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Man's Best Friend - Greyfriars 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.

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 bye-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".

Greyfriars Bobby by Ernie Evans

This is the story of a True Event in History, as told to me by my Grandfather, William Mitchell, born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland.

In the late 1930's I was given a puppy by my Grandfather, William Mitchell, in the Town of Nutley, NJ. I named the puppy "Skippy". He was only a few months old when one day I took him out to play. I was not as careful as I should have been. I had Skippy out on our front porch, where we could play in the morning sun.

Skippy ran over to the edge of the porch, and fell off. I was down to the driveway in a flash. Skippy was hurt real bad. I took him inside, where I found out that he would not live, from my Grandpa. I was really upset with myself for having not taken better care of Skippy. I was only five years old when this happened. Grandpa told me that the puppy was dead. I was crying for days and when Grandpa came home from work one afternoon, he told me this story.

In 1867 a Skye Terrier, named Bobby, was the talk of the town in Edinburgh. Bobby was the pet of a little girl in the country, several miles away. Bobby worked with Old Jock in the fields, tending sheep. It seems that Old Jock had went away to town. Bobby was devoted to Old Jock. The dog returned to Edinburgh and found his master, outside of a building in town. Bobby, was worried about Old Jock, as he sensed there was something wrong and stood by Old Jock untill he passed away in the night.

Bobby barked and awakened sleeping borders in the old boarding house. It was then that they discovered that Old Jock had passed away. Bobby was really upset, and he led the funeral procession to the grave at Greyfriar Kirkyard, or Cemetery. Bobby tried to stay by his master's grave, but the caretaker sent him away. Bobby would not leave and he spent every night by Old Jock's grave till he passed away, fourteen years later.

My Grandfather was born there in Edinburgh in 1875. He was there at the Kirkyard many times when he was old enough, to watch Bobby chase and kill the vermin that abounded in the area. Bobby was fourteen years old when he died, and my Grandpa was six years old.

I have remembered this story, for sixty years. My Grandpa had told it to my father, also. Then the Walt Disney Company made a movie, from the book Greyfriar's Bobby, by Eleanor Atkinson. I have wanted for my children to see this movie, and some time back in the 1960's it was shown on television. With the advent of my Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren, I wanted to perpetuate this story, down through the years. When I heard that it was to be released on video, I tried to obtain it through various sources. For more than ten years I tried every way I could think of. Then I went on the internet.

I went to the Disney Channel Online and started trying to get through to the people in charge. I sent several e- mail to the Disney people. In 1998 it was released for sale in their Classic series. I tried again at one of the stores in the town of Salina KS, and lo and behold it was now available. I immediately put down a deposit and ordered it. A week later the store manager, called and said it was in. I was over there as soon as I could, and picked up this most precious package. My patience had been rewarded. Praise the Lord!

My granddaughters came up and visited me this last weekend and I told them the story of how I first heard of this amazing true story. I then showed them the video on the night they came up. I am now awaiting the Great- Grandchildren to get a little older so they can watch, and learn how much a dog can be "Man's Best Friend"......story from Ernie Evans

As a testament to Bobby's devotion, the people of Edinburgh, erected a memorial to Bobby. In most of the Encyclopedias, under famous dogs, Bobby's story can be found.

Let His Loyalty
and Devotion
be a lesson
to Us All

Greyfriars Bobby is never alone

Greyfriars Bobby, Edinburgh

Greyfriars Bobby's Bar
34 Candlemaker Row, EH1 2QE
Telephone:0131 225 8328
Locate on Street Map

Click for a big picture. There has been a pub on these premises since the mid 1800's. It is named after the Skye Terrier dog that lived in the nearby churchyard. (The pub changed it's name in honour of wee Bobby) According to legend, Bobby lay on or near his late master's grave for 14 years until his own death in 1872. The grave was closed in as usual, and next morning Bobby was found, lying on the newly made mound. The dogs master was called 'Auld Jock' Gray and he was buried in Greyfriars' churchyard which is just behind the pub in 1858.

A Grassmarket restauranteur by the name of John Traill claimed that Auld Jock and Bobby used to frequent his establishment and that Bobby continued to do so after Jock's death. Bobby's devotion was later commemorated in 1873 by the erection of the statue by Baroness Burdett Coutts. The epitaph on Bobby's grave reads, "Let his devotion be a lesson to us all."

The interior of the pub is much more modernised than you would expect, and as a result has lost some of it's character. You can hardly imagine 'Auld Jock' having a pint in here now.

No Greater Love

Written by
Mary Ferguson

This poem is written in tribute to the West Highland terrier dog, Greyfriars Bobby of Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh, Scotland. This legendary dog kept watch on his master's grave for fourteen years, until his own death in the year 1872. I have dedicated this work to Bobby, and on behalf of him to the whole canine race, from the pedigree to the mongrel.

Introduction

Britain sings her praises
From the Severn to the Clyde
About dogs who have brought honour
And in the course of duty died
They who have found the traveller
Half dead on the mountain slope
And have carried to the victims
Life-saving brandy, faith and hope
All these dogs have done their duty
Earning their country's praise
Their names are written in history
To be remembered all their days
They have earned the undying glory
Shining round their canine name
And have earned the right to drink
From the cup of lasting fame.

John Gray was a policeman trained
Used to keeping law and order
A finer lawman never walked
Across the Scottish border
Walking proudly by his side
Enjoying the patrolling game
Was a faithful Highland Terrier
And Bobby was his name

Night after night the twain did tread
The Lawnmarket's ins and outs
Where rough men drank the night away
Disturbing the peace with their ribald shouts
Night after night the twain did guard
The good folk who tried to sleep
Until the morning light appeared
Their vigil they would keep

John Grey became so sick and died
And Bobby grieved quite sore
When his beloved master was borne
Through Greyfriars churchyard door
The little dog followed the sorrowing crowd
To the grave so dark and deep
Taking it into his shaggy head
On that lonely mound to sleep

No greater love was ever known
For a dead man and his loyal friend
The bonds forged by the twain in life
Were never meant to end
Through cloud and sunshine without fail
That grave was guarded well
How many tears that little dog shed
No human tongue can tell

To Greyfriars' holy ground there came
One dark and dismal day
The news that loyal Bobby's soul
From this Earth had passed away
Can it be the twain have met
Where parting is no more
And together patrol that vast expanse
On that great eternal shore?

enjoyed reading this

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