[Jacob-list] Oh THAT Holy Grail...

[Jacobflock at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/13/02 4:43:03 PM Central Daylight Time, 
gordon at westergladstone.fsnet.co.uk writes:


> the Abercairney flock - wee hairy things with spotty legs. At this point I 
> could feel an eyebrow starting to rise. Yes, she said I have some photos of 
> that flock going back to 1906. They haven't changed at all. Of course they 
> could be a bit inbred, there have been no introductions. Did you know that 
> they were the first jacob flock in Scotland? Well at this point I could 
> only manage a strangled whimper. So Barbara (based in Perth) is going to 
> drop by and mention that I am interested purchasing one or two of their 
> flock. Abercairney is near Creiff, not very far from Perth and Scone 
> Palace. 

As I understand the history, Abercairny might date back to the 1750s but 
Heatly Noble and Werner described some crossing with other breeds.  About 
1900 Abercairny brought in some rams from Woodhouse (Earl Fitzwilliam who 
gave the name Jacob to the breed c. 1834).  About 1925-35 Abercarinay also 
imported some rams from Tabley House. There are several photos of the Tabley 
flock from about 1930 (Werner and Aldington (?).

Scone Palace may not have obtained their sheep from Abercairny. Scone Palace 
is not an 'old flock'. The Earl of Mansfield (Scone Palace) supposedly traded 
a bull for some Jacob sheep about 1935.   The sheep may have come from the 
Perth(?) zoo.  The Scone Palace sheep, 30 years later, were 'improved', being 
heavier and taller than many 'unimproved' types and were noted from time to 
time for twinning and triplets.

When we pursued importing unimproved Jacob semen about five years ago, the 
search was for the 'old deaf shepherd', off the beaten path, perhaps in 
Scotland, away from the cities.  It was not with the Jacob fancier and show 
person.

Fred Horak

Fred Horak

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