the toy spaniels were bred as ladies' companions and Cockers were kept for hunting, were further divided into two groups. Later, spaniels were divided according to their method of hunting: Crouching or setting spaniels, and springing or finding spaniels. The Cockers were crouchers, and they were used particularly to hunt woodcock a game bird these spaniels flushed particularly well. The name "Cocker" comes from the woodcock.