Charles Cruft (showman) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Cruft
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A photograph of Charles Cruft, published in 1902
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| Born | 28 June 1852 |
| Died | 10 September 1938 (aged 86) Highbury, London, England
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| Resting place | Highgate Cemetery |
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| Occupation | Show promoter and businessman |
| Known for | Crufts Dog Show |
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| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) | Charles Cruft (father) |
Charles Alfred Cruft (born June 28, 1852 – died September 10, 1938) was a British showman. He is famous for starting the world-renowned Crufts dog show. Charles first got involved with dogs while working at Spratt's, a company that made dog biscuits.
He became the general manager there. While working for Spratt's in France, he was asked to organize his first dog show. This happened at the 1878 World's Fair. After running dog shows in London for four years, he held his very first Cruft's dog show in 1891. He continued to run 45 more shows until he passed away in 1938. He also organized two cat shows in 1894 and 1895. Charles was active in many dog breed clubs, including those for Schipperkes, Pugs, and Borzois.
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Charles Cruft's Early Life and Spratt's
Charles Cruft was born on June 28, 1852. He was one of four children. As a young person, Charles went to Ardingly College in Sussex. He also attended Birkbeck College in London.
At first, Charles followed his father's path and became a jewelry maker. But he decided this job wasn't for him. He left the business in 1865.
He then applied for a job as an office boy at James Spratt's shop in Holborn. Spratt's made Spratt's dog biscuits. James Spratt hired him. Spratt later said that Charles was very keen on the business. Charles improved the way the shop kept its records. He changed it from a simple system to a much more detailed one. The cross symbol used in the old record-keeping was later put on the biscuits. This became a special mark to show they were Spratt's biscuits.
A few months after starting, Charles convinced Spratt to hire another boy. This freed Charles up to get orders for dog biscuits. He visited gamekeepers and people who organized dog shows. He believed that better food helped purebred dogs. So, he supported the creation of dog societies. As part of his job, he attended dog exhibitions in London. These early shows between 1870 and 1872 did not make money.
While at Spratt's, Charles slowly moved up the ranks. He became the head of their Show Department. Eventually, he became the general manager. At 26, Charles was made office manager. Spratt's dog biscuits became the first modern dry dog food. Thanks to Charles's work, the company grew from a small shop to a leader in these products in Britain.
Organizing Dog Shows
In 1878, Charles Cruft was still working for Spratt's. He traveled across Europe to help the biscuit business grow. While in France, he was asked to run a dog show. This was at the third World's Fair, called the Exposition Universelle. He was there to promote Spratt's dog cake.
More offers came in for Charles to run shows. He was asked to be the Secretary of the Dutch Kennel Club. He also got offers to manage the animal sections of big exhibitions in Brussels and Antwerp. He took jobs running shows for the Scottish Kennel Club. He also became manager of the bird section for the Royal Agricultural Society. He even helped start the Schipperke Club of Brussels and became its secretary.
By 1882, when Charles turned 30, Spratt's had been sold. The new owner promoted Charles first to "Chief Traveller," then to general manager. Under Charles's guidance, the company started making other products. They expanded into food for game birds and poultry. They also made accessories for cats and dogs. Charles himself became secretary of the Toy Spaniel Club and the Pug Dog Club. He was also involved in clubs that promoted the Saint Bernard and Borzoi dog breeds.
In 1886, the Duchess of Newcastle asked Charles to run a dog show for terriers in London. So, on March 10, his show opened at the Royal Aquarium in Westminster, London. It was called "The first Great Show of all kinds of Terriers." The show had 570 entries across 57 different classes. Important people like Lord Alfred Paget attended. By 1890, Collies and several types of toy dogs were added to the show.
This growth in dog breeds led to the first show named after Charles. In 1891, "Cruft's Greatest Dog Show" was held. It took place at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington. Part of the agreement was that only Charles could run dog shows at that location. He designed the show's logo himself. It was the head of a Saint Bernard dog with a crown on its collar.
He created a system where people paid to enter their dogs. They paid extra if they wanted to take their dogs home each night. They also paid if they wanted to leave early on the last day. By 1914, the show was very popular. It was known as the largest dog show in the world. By 1936, when the show celebrated its 50th anniversary, over 10,000 dogs were entered. Royalty often visited Cruft's shows. Queen Victoria showed her dogs there. King Edward VII also did so before he became King. In 1893, Tsar Alexander III of Russia sent eighteen Borzois to compete. From 1916, King George V regularly entered his Labrador Retrievers.
On March 7 and 8, 1894, Charles tried something new. He held his first Cat show. This first cat show had over 600 entries. It was the biggest cat show of its kind at the time. Important people like the Duchess of Newcastle attended. A magazine called Fur and Feather praised the new show. However, Charles wasn't so sure. The first show lost money, and some classes had very few cats. He held a second cat show in March 1895. Fur and Feather praised it again, even though Charles had made cuts to make it more profitable. In March 1896, the magazine announced the cat show was postponed. Charles never ran another cat show after that.
In 1896, Charles designed special train cars. These cars were made to carry competition dogs from all over the country to his shows. Charles was the Secretary of the Ranelagh Fox Terrier Show in 1901. He also helped create the National Terrier Club with some friends. From its second show on June 21, 1902, it was called the National Terrier Show. Charles remained the club's Secretary until 1914.
Charles kept many details about himself private from the press. He wanted them to focus on promoting his shows. However, he didn't always get along with all media members. One newspaper refused to print his name at all. When it mentioned Cruft's dog shows, it simply called them "a dog show in Islington."
Charles Cruft's Death and Legacy
After running his 45th Crufts show in 1938, Charles became ill. He was recovering by late summer. But he sadly died from a heart attack on September 10. News organizations paid tribute to him. Our Dogs magazine called him "the man who made dog shows." People even compared him to the famous American showman P. T. Barnum.
His funeral was held on September 21. Charles Cruft was buried in a tomb in Highgate Cemetery in London. This tomb became a protected historical site in 1974. The London Borough of Islington placed a special plaque to remember Charles Cruft. It is located at Ashurst Lodge, Highbury Grove, N5.
His will left money to his family and friends. Most of it went to his second wife, Emma. His daughter Clara received £2000. Two grandchildren, Charles and Betty, each received £500. Two nephews, Kenneth and John, also received £500 each. Eight nieces, one great-nephew, and a young cousin each received £50. His maid, Kate Hempstead, who worked for him for over thirty years, also received £50. His cousin Lt Arthur Cruft received £100. Charles's secretary, Miss E. Harrington, who worked on the Crufts dog shows since 1925, received £500.
After Charles died in 1938, people thought his wife, Emma Cruft, would continue to run the dog shows. She ran the show in 1939. Then, Mrs. Cruft sold the show to The Kennel Club. However, because of World War II, they didn't run the show until 1948. The show was still called Cruft's until 1974. During a rebrand, the apostrophe was removed. So, the show became known as Crufts, which it is still called today.
Family Life
Charles Cruft's first marriage was to Charlotte Hutchinson in 1878. They had four children together: Charles Francis, Louise, Cecil Arthur, and Clara Helen Grace. His second marriage was to Emma Isabel Hartshorn in 1894. They did not have any children.
Charles stayed close with his children. He involved each of them in the dog show business. His daughter Clara, nicknamed "Birdie," was even listed as a stepdaughter in his second wife's will.
His wife Emma wrote in her book, Mrs Charles Cruft's Famous Dog Book, published in 1949. She said that she and Charles had a rule not to own any dogs. They feared people would think they favored one breed over another. She even wrote, "we were determined to own a pet, so we took the least line of resistance and kept a – CAT!"
However, this was proven wrong in Charles's own memoirs. These were published after his death in Charles Cruft's Dog Book in 1952. Charles explained that he had lived in homes with Alsatians and Borzois. He specifically mentioned that he and Emma had owned at least one Saint Bernard. This is the same breed of dog he used in his Crufts logo.
During the United Kingdom Census 1901, Charles Cruft lived at 325 Holloway Road, N7. He lived with his wife Emma, his father Charles, a boarder, and a servant. He listed his job as "show promoter." Emma lived longer than Charles. She died at age 82 on September 5, 1950. At the time of his death, Charles lived at 12 Highbury Grove, London, N5. His staff included a cook, a chauffeur, two maids, and a gardener. He also owned a country home called Windmill Farm, in Coulsdon, Surrey.
