Jack died last weekend, following a fall, whilst on holiday in Spain. He was 72 years of age.
Well known for his wit and humour and always being kindly, particularly towards newcomers, Jack was ready with a story or a joke for any occasion.

Dog-wise he began in English Setters in 1969 with a bitch bought as a pet from Mrs Mary Neave. He was persuaded to show her and she became Sh Ch Rebway Heron. Jack and his wife Doreen took out the affix Chelmset and bred and owned a number of winning English including the Blue Belton bitch Sh Ch Shadowood Blue Moon of Chelmset. He also owned two generations of Welsh Springers, starting with Heulwen at Chelmset in 1983.

In 1975 Jack was voted secretary of the English Setter Association, a role he continued until 2000 when he was made vice president. He was also Vice President of Chelmsford and DCS and President of the South Eastern Welsh Springer Spaniel Club plus chairman of the canine section of The Essex Show.

He was passed to award CCs in eight gundog breeds plus the gundog Group, and had judged both English Setters and Gordon Setters at Crufts.

Jack's career as an economist led to him receiving the MBE as Deputy Director General for the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors.

His non-doggy interests were Athletics, in which he ran for the Air Force and for Essex, show roses, and Scottish Dancing and he was at one time a parish councillor.

A great family man, Jack leaves a wife Doreen, two sons Colin and Geoffrey and daughter Valerie and grandchildren Sophie, Gemma, Jodie, and Ben.

Christine McDonald

Anne Macdonald

IT IS with sadness that we record the death of Anne Macdonald, after a long illness bravely borne.

Although best known in recent years for her involvement with the Lowchen breed, Anne’s involvement in dogs covers many years and many facets.

A larger than life personality, her interest in dogs started with German Shepherds, of which she had several, and through them she became involved in obedience, working trials and dog training generally. She was in at the start of the Swale Dog Training Club, of which she was chairman and instructor. The Club still flourishes today.

She then started to show Keeshonds, which she bred and showed with great success, winning many CCs in the breed under the Hanovarian prefix. At this time too she became interested in Border Collies and was very much involved in the early days of the Southern Border Collie Club.

Her own business was increasing rapidly and took up more and more of her time, and it was then she decided to look for a smaller breed and went into Lowchens, in which she bred Champions and also became chairman of the Club, in which she had an intense interest right up until the time of her death.

Although she was more interested in breeding and showing than judging, she nevertheless was passed to give certificates in Keeshond, Border Collies and Lowchens. She was also Secretary of Ashford, Faversham CS until she moved north.

Her interests outside her business and the world of dogs were many and varied; from being the chairman of Faversham FC to working tirelessly for the charity MIND.

A well educated and accomplished linguist and a woman of forthright views, but generous to a fault. She was a very private person, but one with a wide social circle and she will be sorely missed. Our sympathy must go to her son Ian, nephew Julian, and to Enid Milson, her closest and longest friend and the one person on whom she always relied and whose devotion was freely given until the end of her life.

Monica Boggia-Black,
President Lowchen Club