Barbara Bourne (nee Burrows)
AKA Thomas Fall 1909-2005

Barbara Bourne (nee Burrows), the well known canine photographer, died on March 16th in hospital at Bath, she was 96. She will be remembered as a much accomplished photographer of dogs, who worked under the name of ‘Thomas Fall’. There can hardly be a breed dog book written in the last 50 years which does not contain photographs by ‘Fall’, and therefore Barbara Bourne.

The original Thomas Fall set up his photographic business during the very dawn of photography in 1857, at premises in the small Yorkshire town of Bedale. In 1867, Fall re-located to London’s Baker Street and began to specialise in the lucrative fields of child and animal photography.

He obtained many royal commissions, including Queen Alexandria and her outstanding kennels. The original Thomas Fall died in October 1900, but the business continued in Baker Street, trading as "Thomas Fall - Photographer" until 1910, when the business was sold to Mr Edward Hitchings Parker, who had been running the business on behalf of the family since Mr Fall's death. Parker kept the trading name of Thomas Fall and thereafter effectively became the second "Mr Fall".

In 1927 a young female assistant was to join the business as a junior assistant and little did she realise at the time that she would become a partner and eventually take over the business and run it for about the next 60 years! Her name was Miss Barbara Bourne and when she joined Fall's she had only 18 months experience in photography and started working on printing the dog photographs and print finishing

Not long after joining the company, Miss Bourne actually took her first canine photograph at only the second kennel she ever visited. This was at Miss Keyte-Perry's famous Arctic kennel of Samoyed dogs The client wanted a photograph of herself with her ten Champions, no easy task.

However Mr Parker and his assistant just could not get all 10 dogs all looking in the direction he wanted. So Parker charged off to ‘camera left’ and by all accounts the noise he made was enough to wake the dead. The dogs looked fabulous and Barbara captured the moment on film. Parker was impressed, so impressed that in 1936 Miss Bourne became a partner in Thomas Fall. It was during her early time at Fall's that the company started to build up it's range of "stock" photos for the use on calendars and the like. Quite often, when visiting a kennel on an assignment, after the photo's were successfully "in the bag" either Parker or Miss Bourne would ask the breeder if they had any puppies or youngsters they could bring out with a view of adding to their selection of "stock" photographs, so popular with their publishers clients.

Edward Parker died in 1958 and the whole of the business of Thomas Fall passed to Miss Bourne, who became the third "Mr Fall". The overheads of running a photographic studio in central London eventually became too much of a drain and the business was re-located to premises in Stanmore, Middlesex. By 1970 Barbara was left contemplating retirement, however by this time she had met and in 1972 married fellow photographer William Burrows, who then joined her in the business becoming a fourth "Mr Fall".

The company was to move again in 1976, this time to Frome in Somerset. Her enthusiasm rekindled, there followed a period when they went round to dog shows with their "portable studio" taking photographs of the dogs at shows. Any visitor to Championship shows in the UK during this time will no doubt remember their caravan and photographic display with great affection.

In 1990 after 60 years in the business Burrows and her husband announced their retirement from actively photographing dogs, but continued to run the photographic archives of the business on a library basis. However eventually even this service was discontinued and the Bournes began looking for a new home for their unique archives spanning over 100 years canine photography.

At one time it appeared that The Kennel Club may have been interested in acquiring this most important of archives to guarantee it's preservation. However, eventually the entire collection of Thomas Fall photographic files, their copyright and title, was purchased by the Mary Evans Picture Library of Blackheath, London and are again available on loan for reproduction.

The Fall Collection represents a unique and rich cross section of pedigree and show dogs of the 20th century. There was a very definite and unique in house "Thomas Fall" style of photography.

Much of the credit for this must go to Barbara Burrows. Her technique was impeccable and technically flawless. It would not be overstating the fact that Barbara Bourne, later Barbara Burrows (AKA Mr Fall the third!)is truly one of the giants of canine photography. William Burrows died in June 2002, but the photo archive which Barbara was so keen should be preserved intact survives to this day and is still available to authors and publishers, via the Mary Evans Picture Library.

Paul Keevil

Mrs Barbara Graham (Lasara)

WE ARE sorry to record the death of Mrs Barbara Graham of the Lasara West Highland White Terriers, for almost 60 years a judge, and also founder of The Westie Rescue. The funeral will be held on the 8th April at 1.30 at The Chiltern Crematorium, Amersham. Flowers family only, donations to be sent to Westie Rescue. Our condolences go to Mrs Graham’s daughter Diana Loten, and all her family and friends.

Liz Ede

Ted Justice

It is with deep regret that I have to convey to you the sad news that Ted Justice of the Liric affix, Gordons and Irish Setters, died suddenly on Sunday 3rd April.

Ted had not enjoyed the best of health lately, but I gather he seemed quite well when he accompanied Maureen to the Gordon Setter Association AGM on Saturday 2nd April. However, on Sunday lunchtime he was rushed into hospital with a stroke. Unfortunately he never recovered and he passed away.

Ted was the Export director for Roots Motor Corporation and it was for his service to Exports that he earned the O.B.E. He took an active part in Gordon’s being the first treasurer of the United Gordon Setter Rescue, he was also treasurer for the BGSC from 1988 to 1991 and then treasurer of the Gordon Setter Association in the 1990’s. For the past 10 years or more he has been a member of the K.C.

After his retirement he was usually seen at the shows accompanying Maureen. He was always friendly, and helpful and could always be counted on for having a jolly time with those benched around their dogs.

The funeral is to be held on Wednesday 13th April at 1p.m. at Barley Church and afterwards to Barley Village Hall.

Liz Ede