John "Jack" Russell (21 December 1795 – 28 April 1883), was an English parson, dog breeder, and enthusiastic follower of country sports, particularly fox hunting. He was known as "The Sporting Parson".

Russell developed the Jack Russell Terrier and the Parson Russell Terrier, both of which are a variety of the Fox Terrier breed.

Early life

Russell was born on 21 December 1795 in Dartmouth, South Devon, the eldest son of John Russell and Honor, nee Terrell.

His father, John, was a member of the clergy, holding parishes at Crediton, Iddesleigh, and Jacobstowe in Devon, and also St Juliot in Cornwall, and was himself the son of Michael who was Rector of Meeth. Jack's mother Honor was from the Terrell family, who had significant means, and following the marriage funding was made available for John Senior to open a school at Belmont House, Dartmouth, which was a boarding Grammar School for six "young gentlemen as boarders". or Marston. Russell bought the dog on the spot and this animal, called "Trump", became the foundation of a line of fox hunting terriers that became known as Jack Russell Terriers. They were well-suited by the shortness and strength of their legs for digging out foxes which had "gone to earth" having been hunted over-ground by fox hounds.

Russell was a founding member of The Kennel Club. He helped to write the breed standard for the Fox Terrier (Smooth) and became a respected judge. He did not show his own fox terriers on the conformation bench, saying that the difference between his dogs and the conformation dogs could be likened to the difference between wild and cultivated flowers.

He became a Master of Otter Hounds, and this is noted by George Templer of Stover, Master of the South Devon Foxhounds in a poem "A Party at Stover in 1823".

In 1832, Russell was appointed a permanent curacy of Swymbridge-cum-Traveller's Rest (now Swimbridge) on the edge of Exmoor in North Devon. The local public house still stands, and is called "The Jack Russell".

Russell stayed at Swimbridge for nearly 50 years before accepting the rectory at Black Torrington, at the urging of Lord Poltimore.

Marriage

In 1826, at Swimbridge he married Penelope Incledon-Bury, who resided at Dennington, Swimbridge, and was also a keen fox hunter.

Penelope died on the eve on their fiftieth wedding anniversary, in 1876.

See also

  • Jack Russell Terrier
  • Parson Russell Terrier
  • Russell Terrier

References

Further reading

  • Parson Jack Russell: The Hunting Legend 1795-1883 by Charles Noon, Halsgrove Publishers.
  • Baker, Margaret Mitford. Jack Russell, hunting parson of old Devon. Devon Life vol. 7 no. 56 (1971) pp. 37. [1796-1833]
  • Davies, E.W.L. A memoir of the Rev. John Russell and his out-of-door life. (New ed.) London: Richard Bentley & Son, (1883), portrait, xii, 397 pp. [Index]
  • Kerr, Eleanor. Hunting parson: the life and times of the Reverend John Russell. London: Herbert Jenkins (1963) 192p, plates: ill.
  • Lamplugh, Lois. Parson Jack Russell of Swimbridge. Swimbridge: Wellspring (1994) [ii], 27p: ill, ports []
  • Noon, C. Parson Jack Russell: The Hunting Legend 1995–1883, Halsgrove Press, Tiverton (2000) 144 pp. []
  • Pepper, Frank S. Parson Jack Russell. Swimbridge: Church Council (1981) 8p. [Westcountry Studies Library - p920/RUS]
  • Lifetime Passion for All Forms of Hunting: The Sporting Parson The Reverend John Russell. Devon Family Historian 84 (1997) pp. 2–3. [The Hunting Parson who bred the Jack Russell terrier]