Breed History

Compiled by Carolyn Hensley from various out of publication 
old texts/tomes - not an original work and attributed to named 
author when known. This is presented for educational purposes 
only and is not intended for sale.
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HOW THE BREED WAS FORMED
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The Yorkshire Terrier had its beginnings as a breed in the Yorkshire, 
Manchester and Leeds counties in the northern part of England. But prior
to being known as a Yorkshire Terrier it owes it's base heritage to the
same or similar Scottish Terriers as inhabited Scotland and the Isle of Skye.
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Before 1750, most British people worked in agriculture. The onset of the 
Industrial Revolution brought great changes to family life. In Yorkshire, 
small communities grew up around coal mines, textile mills and factories. 
People were drawn to these areas to seek work from as far away as Scotland. 
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It is doubful if many of the early Yorkshire Terriers could be traced to common 
ancestors, fo in an area that knew so may terriers and toy breeds it would be 
unreasonable to supose that all breeders used the same crosses.
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The weavers of Scotland brought their families and dogs with them when 
they left their homeland. The Industrial Revolution had forced them out of 
work. The time was the mid 19th century, 1860’s and 1870’s. The dogs that
accompanied these families were for the most part the sturdy Scottish Terrier. 
.
Part of the Scottish Terrier bloodlines later became the breeds today known 
as the Skye, Scottish Terrier, West Highland White Terrier and the last of
the named from their separation, the Cairn Terrier. The Scottish Terrier was 
also known to be on Argyle or the Isle of Skye. It was of a bluish color and 
was also known as a broken or smooth haired Scots depending on the length 
of coat it had. There is every possibility that they were forerunners to the 
modern day Skye Terrier. The Paisley or Clydesdale Terrier's bloodlines
were probably also included in the bloodlines, these two breeds were melded
into the working terriers of the day and no longer exist.
.
The Clydesdale or Paisley Terrier must surely play a large part in the makeup
of the Yorkshire Terrier. This extinct breed resembled the modern Skye 
Terrier in nearly all respects but was much shorter in the back length; 
according to many of the old tomes on English breeds they averaged height
of thirteen to fourteen inches from the ground and weight of 12 to 16 stones .
The colour of the body coat was a fine dark blue, silky in texture and about
5 to 6 inches in length. He was known to have a naturally erect ear.
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The "Broken-Haired Scotch Terrier" which is agreed by most to be the 
forefather to the breed came in three average "types": one type was a sandy
red in colour and carried a shaggy coat; another type had a harsher hair; a 
short muzzle, shortness and stout of limb and was generally a dirty white or
wheaton shade of colour; another was a smooth, sleek and usually black and
tan in colour. The mixtures of the black, tan and white coat in the background
may account for the occasional white hairs sometimes found on the chest and
paws of the Yorkshire Terrier when born that is in the adult replaced by a
lovely golden-tan hair. This may also account for the "opinion" of the influence
of the Maltese that many consider but that I have come to doubt as I research
through the terrier history of other breeds as it is credited to the Scots Terriers
many of the longcoated dogs of Scotland and Northern England.
.
It is also recorded that some hundreds of years ago a breed of terrier with a 
rough coat lived in the highlands of Scotland and the Hebrides.  This terrier 
was of the working type and from him can be traced several different types 
were evolved, probably the result of personal preferences. For an example, 
the Macdonalds of the Isle of Skye preferred the longer coated and longer
bodied dogs which cam to be recorded as the Skye Terrier.
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These were all working men’s dogs, used to keep the vermin under control in
the textile mills and coal mines. What exact bloodlines in what measures were
used to establish the Yorkshire Terrier is subject to much speculation, due to
the fact that the breeders of these dogs did not write down who was bred to 
whom. If they liked the spirit and looks of the dogs, they mated them. Further,
the literacy of the day for the common working man was poor at best, so the 
matings to produce the dog as is known today,  were kept in their heads and
went to the graves with them. The matings were chance at best, if they were 
a good ratter they were mated as the betting was heavy at the local pubs and 
those dispatching a record number would be mated in an attempt to get even
better ratters. 
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It is guessed that the Yorkshire county miners crossed the Black and Tan 
English Terrier, this dog was rough-coated, and the long-coated, blue-gray 
Waterside Terrier breeds were infused in the Scottish Terriers. The Maltese 
and Skye Terrier are also possibilities. These terriers were inevitably crossed
with other types of terrier, probably the English Black and Tan Terrier. We 
must not forget that one of the oldest terrier breeds known in the United 
Kingdom is the Welsh Terrier, an essentially tan dog with black saddle who
traces its ancestry more direct then most to the old English Black and Tan
terriers who are the forefathers for many of terrier breeds known to exist
today.
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The old Skye Terriers resemble the Yorkshire Terrier very closely except, 
of course, for the much longer back which was developed for hunting Badger 
in their den. The Skye Terrier is also close to 4 to 6 times the weight of a 
Yorkshire Terrier. The colours of the Skye coat are blue-grey with fawn or 
cream acceptable as well. 

The old English Black and Tan is also credited as the forefather of the 
Manchester Terrier, albeit the cross there was to the Whippet to shorten
the coat and develop more speed. The Whippet can be seen clearly in the
development of the modern Manchester.
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It is strongly considered that the Bichon Maltese was brought back by sailors
and could have found it's way to be crossed with these breeds to help produce
long coats. As the outline of the Bichon Maltese resembles that of many of 
today's Yorkies, this could be very likely. Unfortunately, no records in the form 
of pedigrees exist to confirm these crosses, in part due to the level of literacy 
at the time. One must not forget that this breed was developed by the working
classes who did not have the literacy, training or ability to record exact 
bloodlines, as did the aristocracy. A great deal is known about the type of 
people who bred them, and there can be no doubt that early breeders had a
very clear idea of the type of dogs they were attempting to produce, a 
luxurious killer of rats and small game. One who's coat was a thing of beauty
equal to the expensive material they wove but could not wear, yet upon whom
they could achieve amusement from and wager in rat killing contests at the 
nearby pubs. We can see in today's Yorkies how strongly the terrier 
temperament has been retained; this is no lap of luxury canine but a steady 
worker whose instincts is that of a true terrier.
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By 1765-1835 the Waterside Terrier, a small, longish-coated dog,
occasionally grizzly (bluish-gray) in color, was common in Yorkshire. 
G.H.Wilkinson reported in “The English Stockkeeper” in 1887: “I was
having some trouble looking up several old fanciers, one of whom is Mr. 
John Richardson of Halifax who is now in his 67th year, and very interesting 
it was to hear this aged man go back to “the good old days” of over half a 
century ago. Fifty years ago, there was in Halifax, and the immediate 
neighborhood, a type of dog called at that time (and even within these last 
twenty years) a “Waterside Terrier”, a game little dog, varying in weight 
from six to twenty stones. Mostly about ten stones weight-a dog resembling
the present Welsh and Airedale Terrier on a small scale. At this period, these
dogs were bred for the purpose of hunting and killing rats. They would go into
the river with a ferret, and were just in their element when put into a rat pit. 
An almost daily occurrence at that time was to back them to kill a given 
number of rats in a given time.
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Mr. Richardson was born during the Waterloo decade in the days of King William
the IV. And further remembers the dogs as having silvery long combed heads.
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It seems a pity that such a breed should have become extinct. Mr. Richardson
himself owned a little bitch “Polly”, who weighted six stones and she was 
frequently put into a rat pit with a dozen rats, the whole of which she would 
speedily kill against time. She would also swim the river and hunt with a ferret. 
This little bitch, I am told, had four or five inches of coat on each side of her 
body, with a white or silver head.” The Waterside Terrier had a 6 to 9 stone 
weight limit. 
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In the first and second editions of Stonehenge's authorative Dogs of the 
British Isles, there is a plat in which, in addition to the Broken-Haired 
Terrier in whitish shades, is a dog which is taken as a representative of the 
Yorkshire Terrier. Stonehenge was writing of the usual run of rough coated 
terriers to be seen in and about 1868 and says of this dog "sometimes his 
coat is of a silky texture and in this case the colours are blue-fawn or blue-tan."
A writer (not identified in the script) published in Dogs of the British Isles 
circa 1872, describes the Yorkshire Terrier thus:
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"a silky coated terrier and with the exception of the colouring and texture of
coat resembles the old English rough terrier, the shape of the body and head
being exactly the same. The ears are generally cropped, but if entire should be
fine, thin and moderately small. The coat should be long, very silky in texture 
and completely parted down the back, the beard being exceptionally long often
two or three inches in length and entirely of a golden tan shade. The colour is
entriely blue on the back and down to the elbows and thighs of rich lustre and 
without any mixture of tan. Legs and muzzle are of rich golden tan, ears are 
also deep golden but of a darker hue in shade. The colour on the skull is lighter
yet approaching a fawnish tan. ON the head the colours graduallly merging into
each other with no notice of blue or black in the shade. The weight is generally 
ten to eighteen stone"
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Rawdon B. Lee, speaking of Yorkshire Terrier in “Modern Dogs says: “How
the name of Scotch Terrier became attached to dog which so thoroughly had
its home in Yorkshire and Lancashire is somewhat difficult to determine, if it 
can be determined at all, but a very old breeder of the variety told me that the
first of them came from Scotland, where they had been accidentally produced
from a cross between the silk-coated Skye (the Clydesdale) and the black and
tan Terrier. One could scarcely expect that a pretty dog, partaking in a degree
of both its parents, could be produced from a smooth-coated dog, a long-coated 
bitch or vice-versa. Maybe, two or three animals so bred had been brought by
some of the Paisley weavers in Yorkshire and there, suitably admired, pains 
were taken to perpetuate the strain.” 
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At the turn of the century in the Dog Book, Mr. James Watson stated that sixty 
years was as far as anyone could trace back the origins of the Yorkshire Terrier
in pedigrees.  That is when we come to Swift's Old Crab and Kershaw's Old 
Kitty. The former was a long coated black and tan terrier and the latter a dropped 
eared Paisley or Skye type, blue in colour.  Old Kitty was known to be stolen
from Manchester and later  when found became the property of J. Kershaw of 
Halifax.
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Mr. Swift was also a  Haligonian, but went to Manchester, which is where he
purchased Old Crab after a gaming match. That is the only direct line that can 
be traced which would take us back about 1850 leaving 50 to 80 Broken Haired
Scotch or Yorkshire Terriers in the stud book with no discernable pedigree.
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The Clydesdale was a long coated, silky haired with a glossy sheen and had a
weight limit of 12 pounds. The Paisley Terrier was a smaller dog and Blue 
and Tan in color and weighed 6 pounds.
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There were two Class Registrations for Toy Terriers, Rough and Broken 
Haired. In 1866 Broken Haired Scotch Terriers were registered as not 
exceeding 5 pounds. These were later registered as Yorkshire Terriers in
1874.
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These were first shown under 5 pound class:
Tiny won 1st place registration number 4023
Punch won 2nd place registration number 4012
Shrimp won 3rd place registration number 4018
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In 1867 not exceeding 5 pounds:
Minnie won 1st place
Natty won 2nd place
Wasp won 3rd place
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In 1869 June 1st, 2nd and 3rd in Islington:
Broken Haired Toy Terriers under 5 pounds: 
Little Kate, born 1867 (daughter of Huddersfield Ben won 1st place). 
Reg # 4001 Pink (male) won 2nd place Reg#4010
Peter won 3rd Reg #4008 (his sire was Huddersfield Ben) 
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Century Magazine in 1886 published an article by Mr. James Watson of 
Philadelphia, who wrote, "Some of our authorities have attempted to throw a
great deal of mystery about the origin of the Yorkshire Terrier, where none 
really exists. If we consider that the mill operatives (workers), who originated
the breed by careful selection of the best long-coated small Terriers they 
could find, were all ignorant men, unaccustomed to imparting information for
public use, we may see some reason why reliable facts have not been easily
attained. These early writers show but a little knowledge of the possibilities
of selection. "
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Today's Yorkshire Terrier is very different from the early Yorkshire Terriers
of the North of England. There are varying accounts of the origins of this
breed and its development.
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.. Early Yorkshire Terriers and Breeders
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Huddersfield Ben
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.. One of the most famous early Yorkies was Huddersfield Ben, Ben who
traces his pedigree back to Old Crab and Old Kitty bred by a Mr.
Eastwood and owned by Mr. and Mrs. M.A. Foster. No one at the time 
knew more about the origin of the breed then Mrs. Foster of Bradford.

Huddersfield Ben was born in 1865 and died in 1871, and can be said to be the
father of the modern  Yorkie. In his day "Ben" was a very popular stud dog 
who won many prizes in the show ring, and had tremendous influence in 
setting breed type. Ben demonstrated that he was very successful in the
rat killing contests (these were quite popular in the 19th century), and he 
won more than 70 prizes as a show dog as well. He was much noted as a stud 
dog, although lost to an accident at an early age, this being as Ben was one of 
the first to breed true to type and under 5 pounds. Ben Reg #3612 1865-1871,
was run over by a carriage in the prime of his life but is responsible for 
producing most of the foundation stock of the Yorkshire Terrier. He was 
shown in Manchester in 1869 and won 2nd place. Again in 1870 in Manchester
he won 1st place. At the Crystal Palace in 1870 and 1871 he won 1st and 2nd. 
He was the winner of 74 prizes in his show career.  Ben was preserved after
death and kept under glass allowing many to see this dog long after his death.
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Dr Gordon Staples, who was Veterinarian to Mr. and Mrs. Foster, owners of 
Huddersfield Ben wrote in “Ladies Dogs As Companions" circa 1871 “Now, 
of all the Yorkshire Terrier ever I saw, I think Huddersfield Ben was the
best. Many of my readers doubtless remember this most beautiful prince of 
dogs, although it is now some few years since he was run over on the street
and killed, he being then only in his prime. But he did not die before he had 
made his mark. Dog shows were not then quite so numerous as they are now,
but nevertheless Ben managed to win seventy-four prizes ere his grand career
was shortened on that unlucky 23rd of September (1871)."  “Pedigrees, few
ladies I believe care to remember, so I shall not give Ben’s in full, but be 
content with stating that he was bred by Mr. W Eastwood, Huddersfield, and 
had the blood of Old Bounce in his veins, and his mother Lady, was a daughter 
of Old Ben, a granddaughter of Old Sandy, and great-granddaughter of Mr. 
W.J. Haigh’s Teddy, and a great great granddaughter of Mr. J.Swift’s Old 
Crab. I am the very worst genealogist in the world, so I cannot go back any
further for fear of running on shore somewhere. Perhaps, though, Old Crab 
came over with the Conqueror--from Scotland you know.”
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Mrs. Foster said, in 1885 as recorded in Dog Book by Dalziel, regarding the 
pedigree of her dog Bradford Hero, that all the best dogs for the past thrity five
years were included in his pedigree and they all originated from the Scotch 
Terriers until only a few years back.
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In 1883, Ted who was a grandson of Huddersfield Ben weighed 4 1/2 pounds,
measured 9 inches from the shoulder to the floor, 17 inches from the tip of his
nose to the set on tail. The length of his coat across the shoulders was 
18 inches and at the loin was 17 inches.
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In 1874 the first Yorkies were registered in the British Kennel Club stud
book. They were referred to as "Broken Haired Scottish Terriers" or 
"Yorkshire Terriers", until 1886, when the Kennel Club recognized the 
Yorkshire Terrier as an individual breed. The first Yorkshire Terrier breed 
club was formed in 1898. During these early years, one who greatly influenced
the breed was Lady Edith Wyndham-Dawson. Lady Edith was secretary of the
Yorkshire Terrier Club for some time and did much early work for the 
improvement of the breed. Later, a Miss Palmer, who was Lady Edith's
kennel maid, started her own Yorkie kennel under the "Winpal" prefix. 
When Lady Edith returned to Ireland at the start of World War I, Miss Palmer
went to work for Mrs. Crookshank of the famous Johnstounburn prefix, a 
name with a long list of champions, which is now in the care of  Daphne 
Hillman, who was entrusted with this prefix, and still uses it along with 
her own Yorkfold prefix. 
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Many others have worked very hard since these early years to improve this 
breed, and to these breeders much is owed. Many of their early dogs became 
the foundation stock of kennels in North America and elsewhere. 
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In 1932 only 300 Yorkies were registered with the British Kennel Club, in 
1957 the number was 2313, and in the 1970's Yorkies were the most popular
breed in Britain. This trend continued until 1990 with a record of 25,665 Yorkies 
registered. However, this figure has now begun to drop, and in 2002 there 
were 11857 registrations, with the Yorkie being recorded as the 10th most
popular breed. 
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In 1872, the Yorkshire Terrier was introduced into the United States, and was 
recognized by the AKC in 1878. The Yorkshire Terrier is also very popular in
North America today. In 1992, Yorkies were #14 on the AKC's list of most 
popular breeds with 39,904 registrations. In 2002, Yorkies were #6 on the 
same list with 42,205 registered.
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The American Kennel Club Registry from the early years (1872) had them in 
two classes: Over 5 pounds or Not Exceeding 5 pounds.  In 1877 Classes for
Toy Terriers were in classes: Not Exceeding 5 pounds or Over 5 pounds. 
1878 the AKC registered them as the Yorkshire Terrier in classes Over
5 pounds or Not Exceeding 5 pounds. In 1879 the AKC registered them as
Yorkshire Terrier Blue and Tan Class 85: Over 5 pounds or Class 86 Blue 
and Tan not Exceeding 5 pounds.
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The first year Yorkshire Terriers were shown at Westminster was 1878.  In 
those years they were divided by weight see above. There were 33 Yorkshire
Terriers entered in that Show and they were divided into the two Classes, 
by weight: Over 5 pounds had 18 entries and the class Not Exceeding
5 pounds had an entries of 15.
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. The Modern Yorkshire Terrier.
But it wasn’t until the 1930’s that the Yorkshire Terrier took on its modern
look. It is important to note that the Yorkshire Terrier up until the 1930’s 
usually weighed approximately 30 pounds, not the 3 to 7 pounds it does today. 
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The first Yorkie to become an American Champion was Bradford Harry, who
gained his title in 1889. He was the great great grandson of Huddersfield Ben,
and was imported from England by P.H. Coombs of Bangor, Maine. Some of
the most notable early American kennels are Janet Bennett and Joan Gordon
(Wildweir) who imported many English and Irish Yorkies, including lines from 
Johnstounburn, Haringay and Buranthea. The Mayfair-Barban kennels owned 
by Anne Seranne and Barbara Wolferman were also noted , along with those
of Goldie Stone.

Ch. Blairsville Royal Seal

The most famous Yorkshire Terrier of modern times in the UK was CH 
Blairsville Royal Seal. He was by CH Beechrise Surprise and his dam was 
CH Blairsville Most Royale. "Tosha" to his friends (of whom he had many) 
was bred, owned and handled by Mr. Brian Lister and his wife, Rita. Tosha 
was definitely a 'King' among dogs and no one who saw him flowing around 
the ring could ever forget him. Even a complete novice could feel his presence,
and many say that just thinking of him brings a lump to the throat. During his 
show career Tosha won 50 Challenge Certificates, all under different judges. 
He was 12 times Best In Show at all breed Championship shows, and 16 times 
Reserve Best In Show. He took 33 Group wins, and went Reserve Best In 
Show at Cruft's in 1978, just as his dam had done before him. Tosha was Top 
Dog, all breeds, for two consecutive years. He became the sire of many prolific 
Champions and still features in the pedigree of many of today's Yorkies. 

Ch Cede Higgens
..
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Meanwhile on this side of the pond, Tosha's American counterpart, CH Cede 
Higgens was making his mark in the USA.  Cede Higgens remains the only 
Yorkie to win the American counterpart to Crufts but going Best In Show at 
Westminster Kennel Club. Bred by C.D. Lawrence, Cede Higgens was closely
line-bred sired by Ch. Wildweir Pomp 'N Circumstance and his dam was 
Cede Bonnie

These two dogs were both shown during the same era, and were inevitably,
constantly being compared. However, although they were both outstanding 
specimens of the breed, those who had seen them both, agreed that they 
were totally different in phenotype/style. 

A little Australian & UK History

In Australia a beautiful little bitch called Ch Glen Petite Sweet Joanie did 
heaps of winning over many years. I do not know her record but she won 
BOB at the Melbourne Royal Show in the mid 90s when she was 11 years 
old!  She had the stunning dark steel blue and golden shaded tan that we 
should all strive for. She was well put together and moved beautifully, with 
exquisite presentation. I would nominate her as the top winning Yorkie in 
Australia of all time.

In UK Ch Ozmilion Dedication holds a record of 52 CCs. He won 48 BOB.
3 Res.Toy Groups. 10 Toy Groups. 11 BIS Club Shows. 3 Res BIS All Breed Ch.
Shows. 2 BIS All Breed Ch Shows. Toy of the Year 1988. Top Dog All Breeds
1987 and Crufts Toy Group winner in 1988.

  Ch. Blairsville Royal Seal held 50 CCs.12 BIS (All Breed Ch.) 16 Res
BIS. Top Dog all Breeds 1976 and 1977. Res BIS at Crufts in 1978.

 Ch Ozmilion Mystification held 50 CCs. 48 BOB. 22 Toy Groups. 9 BIS
Club SHows.7 res BIS All Breeds Ch Shows. Top Yorkie 1994. Top Toy 1995. Top
Dog All Breeds 1996. Winner Pedigree Chum Champion Stakes Final 1996. Then
the crowning glory, Best in Show Crufts 1997.

  In a recent publication the first Champion Yorkshire Terrier dog in
UK was 'Merry Mentor' owned by Holdsworth and Hooton, and the first Ch bitch
was 'Ashton Queen' owned by Walton and Beard. The year was 1897. Apologies
are given for the lack of records of sire and dam in both cases, many old
records have been lost.

 She may not be the youngest Champion (16 months) but  in Australia 
Ch. Danaliz Desdemona, owned by Elizabeth Shaw,  must be among the 
youngest Yorkies to win a Best in Show at an All Breed Show at the age 
of 14 months. I think there were around 800 entries at that show.