Born at Baslow, a Derbyshire village near Chatsworth, at an early age he went into a business house in Thornton, near Bradford, and afterwards in Blackburn.

As a fancier he commenced with Fox-terriers, and from about 1873 became a regular exhibitor. Some of those he showed were Milkmaid (by Champion Rattler), Mettle, Merrvman, Manager, Memento, and others. In Smooth Collies he owned Mountaineer, Milkmaid, and Melody (sold for £30 to Mr. Megson, and considered by many one of the best of the variety). He was one of the earliest exhibiiors of Dachshunds, and he was an owner of Japanese Spaniels some twenty years ago. Spaniels have long been a fancy of his, and he has had many good specimens. His Moonstone was extensively bred to and has left his mark on Black Field-spaniels more than any dog of his time, others were Midnight, Moonlight, Moonshine, Maxim, and a host of others. He has bred and owned several notable Pomeranians, and was the first Secretary of the Club. Considering he never bred largely in this variety, the success attained by those he brought out was remarkable.

MR. THEO. MARPLES.

From photo by W. H. Parkinson, Bradford.

H.H. THE PRINCESS DE MONTGLYON.

From photo by Nadaz. Paris.

At an early stage in Mr. Marples's career as a fancier, he took to journalistic work, for which he evinced a natural talent, and contributed to the columns of the Fields the Country, the Kemiel Review, the Stock-keeper, under its then title of the Fanciers' Chronicle, which was started about 1870 at Newcastle-on-Tyne by Mr. E. Brown.

He was, during its existence, the sub-editor of the Canine World, and, after it had been given up, he founded a well got-up journal known as the British Fancier, which enjoyed considerable popularity and was devoted to all the fancies, such as dogs, poultry, pigeons, etc., with an influential body of directors.

Mr. Marples resigned his position as editor of the British Fancier in order to found Our Dogs, a paper he still directs, and which is said to have the largest circulation of any of the papers dealing with dogs only.

Having had a long experience of dogs, Mr. Marples has been very often called upon in a judicial capacity both at home and abroad, and enjoys considerable popularity in that respect, proved by the large classes he has had before him.

His long connection with fancier journalism has brought him in contact with all the leading writers on kennel matters and kindred subjects, whose friendship he has from time to time enjoyed.

His father, the late Rev. Mr. Marples, who joined the Scotch Presbyterian Church, was sent to Canada on a special mission; while there the degrees of B.A. and M.D. were conferred on him, but his death occurred before he could return to England.

His brother, Mr. J. E. Marples, is an extensive farmer in Manitoba, and a noted breeder and prize winner with Hereford Cattle.

Two of his sisters married two brothers, Messrs. Dyar, nephews and heirs-at-law of Surgeon-General Dyar, of Bath.

I am indebted to an article in the American Stock-keeper, January 20th, 1900, for much of the information contained in the above sketch of one of the best known amongst Doggy People.