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Staffordshire Bull Terrier “Lines” of ancestors..

As of today there are only 2 “lines” alive. See the table below

So what are these “lines” ?
If a dog is marked with [letter]- Line, means that the male SBT is a descendant from the dog mention in the table below.
If a dog is marked with [letter]- Family, means that the female SBT is a descendant from the dog mention in the table below.
Females do not pass on the lines, so if the last male of the line dies without male offspring, the line ends.

There are 6 different “main lines” as shown below.
(SBTpedigree will update the lines (on the newly added entries) frequently. Please check news for more information.)

Name	Line	Males	Females	Line (males) active 2011-2021
Brindle Mick	“M” Line	32536	42495	Yes (List of males)
Fearless Joe	“J” Line	119	177	Not in this database
Ribchester Bob	“R” Line	6751	8713	Yes (List of males)
Game Lad	“L” Line	19	18	Not in this database
Rum Bottle	“B” Line	12	8	Not in this database
Cinderbank Beauty	“C” Line	12	10	Not in this database

The text below is of Chapters IV and V, from the book “The Staffordshire Bull Terrier” written by H. N. Beilby. (with a few edits)
Remember that this book was written a long time ago (around 1944) so terms that refer to date and time was when the book was written.

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CHAPTER IV

Modern Records

Although the Staffordshire has been in existence for such a long period, it is only comparatively recently that any authentic and reliable records have been kept, and it is next to impossible to trace back the pedigrees of individual dogs further than ten to fifteen years. In order, therefore, to establish as far as possible the descent and breeding of the present leading strains, I first of all examined the registrations of Staffordshires with the Kennel Club for the two and a half years — May, 1935, to Dec., 1937 — during which period most of the leading dogs of the time were registered, and I have tabulated those which have produced the largest number of registered progeny during this period.

This gave the following result:

About 580 dogs were registered.
225 from unregistered sires and 355 from registered sires.
Of the latter, 146 were sired by well-known dogs, which is just one quarter of the total registrations.

The 6 sires with the largest numbers to their credit were:

Vindictive Monty	35
Jim the Dandy	30
Game Lad	25
Rum Bottle	24
Fearless Joe	17 (Died in 1936)
Corinthian Rogue	15
Total:	146

The first and second were both sired by the fifth, who was therefore the direct male ancestor of 82 of the dogs registered in the period. In order to ascertain the value of the strain represented by the three other dogs on the list, I have extended the chart up to the end of 1943, to cover all Staffordshires that have ever been registered with the Kennel Club. In discussing these strains I shall adopt standard practice and refer to the sire’s male ancestry as the “line”, and the dam’s female ancestors as the “family”. This extended chart has revealed many interesting points, and shows that of the original six “Game Lad” and “Rum Bottle” are also entitled to rank as founders of “lines”, as well as “Brindle Mick” (brother to “Cross Guns Johnson”).

It therefore appeared that there were so far at least four distinct lines of Staffordshire Bull Terriers:

• J. Fearless Joe and his male descendants, with about 300 registrations.
• L. Game Lad and his male descendants, with about 120 registrations.
• M. Brindle Mick and his male descendants, with about 300 registrations.
• B. Rum Bottle (The Westall Strain) and his male descendants, with about 100 registrations.

This was the position at the end of 1943. The chart has now been extended to cover all Staffordshires registered up to the end of 1946. In the Three years that have elapsed, two more male lines have justified their inclusion, namely, the “R” line, founded by “Ribchester Bob“, born about 1931, and the “C” line, which descends from “Cinderbank Beauty“, through “Togo“. The numerical strength of the six lines is now roughly as follows:

J line	1200 registrations
M line	1500 registrations
L line	500 registrations
B line	300 registrations
R line	500 registrations
C line	100 registrations

or, putting it another way, two-thirds of all registered Staffordshires belong to one or other lines listed.
A study of the chart reveals a number of interesting points.

It will be noticed that out of 65 dogs:

J line	23 representatives	775 progeny registrations
M line	21 representatives	923 progeny registrations
L line	5 representatives	298 progeny registrations
B line	4 representatives	183 progeny registrations
R line	3 representatives	304 progeny registrations
C line	3 representatives	54 progeny registrations
Misc.	6 representatives	177 progeny registrations

It will be realized that (in the case of the “J” line, for instance) the difference between the figure of 775 and 1200 is accounted for by the comparatively large number of registrations which stand to the credit of sires of the line who have not sired more than a few dogs each, and do not therefore appear in the chart. The same applies to the other lines. The performance of certain sires attracts attention, Ch. “Gentleman Jim“, who has been producing stock for eight years, easily heads the list with 255, while our other Champion, “Game Laddie“, can claim nine years of stud service (72). “Ribchester Max” stands high with 173 registrations in eight years.
Among the younger dogs, with not more than two years at stud, “Brigands Bosun” easily heads the list (86), with “Jolly Roger” runner-up (48). In 1937 there were five “line” dogs at stud, by 1941 this number had increased to twenty-two, and in 1946 there were at least fifty-six available to breeders. This is real progress.

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CHAPTER V
Main “Lines”
The “J” Line

Dealing first with the “J” line:

“Fearless Joe” had some half-dozen good registered sons, but it is mainly upon two of these that his reputation depends. By his mating with “Queenie“, one of our most important foundation bitches, he produced “Vindictive Monty“, a good bodied fawn with strong skull and jaw, a shade heavy in shoulder, and perhaps a trifle long in muzzle, although in no sense weak. Joe’s other notable son was Jim the Dandy“, a dark brindle with a well ribbed body, glorious head and expression, bone adequate, perhaps slightly weak in pasterns. His dam did not hold the high record of “Queenie“.

It will be convenient to consider the progeny of Vindictive Monty and Jim the Dandy separately.

• “Vindictive Monty“ sired about thirty registered sons of which, again, two only have played a specially important part in Staffordshire history. “Vindictive Montyson” has won one C.C., and is a strong well-proportioned fawn who inherits to some extent his sire’s muzzle properties; bone and rib excellent. He has produced two good fawn sons in “Beecher Prince” and “Montyson Again“, both of which have produced decent stock.
• “Jim the Dandy“ had about 30/40 registered sons, of which some four or five have made substantial contribution to the line. “Tackle” was a dark brindle with good head and legs, rather light in rib. He sired “O’Boy” (who is not unlike his sire but a size larger), “Tactful Steve”, “Emden Convoy” and about twenty others that were registered. “O’Boy‘s” son, “Brigands Benson“, has won well and has produced a good son in “The Tackler “, a present-day winning dark brindle.

Up to the present it would appear that “Vindictive Monty‘s” descendants have played a more important part in the breed’s history than “Jim the Dandy‘s”. This is rather unexpected, as Jim was the better show specimen, and is probably accounted for by their inheritance through their dams, which was first class in Vindictive Monty‘s case, but only “so-so” in Jim’s.
It is interesting to note that most of Vindictive Monty‘s notable descendants were reds or fawns, and the Jim’s were mainly brindle’s.
I would hazard a guess that the future of this line will rest very largely on the progeny of the litter brothers “The Great Bomber” and “”Boy Dan“, and I base this on the fact that they are descended on the female side from at least three generations of outstanding bitches.
It will nearly always be found that the dam of a great stud proposition (in any kind of animal) springs from a family of good females.
According to Kennel Club registrations, about twenty “J” line dogs have proved themselves to be sires of importance.

The “M” Line

The virtual founder of the “M” line was “Brindle Mick” whelped in 1934, by “Tigr” ex “Brave Nell“. Mick was a brindle of great power and substance, slightly over medium size, with well-developed body, good bone, strong jaw and skull, the muzzle being of medium length and weight. In general configuration he is greatly resembled by his son “Gentleman Jim“. Mick was slightly undershot.

He sired some other important sons in “Brindle Bill“, “Furnace Jake“, the “Bandit” and “Red Ruin“.

• “Gentleman Jim“, who is now ten years old, is the outstanding Staffordshire of his decade, both as a winner and a sire. He won his challenge certificates at Crufts 1939 (H. Pegg), Cheltenham 1939 (H. N. Beilby) and Bath 1939 (A. W. Fullwood). In temperament he is friendly, but fearless, and I know that he has tackled certain enemies (not canine ones) which a number of other Staffordshires had refused to face. He has sired 255 sons and daughters in the eight years 1939/1946, according to Kennel Club records, which is an unusually long period for a dog to remain a successful sire of good stock. Of these, about 10 per cent have proved to be winners to a greater or less extent, and about six of his sons have themselves established a reputation as sires; these are shown on the chart.
• “Brindle Mick‘s” next notable son is “Brindle Bill“, who was whelped in 1939. Unfortunately there is no really good photo of him. But the sketch is a very faithful attempt to portray his general appearance. He is now dead. A smallish, heavily built mahogany brindle, rather low on leg and a shade long in back, with grand rib and bone and a massive head, somewhat shorter in face than his sire.
• Brindle Mick‘s third son to claim attention is “Furnace Jake“; this grand brindle has 55 registrations against his name and has sired some good bitches.
  “Bandit” – litter brother to “Gentleman Jim” – produced “The Road Agent” and other good ones.
• “Red Ruin“ was one of a litter of seven, at least three of which were winners.
  • His son “Kongo” has sired some good stock in the London area.

The “M’ line owes its ascendancy largely to the stud success of “Gentleman Jim” and “Brindle Bill“, to either or both of which we may look for the continued prosperity of the line.

The “L” Line

The “L” line now claims attention. It was founded by “Game Lad“, who was born about 18 years ago and is therefore one of the oldest lines of which there is a record. After doing some winning in the Black Country where he was born, he went to London, where he proved a popular sire. Smallish medium in size, he was a darkish brindle in colour, with a compact body, nice round bone, good skull and an exceptionally clean muzzle. He had one peculiarity, which was that he did not like his tail to be handled.

Although this is not one of the largest lines, it has produce two champions, which no other line has so far done.
His most important sons are Ch. “Game Laddie“, “Our Ben“, and “Billy“.

• “Game Laddie“ has four challenge certificates, won at The Kennel Club (Holland Buckley)(, Windsor (Blacklock), Blackpool (F. W. Holden) and Richmond (Naden). Although he has several good sons, “Laddie” is probably outstanding as a sire of bitches; he has 72 registered offspring. He is a darkish brindle of intense quality and exemplary balance and his imperfections are trifling. Three of his sons are “Brinstock Aristocrat“, “Brinstock Democrat“, and “Nunsoe Fighter Pilot“.
• Another son of “Game Lad” was “Billy“, whose son “Belted Hero” produced “Brigands Bash’em“.
• “Brinstock Democrat” and “Thonock Lad” can be expected to do much towards the future success of this line.

The “R” Line

“Ribchester Joe” was helped in 1931. His son “Ribchester Max” was a brindle of medium size, well proportioned, with good bone and feet and a great winner. He has produced a number of excellent bitches and five of his sons are shown on the chart. “Billy Bhoy” has the distinction of being a foreign champion, but Max‘s best son is undoubtedly “Vindictive Monty of Wyncroft“. (What a pity that this good Staffordshire has not got a more distinctive name — I have already corrected quite a few people who have confused him with “Vindictive Monty” of the “J” line.)

• “Monty“ is a deep red dog of medium size, sturdily built, with good bone, ribs and skull and a great winner. He claims 116 registered progeny up to the end of 1946. He has a number of good sons, the best of which (so far) is undoubtedly “Head Lad of Villmar“.

The “B” Line

“B” line (B for Bottle). “R” might have been the more obvious letter to use but it has already been allocated to the “Ribchester” line, and in any case Rum Bottle“, with 49 K.C. registrations, is really its founder. He was a red dog, as were most members of this line. Mr.Westall, to whom the pre-war development of this line is due, is of the opinion that red dogs are tougher in hide than brindle’s, which probably accounts for their preponderance. The line is of special interest as up to 1935 it had been developed almost independently of all the other lines and there were certain fairly well defined differences, chiefly in formation of head, where the muzzle appears to have been somewhat lighter than that of “black country” dogs.

Three of “Rum Bottle‘s” sons were “Invincible Lad“, “Eager Lad” and “Tough Guy“, the last of which was a well-known pre-war winner and captured one challenge certificate. The line will go down to posterity, however, through “Eager Lad” and his son “Tornado“.

• “Eager Lad” has about 30 registered progeny and is a very cleanly built terrier with exemplary feet and bone and a well-balanced head.

The “C” Line

“Cinderbank Beauty” was a small tiger brindle, and my recollection of him is that he was compact, sturdy and well proportioned.

• “Togo“ is a shade larger — just about medium size — and is a very fine model of a Staffordshire, with massive and well-proportioned head and (in my opinion) true Staffordshire expression.
• “Pike Land Spitfire‘ is a biggish dog, again built on the same excellent pattern, indeed the resemblance between “Togo” and these two sons is quite remarkable, and unlike anything I have seen in Staffordshires before.
• “Mapleton Pride“ is mostly white, built on sturdy lines and a beautiful mover.

In conclusion, it is impossible to forecast what contribution these six lines will make to posterity, but it would appear extremely improbable that any of them will ever completely disappear. It is, however, not at all improbable that one or more new lines may develop — indeed there are already some indications — but that would just be guessing!

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All text from the book “The Staffordshire Bull Terrier” is reconstructed by Stoutheart Staffords and you will find their web-page here. Copyright © 2021. All rights reserved. SBTpedigree.com™

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