Delwires Wire Haired Fox Terriers

About Nellie

The Arrival of a Wire Haired Fox Terrier Called "Nellie"

Nellie was my first Dog. She arrived on the same day as I did at 49 Meadow Road. My Dad bought her in from one of his favourite watering holes and me from my Mum. I was delivered by Mrs James, a knowlegable lady, who lived across the road.

The doctor and my dad had both been summoned to be at the birth but where too late, arriving after I did, my Dad by way of an explaination tried to swing my mother round by showing her this fine puppy he had bought, just as he was about to get an earfull a loud knock came from the front door and my Dad put the puppy down and raced to answer the door.

“Hello doctor he’s upstairs go and have a look” the doctor,  called doctor McBaine went up the stairs and on entering the room called down to my Dad “which one have I come to admire Tom” my Dad shouted back “the pup of course have you ever seen finer”

Well thats the version I’ve been told as I’m sure you will understand my merories of the incident are a little faded.

Adventures of Nellie

Nellie and I were great mates. From the start she would sit by my pram and keep guard, she saved my life by howling and howling to get my mother?s attention when my not so friendly brother pushed my pram into the open fire! Mum scooped me to safety and the burning pram was ejected through the window with wheels burning!

Nellie and I where like peas in the pod, always side by side when mischief was a foot except when she went hunting. Now this is where we started to find out that Nellie was not connected the same way as other terriers as her favourite prey turned out to be “Brushes”, yard, scrubbing, hand, clothes any kind of brush.

She was known far and wide and if anyone lost a brush someone was dispatched to ask Mrs Delaney had Nellie found whatever brush! this literally went on for years but culminated in one very strange event.

My Mother was cleaning the windows of the house and saw Nellie emerging from a little alleyway with a large object in her mouth. The alleyway was used by factory workers to get to work at the then English Electric works via a large metal bridge.

Mum called Nellie and discovered what she had in her mouth was a large painters kettle with about 50 brushes in it, she took the tin away from Nellie and with Nellie on a lead and paint kettle in hand set off down the alley until she reached the bridge where a large number of bemused painters where looking for their brushes. They took it all in good fun and used to save the old brushes for Nellie!

Nellie loved adventure and as I grew up school called and I had to leave my pal behind but she always used to come with Mum and fetch me from school at the end of the day and once away from the roads I’d let her off her lead and we would race home.

One day mum came to the school and Nellie wasn’t with and I asked where she was? I don’t know she bolted from the garden this morning and has not come home yet.

 

Nellie

I got home still no sign of her so I went in search and spotted a number of people gathered by the side of the road, “what?s going on” I said ” sounds like someone?s dogs stuck down the drain” I listened and called Nellies name sure enough back came that distinctive Fox Terrier yap, I could do nothing but by this time the council had arrived, quickly followed by the Fire Brigade the Police and the RSPCA 

The council where concerned what would happen if we had a sudden down pour the Fire Brigade where unsure if they needed breathing apparatus, the Police wanted to know who owned the dog and where was its license and the RSPCA in the interest of and the well being of the animal wanted to put her down.

Just as the consensus of opinion was swinging in favour of the RSPCA’s suggestion my Dad pulled up in his van and asked what was going on, the RSPCA described what they planned on doing and I cannot print my Dad’s actual reply but it was in the NEGATIVE.

He went to his van pulled out his sledge hammer and broke his way into Nellie and retrieved her unharmed from the drain, the council wanted to know who was going to pay for the damage and my Dad suggested they catch the Rat that Nellie had chased into the drain and ask it for some suggestions.

My Mum who was not as brave as my Dad answered the door a bit sheepishly for a few day’s expecting a party from the local council to be on her door step, every time she answered a knock on the door.

A week later a knock did come to the door and two well dressed men stood before her, no they weren’t from the council but were in fact reporters and wanted the story and some pictures for the 2 local  newspapers The Stafford Newsletter & The Staffordshire Advertiser which both showed Nellie having another bath in a big metal enamelled tub on the kitchen table, all to Nellie’s indignant at being bathed and photographed at the same time!