THE PARSON RUSSELL TERRIER CLUB

The club had its origins in Arthur Heinemann’s Devon and Somerset Badger Club which was formed in 1894 where the objectives were the promotion of badger digging and the breeding of working terriers to that end.

The name changed to the "Parson Jack Russell Club" at a later date and was registered at the Kennel Club as one of twenty-eight clubs affiliated to the Fox Terrier Club in the early 1930s. After the death of Arthur Heinemann in 1930 the club was run by Mrs. Harris until it folded just before the Second World War.

After the War there was a dramatic rise in the popularity of the small white Hunt terriers and other mainly cross-bred types, all referred to as Jack Russells, although the older, truer, distinctive type persisted especially in the West Country.

In the Autumn of 1983 Parson Jack Russell Terrier enthusiasts became aware of a scheme to promote the smaller terrier as the Jack Russell with plans to apply for Kennel Club recognition. Afraid that the original type of terrier would die out or simply be regarded as a mongrel, these enthusiasts hastily reformed the Parson Jack Russell Terrier Club.

In September 1984 representatives from several Jack Russell Clubs met to discuss a breed standard and, after very lively discussion, an agreement was reached for all the clubs so represented to use the Standard as drawn up by Heinemann. The first AGM of the PJRT Club elected to adopt this standard which remained until Kennel Club recognition.

Numerous approaches were made to the Kennel Club for recognition, while the dog papers reflected the debate for and against such a step, until in February. 1989, representatives from the PJRT Club were invited to Clarges Street. The General Committee finally agreed to recognise the Parson Jack Russell Terrier on January 9th,1990.

Dogs from the Club’s own register then became eligible for registration at the Kennel Club with those subsequently registered forming the Foundation Register. Only Stock descended from dogs on that register may be registered with the Kennel Club and only then if their parents were registered.