Lt. Col. Sir John Dunningham-Jefferson D.S.O. Thorganby Hall, York.

For many years of the Twentieth Century, the above gentleman owned an excellent herd of Berkshire Pigs, which featured many bloodlines, sadly now extinct. Lost sow lines were:
- Queen Lunn;
- Martha;
- Lapwing;
- Prim Lunn.

As well as these, he had many more including, current lines Lady and Mermaid. On the Boar side these included lines such as:
- Baron;
- Keystone;
- Beaumont and many more.

Sir John, later Lord Dunningham-Jefferson D.S.O, was president of the British Berkshire Society in 1925 and continued his association with the breed well into 1950s. The herd was very active in the show ring, exhibiting at many local shows and in 1948 had the great honour of winning the Royal Show in York. (In those days the Royal Show travelled around the country and it was not until 1966 that the 'Royal' established Stoneleigh Abbey for its permanent base.)

The champion exhibit for the Berkshire breed at the 1948 Royal Show, York was:
THICKET LAPWING
Herd Book 18764 bred and exhibited by Sir John Dunnington-Jefferson.

Interestingly, the 'Lapwing' line was developed by the great Stephen D. Player, who features on our website.

The herd also exported to many parts of the world, under the stewardship of herd manager, James E. Smith. Who was also on the Judges Panel of the Berkshire breed.

The home of the Thicket Herd of Pedigree Berkshire pigs was Thicket Priory, York. I would strongly urge readers to visit the Thicket Priory' website http://www.thorganby.co.uk/monastery.htm to see some brilliant photographs of this magnificent house and grounds.

All of us should seek to emulate his Lordship, although, I am guessing that the Berkshires may NOT have financed this beautiful house!!

Thicket Priory was sold in 1955 to The Order of Carmelite Nuns and is still very much in use today. I fully intend to visit on my first opportunity.

Lord Dunnington-Jefferson was most kind to the above ladies over their purchase of Thicket Priory! He moved a little further to Thorganby Hall where the 'Thicket Berkshires' remained for many years.

More next time on what I call the 'Master Breeders'

Kind regards to you all,

Vaughan Byrne.