Greyfriars Bobby

[billy farmer]

[billy farmer]

Here is the link to a wonderful Greyfriars Bobby site - http://www.greyfriarsbobby.co.uk/story.html

And some interesting news from last year - http://mistertollcross.wordpress.com...lamppost-back/

[faginsgirl]

Here is the link to a wonderful Greyfriars Bobby site - http://www.greyfriarsbobby.co.uk/story.html

And some interesting news from last year - http://mistertollcross.wordpress.com...lamppost-back/

Cheers Billy

[billy farmer]

[kslovesgabba24]

There is a black and white version of this film, the problem is I can only found one picture as of evidence online, but that is as far as I can get to the original.. Whoever owns the rights to the original film is letting down their audience, and also they are cutting off any prophet they can make, if they allowed it to be made into a DVD.

[CaptainWaggett]

Isn't that a still from The Body Snatcher?

[alan french]

Hi,
I was in Scotland last week. On our way back from The Highlands, the coach called in to Edinburgh. As a result, I saw the tribute statue for this very loyal dog.

Alan French.

[michaelmace]

Hi,
I was in Scotland last week. On our way back from The Highlands, the coach called in to Edinburgh. As a result, I saw the tribute statue for this very loyal dog.

Alan French.

As is usual with these things, the truth is rather more prosaic:

"In 2011, after five years of research, Jan Bondeson published 'Greyfriars Bobby: The Most Faithful Dog in the World', the most detailed biography of Bobby to date. In it he dispelled the story as traditionally told and offered a different version.

As background, in 19th century Europe there are documented over 60 'graveyard dogs', or 'cemetery dogs'. These were stray dogs which were fed by visitors and curators to the point the dogs made the graveyards their home. People thought, "Oh look at that poor dog, waiting by his master's grave," so they kept looking after them: the stray dog had free food while graveyard curators had company and a good story to tell visitors. In Bobby's case, he was originally a stray that hung around nearby Heriot's hospital, but became such a nuisance the hospital gardener threw him into the graveyard. James Brown, the curator of the graveyard, was fond of Bobby's company and began to feed him to keep him around. Visitors saw Bobby and liked to believe he was loyally staying by his masters grave, and provided Brown with tips to hear Bobby's "story". After an article about Bobby appeared in the Scotsman visitation rates to the graveyard increased by 100 fold with people arriving from all over England and Scotland. "They would give James Brown a handsome tip and have lunch in the Traills' restaurant." It was a lucrative situation for Bobby, Brown and the local community.

Bondeson believes in May or June 1867 the original Bobby died and was replaced with a younger dog because he states pictures of him show a clear change. The first was an old tired-looking mongrel, the second was a lively youthful Skye terrier that ran around and reportedly fought with other dogs. This also explains the longevity of Bobby, 18 years, since Skye terriers usually only live around 10-12 years.

When the story of Bobby first broke it was believed his owner had been a shepherd buried in the graveyard. Later, a scholar named Forbes Macgregor, who wrote a biography of Greyfriars Bobby, believed the owner was John Gray, a local policeman buried there in 1858. Neither makes full sense since a shepherd wouldn't normally use a terrier for herding sheep, nor would a small terrier normally be used as a police dog.

Over the years local Edinburgh residents who knew the facts had talked in public, there were even newspaper articles that cast doubt on the story, and even while Bobby was alive some councilors cast doubt on his story when it was discussed at Edinburgh City Council. However, the romantic legend of Bobby was so ingrained and beloved that any revisionism over the years went largely unnoticed. Jan Bondeson stated "It won't ever be possible to debunk the story of Greyfriars Bobby – he's a living legend, the most faithful dog in the world, and bigger than all of us."

[Steve Crook]

Over the years local Edinburgh residents who knew the facts had talked in public, there were even newspaper articles that cast doubt on the story, and even while Bobby was alive some councilors cast doubt on his story when it was discussed at Edinburgh City Council. However, the romantic legend of Bobby was so ingrained and beloved that any revisionism over the years went largely unnoticed. Jan Bondeson stated "It won't ever be possible to debunk the story of Greyfriars Bobby – he's a living legend, the most faithful dog in the world, and bigger than all of us."

"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

Steve

[cornershop15]

John Traill and his family with Greyfriars Bobby



Photographed by Alasdair Alpin MacGregor, circa 1860s

[billy farmer]

Cornershop, a wonderful photograph of John Traill and his family with Bobby.

Bobby was a legend in his own lifetime and he always will be a legend.

[alan french]

Hi,
Just tuned in to this thread. Seen what has been said since my contribution. Oh! Dear! My dreams are shattered. Irrespective of whatever the truth is, one way or another, Greyfriars Bobby I think will be a legend in Scottish history for many years to come.

Alan French.

[billy farmer]

Hi,
Just tuned in to this thread. Seen what has been said since my contribution. Oh! Dear! My dreams are shattered. Irrespective of whatever the truth is, one way or another, Greyfriars Bobby I think will be a legend in Scottish history for many years to come.

Alan French.

Alan, that research published by Jan Bondeson was a load of nonsense, i have read Books which contain important facts about the Greyfriars Bobby story, i have also read many interesting articles about Bobby in Magazines, i have no doubt that Greyfriars Bobby was a true story, like i said in post 31 on this Thread, Greyfriars Bobby was a legend in his own lifetime and he always will be a legend.

[alan french]

Hi,
Thankyou. I also see that this subject crops up on another thread, of which you defend the legend. I have also seen a documentary somewhere which supports the legend.

Alan French.

[billy farmer]

Hi,
Thankyou. I also see that this subject crops up on another thread, of which you defend the legend. I have also seen a documentary somewhere which supports the legend.

Alan French.

Alan, i can't remember ever seeing a Documentary about Greyfriars Bobby, i have seen the Disney film about Bobby many times, and have also seen a few short Videos (most of which have been posted on this Thread) about Bobby on YouTube, i once did a sketch of Greyfriars Bobby, and i sent the sketch to Greyfriars Bobby Magazine, and the sketch was published in an issue of Greyfriars Bobby Magazine, you can see the sketch on the Stars and Animals Thread (post 151) on Brit Movie, Alan, i think you will also find post 164 on the Stars and Animals Thread interesting - http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/ac...animals-8.html

[SilverTyne]

Jan Bondeson's claims:

'It appears that the original Bobby had been a stray mongrel which hung around the nearby George Heriot's Hospital.

When he became a nuisance there, the hospital gardener dumped him in the grounds of the kirk, where he was adopted by curator of the graveyard, James Brown.

Newspaper reports of the time tell of how, for a tip, Mr Brown would beguile visitors with Bobby's Tale.


In return for free food for both Bobby and new owner, Mr Brown would then guide tourists in the direction of a local restaurant owned by John Traill.

Dr Bondeson believes that, when the first Bobby died, it was Traill's idea to replace him and keep the lucrative arrangement going.

"After an article about Bobby appeared in The Scotsman, visitation rates to the graveyard increased by 100 fold," said Dr Bondeson.

"They would give James Brown a handsome tip and have lunch in the Traills' restaurant."

"But a dead Bobby was no good for business, so they replaced him with a pure-bred Skye terrier who lived for a further five years until 1872. After which time, it did not take long for the fountain to be erected."'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-14424513

[billy farmer]

Jan Bondeson's claims:

The research published by Jan Bondeson was a load of nonsense, there are no reviews for Jan Bondeson's Book (about Bobby) on Amazon (something which does not surprise me).

[alan french]

Hi,
Just returned to this post. Seen as suggested. Very interesting indeed.

The documentary I saw was about Scottish myths and legends or about Edinburgh.

Alan French.

[billy farmer]

Project shines new light on Greyfriars Bobby - http://www.ewht.org.uk/news/274/102/...eyfriars-Bobby

You can see some interesting Greyfriars Bobby images at the following site - http://www.capitalcollections.org.uk...eyfriars bobby

[jonpsych]

Project shines new light on Greyfriars Bobby - http://www.ewht.org.uk/news/274/102/...eyfriars-Bobby

I presume the two films that this article refers to are the eponymous Greyfriars Bobby and Challenge to Lassie not the elusive black and white version.