Man's best friend - Greyfriar's Bobby
Source: Jamie Wheeler on Unsplash
Greyfriar's Bobby
John Gray a gardener, together with his wife Jess and son John arrived in Edinburgh around 1850. Unable to find work as a gardener he avoided the workhouse by joining the Edinburgh Police Force as a night watchman.
To keep him company through the long winter nights John took on a partner, a diminutive Skye Terrier, his ‘watchdog’ called Bobby. Together John and Bobby became a familiar sight trudging through the old cobbled streets of Edinburgh. Through thick and thin, winter and summer, they were faithful friends.
The years on the streets appear to have taken their toll on John, as he was treated by the Police Surgeon for tuberculosis.
John eventually died of the disease on the 15th February 1858 and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard. Bobby soon touched the hearts of the local residents when he refused to leave his master's grave, even in the worst weather conditions.
The gardener and keeper of Greyfriars tried on many occasions to evict Bobby from the Kirkyard. In the end he gave up and provided a shelter for Bobby by placing sacking beneath two tablestones at the side of John Gray’s grave.
Bobby’s fame spread throughout Edinburgh. It is reported that almost on a daily basis the crowds would gather at the entrance of the Kirkyard waiting for the one o'clock gun that would signal the appearance of Bobby leaving the grave for his midday meal.
To keep him company through the long winter nights John took on a partner, a diminutive Skye Terrier, his ‘watchdog’ called Bobby. Together John and Bobby became a familiar sight trudging through the old cobbled streets of Edinburgh. Through thick and thin, winter and summer, they were faithful friends.
The years on the streets appear to have taken their toll on John, as he was treated by the Police Surgeon for tuberculosis.
John eventually died of the disease on the 15th February 1858 and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard. Bobby soon touched the hearts of the local residents when he refused to leave his master's grave, even in the worst weather conditions.
The gardener and keeper of Greyfriars tried on many occasions to evict Bobby from the Kirkyard. In the end he gave up and provided a shelter for Bobby by placing sacking beneath two tablestones at the side of John Gray’s grave.
Bobby’s fame spread throughout Edinburgh. It is reported that almost on a daily basis the crowds would gather at the entrance of the Kirkyard waiting for the one o'clock gun that would signal the appearance of Bobby leaving the grave for his midday meal.
Bobby would follow William Dow, a local joiner and cabinet maker to the same Coffee House that he had frequented with his now dead master, where he was given a meal.
In 1867 a new by-law was passed that required all dogs to be licensed in the city or they would be destroyed. Sir William Chambers (The Lord Provost of Edinburgh) decided to pay Bobby's licence and presented him with a collar with a brass inscription "Greyfriars Bobby from the Lord Provost 1867 licensed". This can be seen at the Museum of Edinburgh.
The kind folk of Edinburgh took good care of Bobby, but still he remained loyal to his master. For fourteen years the dead man's faithful dog kept constant watch and guard over the grave until his own death in 1872.
Baroness Angelia Georgina Burdett-Coutts, President of the Ladies Committee of the RSPCA, was so deeply moved by his story that she asked the City Council for permission to erect a granite fountain with a statue of Bobby placed on top.
William Brody sculptured the statue from life, and it was unveiled without ceremony in November 1873, opposite Greyfriars Kirkyard. And it is with that, that Scotland’s Capital city will always remember its most famous and faithful dog.
Bobby's headstone reads "Greyfriars Bobby - died 14th January 1872 - aged 16 years - Let his loyalty and devotion be a lesson to us all".
Do you have or have you had any pets? Why are or were they so special for you?
Comments
The Bobby statue (in the photo) is interesting, a few years ago the dog was situated looking the other side) but one morning, nobody know why, the dog was in front of the pub. All the photos that people take have the pub in them. Maybe is advertising. Who knows!
I´m studing phonetic because I have my last examn to finish my degree (12 Febrary). I´m thinking about that maybe you can help me hanging phonetic exercises.
Thank you.
The story about the statue facing a different way rings a bell. Edinburgh is full of curiosities.
I was there this summer too for a few days and I really enjoyed it.
because buryING.....
nobody knowS why...
Maybe IT is advertising.
hanging phonetic exercises? Do you mean you want me to help you GET THE HANG OF them?
Let me know tomorrow.
I'm not sure what you mean. If you give a home to a guide dog, you must be blind, mustn't you?
Guide dogs for the blind are allowed to enter everywhere in the UK too, as far as I know.
I used to give classes at ONCE. I felt sorry for the dogs who had to lie around an office much of the day. They never get to run around.
I came across these animal quotes that I liked:
"An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language." ~ Martin Buber
"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." ~ Roger Caras
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~ Immanual Kant
"You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us" ~ Robert Louis Stevenson
"To err is human, to forgive, canine" ~ Anonymous
I really like expression:
We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~ Immanual Kant
I'd love to have a dog or a cat but I don't think it's fair to have a pet in a small flat. Plus my lifestyle would mean that they wouldn't get the attention they deserve. Too many people leave their pets all day at home alone.
Have you noticed how many people own a pedigree dog? I've seen a trend for French bulldogs - those little dogs with the squashed faces that always look so sad. In my opinion that just shows that most people have a dog as an accessory and not a true part of the family.
Am I wrong?
No, no, I didnt't explain MYSELF VERY WELL!! Of course, you must be blind to have a guide dog, but, THESE KINDS of dogs don't start THEIR education until THEY ARE A YEAR OLD. For this reason, ANYBODY can adopt a future guide dog and you have the dog in your home *FOR A YEAR and must take IT everywhere you go. When this period FINISHES, the dog is ready to start ITS EDUCATION AS A guide dog with AN expert FROM ONCE but SINCE IT WAS A PUPPY, IT HAS *GOTTEN used to ENTERING EVERYWHERE.
Olalla, Olalla! Some careless mistakes there! But don't get disheartened - we learn from our mistakes.
*during + nouns (the year, the lesson, the film, the summer holidays....)
*for + period of time (10 months, 2 weeks, a year, ages...)
*be/get used to + verbING
See you later!
I´ve read it, there is a film about the loyalty of a dog in the cinema, it´s better than you can imagine it is really. I cried from the very begining, I supposed that I cried because I´ve got a dog since eight years, it´s really my friend, I spend my time with it, Lisa (my huge dog) comes with me everywhere I can carry it.
I recomend you the film “Hachiko: A Dog's Tale” (the main actor is Richard Gere), and I added the web with the trailer in youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaS37E3gKOU
See you,
Lola
I´ve read it. There is a film ON AT THE CINEMA NOW about A DOG'S LOYALTY. It´s better than you MIGHT THINK IT, it REALLY IS. I cried from the very BEGINNING. I SUPPOSE that I cried because I HAVE HAD A DOG FOR THE LAST 8 YEARS. It´s really my friend, I spend my time with it. Lisa, my huge dog, comes with me everywhere I can TAKE HER.
I RECOMMEND A FILM CALLED “Hachiko: A Dog's Tale” (the main actor is Richard Gere), and I added the web with the trailer in youtube:
I'll check out the trailer but the film would have to have a happy ending if I were to go to see it. :-)
See you tomorrow!