As of today there are only 2 "lines" alive. See the table below
So what are these "lines" ?
If a dog is marked with [letter]- Line, means that the male SBT is a descendant from the dog mention in the table below.
If a dog is marked with [letter]- Family, means that the female SBT is a descendant from the dog mention in the table below.
Females is said to not pass on the lines, so if the last male of the line dies without male offspring, the line ends.
There are 6 different "main lines" as shown below.
(SBTpedigree will update the lines (on the newly added entries) frequently. Please check news for more information.)
Name | Line | Males | Females | Line (males) active 2011-2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brindle Mick | "M" Line | 37994 | 49311 | Yes (List of males) |
Fearless Joe | "J" Line | 120 | 190 | Not in this database |
Ribchester Bob | "R" Line | 8100 | 10383 | Yes (List of males) |
Game Lad | "L" Line | 19 | 18 | Not in this database |
Rum Bottle | "B" Line | 12 | 9 | Not in this database |
Cinderbank Beauty | "C" Line | 12 | 10 | Not in this database |
The text below is of Chapters IV and V, from the book "The Staffordshire Bull Terrier" written by H. N. Beilby. (with a few edits)
Remember that this book was written a long time ago (around 1944) so terms that refer to date and time was when the book was written.
CHAPTER IV
Modern Records
Although the Staffordshire has been in existence for such a long period, it is only comparatively recently that any authentic and reliable records have been kept, and it is next to impossible to trace back the pedigrees of individual dogs further than ten to fifteen years. In order, therefore, to establish as far as possible the descent and breeding of the present leading strains, I first of all examined the registrations of Staffordshires with the Kennel Club for the two and a half years -- May, 1935, to Dec., 1937 -- during which period most of the leading dogs of the time were registered, and I have tabulated those which have produced the largest number of registered progeny during this period.
This gave the following result:
About 580 dogs were registered.
225 from unregistered sires and 355 from registered sires.
Of the latter, 146 were sired by well-known dogs, which is just one quarter of the total registrations.
The 6 sires with the largest numbers to their credit were:
Vindictive Monty | 35 |
Jim the Dandy | 30 |
Game Lad | 25 |
Rum Bottle | 24 |
Fearless Joe | 17 (Died in 1936) |
Corinthian Rogue | 15 |
Total: | 146 |
The first and second were both sired by the fifth, who was therefore the direct male ancestor of 82 of the dogs registered in the period. In order to ascertain the value of the strain represented by the three other dogs on the list, I have extended the chart up to the end of 1943, to cover all Staffordshires that have ever been registered with the Kennel Club. In discussing these strains I shall adopt standard practice and refer to the sire's male ancestry as the "line", and the dam's female ancestors as the "family". This extended chart has revealed many interesting points, and shows that of the original six "Game Lad" and "Rum Bottle" are also entitled to rank as founders of "lines", as well as "Brindle Mick" (brother to "Cross Guns Johnson").
It therefore appeared that there were so far at least four distinct lines of Staffordshire Bull Terriers:
This was the position at the end of 1943. The chart has now been extended to cover all Staffordshires registered up to the end of 1946. In the Three years that have elapsed, two more male lines have justified their inclusion, namely, the "R" line, founded by "Ribchester Bob", born about 1931, and the "C" line, which descends from "Cinderbank Beauty", through "Togo". The numerical strength of the six lines is now roughly as follows:
J line | 1200 registrations |
M line | 1500 registrations |
L line | 500 registrations |
B line | 300 registrations |
R line | 500 registrations |
C line | 100 registrations |
or, putting it another way, two-thirds of all registered Staffordshires belong to one or other lines listed.
A study of the chart reveals a number of interesting points.
It will be noticed that out of 65 dogs:
J line | 23 representatives | 775 progeny registrations |
M line | 21 representatives | 923 progeny registrations |
L line | 5 representatives | 298 progeny registrations |
B line | 4 representatives | 183 progeny registrations |
R line | 3 representatives | 304 progeny registrations |
C line | 3 representatives | 54 progeny registrations |
Misc. | 6 representatives | 177 progeny registrations |
It will be realized that (in the case of the "J" line, for instance) the difference between the figure of 775 and 1200 is accounted for by the comparatively large number of registrations which stand to the credit of sires of the line who have not sired more than a few dogs each, and do not therefore appear in the chart. The same applies to the other lines. The performance of certain sires attracts attention, Ch. "Gentleman Jim", who has been producing stock for eight years, easily heads the list with 255, while our other Champion, "Game Laddie", can claim nine years of stud service (72). "Ribchester Max" stands high with 173 registrations in eight years.
Among the younger dogs, with not more than two years at stud, "Brigands Bosun" easily heads the list (86), with "Jolly Roger" runner-up (48). In 1937 there were five "line" dogs at stud, by 1941 this number had increased to twenty-two, and in 1946 there were at least fifty-six available to breeders. This is real progress.
CHAPTER V
Main "Lines"
The "J" Line
Dealing first with the "J" line:
"Fearless Joe" had some half-dozen good registered sons, but it is mainly upon two of these that his reputation depends. By his mating with "Queenie", one of our most important foundation bitches, he produced "Vindictive Monty", a good bodied fawn with strong skull and jaw, a shade heavy in shoulder, and perhaps a trifle long in muzzle, although in no sense weak. Joe's other notable son was Jim the Dandy", a dark brindle with a well ribbed body, glorious head and expression, bone adequate, perhaps slightly weak in pasterns. His dam did not hold the high record of "Queenie".
It will be convenient to consider the progeny of Vindictive Monty and Jim the Dandy separately.
Up to the present it would appear that "Vindictive Monty's" descendants have played a more important part in the breed's history than "Jim the Dandy's". This is rather unexpected, as Jim was the better show specimen, and is probably accounted for by their inheritance through their dams, which was first class in Vindictive Monty's case, but only "so-so" in Jim's.
It is interesting to note that most of Vindictive Monty's notable descendants were reds or fawns, and the Jim's were mainly brindle's.
I would hazard a guess that the future of this line will rest very largely on the progeny of the litter brothers "The Great Bomber" and ""Boy Dan", and I base this on the fact that they are descended on the female side from at least three generations of outstanding bitches.
It will nearly always be found that the dam of a great stud proposition (in any kind of animal) springs from a family of good females.
According to Kennel Club registrations, about twenty "J" line dogs have proved themselves to be sires of importance.
The "M" Line
The virtual founder of the "M" line was "Brindle Mick" whelped in 1934, by "Tigr" ex "Brave Nell". Mick was a brindle of great power and substance, slightly over medium size, with well-developed body, good bone, strong jaw and skull, the muzzle being of medium length and weight. In general configuration he is greatly resembled by his son "Gentleman Jim". Mick was slightly undershot.
He sired some other important sons in "Brindle Bill", "Furnace Jake", the "Bandit" and "Red Ruin".
The "M' line owes its ascendancy largely to the stud success of "Gentleman Jim" and "Brindle Bill", to either or both of which we may look for the continued prosperity of the line.
The "L" Line
The "L" line now claims attention. It was founded by "Game Lad", who was born about 18 years ago and is therefore one of the oldest lines of which there is a record. After doing some winning in the Black Country where he was born, he went to London, where he proved a popular sire. Smallish medium in size, he was a darkish brindle in colour, with a compact body, nice round bone, good skull and an exceptionally clean muzzle. He had one peculiarity, which was that he did not like his tail to be handled.
Although this is not one of the largest lines, it has produce two champions, which no other line has so far done.
His most important sons are Ch. "Game Laddie", "Our Ben", and "Billy".
The "R" Line
"Ribchester Joe" was helped in 1931. His son "Ribchester Max" was a brindle of medium size, well proportioned, with good bone and feet and a great winner. He has produced a number of excellent bitches and five of his sons are shown on the chart. "Billy Bhoy" has the distinction of being a foreign champion, but Max's best son is undoubtedly "Vindictive Monty of Wyncroft". (What a pity that this good Staffordshire has not got a more distinctive name -- I have already corrected quite a few people who have confused him with "Vindictive Monty" of the "J" line.)
The "B" Line
"B" line (B for Bottle). "R" might have been the more obvious letter to use but it has already been allocated to the "Ribchester" line, and in any case Rum Bottle", with 49 K.C. registrations, is really its founder. He was a red dog, as were most members of this line. Mr.Westall, to whom the pre-war development of this line is due, is of the opinion that red dogs are tougher in hide than brindle's, which probably accounts for their preponderance. The line is of special interest as up to 1935 it had been developed almost independently of all the other lines and there were certain fairly well defined differences, chiefly in formation of head, where the muzzle appears to have been somewhat lighter than that of "black country" dogs.
Three of "Rum Bottle's" sons were "Invincible Lad", "Eager Lad" and "Tough Guy", the last of which was a well-known pre-war winner and captured one challenge certificate. The line will go down to posterity, however, through "Eager Lad" and his son "Tornado".
The "C" Line
"Cinderbank Beauty" was a small tiger brindle, and my recollection of him is that he was compact, sturdy and well proportioned.
In conclusion, it is impossible to forecast what contribution these six lines will make to posterity, but it would appear extremely improbable that any of them will ever completely disappear. It is, however, not at all improbable that one or more new lines may develop -- indeed there are already some indications -- but that would just be guessing!
All text from the book "The Staffordshire Bull Terrier" is reconstructed by Stoutheart Staffords and you will find their web-page here.