(I hope that Beryl would not mind me reproducing this important historical essay.)

First: England; then America; and, now, Australia! 1978 is the Golden Jubilee Year of the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, which has its headquarters in the State of Victoria. Many celebrations are planned by our affiliated clubs but the 'main event' will take place on November 25 and 26 when the gala Golden Jubilee Show of the G.C. Combined Clubs is held. It is really fascinating to look back over 50 years of show catalogues and note the pattern of cats and breeds at the shows and how they progressed from 1928 when the Council was formed. Let me share some of these reminiscences with you.

Prior to 1928, cats were shown in combination with dog shows. Today we would laugh if we received a schedule for a cat show to be held as part of the dog show held under the combined control of the Victorian Poultry and Kennel Club and the Combined Clubs affiliated with the Victorian Kennel Association! Cat shows in 1928 were not without interest. Sixty cats were shown at one of them including 58 pedigreed Long Hairs (Chinchillas, Shaded Silvers, Blues, Blacks and Whites) and two Siamese. Mrs. Keep showed her Seal Point male, BOIS BOIS (IMP), and Miss Bonwick her Seal Point female, UNDOONA PRINCESS SIANG. The benching of these two Siamese did nothing to encourage breeding or ownership; not because they were not good but it was strictly a Long Hair cat era and the Short Hairs were a 'non-event'.

There were a number of imported Long Hairs at the shows of 1928, among them: MAGOG OF MENDIP, the fine male whose value as a sire became legendary; DICK OF ALLINGTON, a Chinchilla male from the famous cattery of Miss E. Langston; the lovely Chinchilla female, LANGHERNE MOLLY; and ROSECOTT LILY, JERVETTE OF MAYFAIR, WHATMER, SOAMES RED ROCKET, DULCIBEL OF NEELS and CREAM PUFF. I was amused to see an entry for a Shaded Silver by the name of YENDA WHAT'S WANTED. I wonder would it still be so today? Chinchillas and Shaded Silvers were the most popular of the cats benched, with Blues next; some shows would include up to ten Brown Tabbies, as well as smaller benchings of Blacks, Whites, Smokes and the occasional A.O.C.

In 1929, catalogues were reflecting the effects of the sense of status which came with being affiliated to a Cat Control Body. The Australian C.C. catalogue for the show held in the Manchester Unity Hall was particularly proper. The only judge, Hayward Clark, had 'Esquire' after his name; and where the Club officers were printed, the ladies had "Ladies” after their names and the men had "Gentlemen" after theirs. Mr. Clark's reply of acceptance to the Clubs asking him to judge, by the way, is a most charming example of Victorian courtesy.
The trophy lists for 1929 shows furthered the status image. Silver cups abounded, silver rose bowls, silver medals, gold mounted sashes. Trophies were donated by DICK OF ALLINGTON, IMP. and LANGHERNE MOLLY, IMP., etc. Show benchings that year were reaching 120 cats. Blue Long Hairs were just beating Chinchillas in numbers; Shaded Silvers down but Silver Tabbies in considerable numbers with Red Tabbies, Brown Tabbies, Smokes and Whites, Creams and Blacks following. There was a small class at each show for cats with unknown or part-known parentage but nothing for domestic pets. No Siamese were shown - thoroughly discouraged, no doubt!

The pattern of shows was mostly the same for several years with the progeny of the imported Long Hairs seen again and again. In 1934, the Blues were well in the lead with Chinchillas, Shaded Silvers and Brown Tabbies next and the rest rather scattered. In 1937 something new was added. Mrs. Kreutzer showed one of that most rare L.H. colour - a Blue Cream! Benchings were: Blues still ahead, Chinchillas next and, close behind, a big benching of Red Tabbies. 1937 was a big year for me - I got my first Siamese.

THE POST-WAR ERA

The cat fancy ambled on into the war years - years which effectively dampened possible progress. It was a waiting time from which the fancy emerged ready for work and full of plans, though immediate post-war show catalogues would appear to deny this: miserable austerity ones they were. Benchings of cats were still of Long Hairs. It was still a Long Hair era and, as ours would have been the only Siamese present in 1946, we didn't bother to show. After all, it would be silly to have a Short Hair section at a show for one family's cats! There was no possibility of importing cats which would have been a big boost. Imports after the war were restricted to essentials, so we spent our time planning and organizing with the English breeders. You could only send small amounts of money out of the country so we kept doing this, building up a Sterling credit in England for the planned imports, pending Government permission to ship cats.

The permission came in 1949. Old hat now, importing cats in 1949 caused the authorities to consider you a mental case. In 1949, a few others had become Siamese fanciers and up to eleven Siamese were benched at shows. In all, show benchings were in the vicinity of 100 cats. In the Long Hairs, the 25 Blues led in numbers and some were really good, Salisbury Blues especially; the Regent Blues were just getting set for their long winning run. Plenty of Chinchillas, not good: Stelle Beattie's MONIVAE just starting, her prize winning yet to come. Lots of Red Tabbies and Blue-Eyed Whites, some Creams and other colours and four Blue Creams.

The shows of 1950 were when variety really took off. A Siamese Cat Club had been formed and the imports were arriving. This was the beginning of the Siamese cat fancy. We brought out Victoria's first Seal Point, DONERAILE DANTESS, and a Blue Point. Jack and Elsie Hine brought Seal and Blue. These first Blue Points were: LELA NOW and MISSELFORE PANELA. Helen Chase and George Dyke brought out Russian Blues: MOUCHE MOKEY and MOUCHE IVAN, female and male. Margery Hawkes brought Chinchillas. For these English imports alone, the year 1950 was a very good one for the Victorian cat fancy. To add to it all, Mrs. Dehle bred Australia's first Chocolate Point Siamese. We were able to bench 35 Siamese at shows in 1950 and the show scene was becoming excitingly varied - Blue Point and Chocolate Point Siamese for the first time, and Russian Blues.

1951 took off like a rocket. Progeny of the 1950 imports were shown and to them were added more Seals and Blues imported by the Hines, ourselves and others. George Dyke imported a very good Cream male Long-Hair. The year saw Australia's first all Chocolate Point litter which created shock waves. The litter was from two Seal Points with, as far as we knew, no Chocolate Point anywhere behind them. The sire was the imported Seal Point, LEMLING PERTAMA, and the dam was our own breeding, WESTWOOD FAIR MAID. It took that mating to bring out the recessive Chocolate Point factors behind the cats. Never a dull moment. Then Mrs. Springhill produced Australia's first Tabby Points; geared to thinking only of solid point colour in Siamese points, no one was amused. 1951 was quite a year in the cat fancy! It might be thought that with the activity in the Siamese fancy, hundreds would be shown but this wasn't so. Siamese were considered delicate and there was no cure then for the dreaded Feline Infectious Enteritus, etc.

Show benchings were up to 160 in 1952. In all cases, these are the cage numbers. Litters were and are counted as one and as we could show litters at 6 weeks old then, and there were generally between ten to fifteen litters shown, actual benched exhibits could be considered quite high. Siamese and one Russian Blue were still the only Short Hairs that year. Long Hairs more than doubled them in numbers. Ruby Prince's Regent Blues were starting their winning run now and her fabulous male import, JASPER OF PENSFORD, was scooping the pool with what must have been for other Long Hair owners depressing regularity. The Monivae Chinchillas and progeny from the Chinchilla imports were showing breeders just how good Chinchillas could be. A lot of Torties were shown and an even representation of the other usual colours. The Long Hairs had the numbers but the newer breeds and variants were yet to come.

1953 saw only a slight rise in show benchings. It still was not 'fashionable' to be a member of the cat fancy. For too long it had< been the poor relation, its shows held in places suitable to poor relations. The change to status venues such as the Melbourne Town Hall, which began in 1949, was too recent to educate people. Though domestic pets were loved by their owners, few considered showing them. Mrs. Baker imported a smashing Cream, WIDDINGTON JESSIE, in 1953 who, fortunately, had a few litters before she was lost and never found. Miss Cubbin benched the most fabulous Torties and Tortie-&-Whites. Perfectly patched in glitteringly bright colours, she named them well: GAY COLORS, MANY COLORS, BRIGHT COLORS, and so on. We haven't seen their like since. Some wonderful Blue Points were beating the Seal Points on quality. Only a few Chocolate Points were shown; they were at a stalemate for suitable stock to breed to. Imports from top English lines were needed. The only other Short Hairs were the Russian Blue imported in 1950 and progeny of that cat to Blue Points.

FIRST CHOCOLATE POINT IMPORT

Siamese imported in 1954 included several more Seal Points, another Blue Point and Australia's first Chocolate Point import. The latter, a female, was very good in type but poor in color. We were used to coat color of glowing magnolia cream and points of milk chocolate: the newcomer's lack in this direction was a disappointment. We hoped that the import's type combined with the local cats' color would prove a winner, but this didn't happen. Her name was DONERAILE BRUN BROWNIE.

Some elegant Supplementary Register Russian Blues were shown in 1954. The female import of 1950 had been mated to a Blue Point Siamese and a son of this mating, RUSSIAN VELVET, was mated to his dam with more good Russian Blues for type and coat resulting - older breeders may remember the truly lovely PRINCESS MIMOSA - but people were only interested in Siamese. There was no market for Russian Blues and the breeder had the stock neutered.

Show benchings in 1954 reached just under the 200 mark and, at one show, there were more Siamese benched than Long Hairs! At that show, duplicated sheets showing all winners were available at 3 P.M. The effort must have been too much because we didn't attempt it again. Long Hairs at 1954 shows featured Blues in greater numbers at one show and Chinchillas at the next. There were good benchings of Shaded Silvers, Creams, Blue-Eyed and Orange-Eyed Whites, a few Blacks, etc., and the occasional Smoke. Looking back, I realize that any resemblance to the fabulous Smokes we see at shows today and the Smokes of 1954 was purely coincidental. Reading the catalogues and seeing the cats again in memory, I think the Chinchillas of that year were the most outstanding of the Long Hairs. As with so many shows of the past, in 1954 it was a 'must' to have someone really special to open the shows. Jeannette Brooks, daughter of the then State Governor; Dame Sybil Thorndyke; Marie Collier, the famous singer; Winifred Attwell, and many others.

1955 was highlighted by progeny of the past year's imports, by litter classes of nine and ten entries, and by Mr. and Mrs. Uphaw's efforts to breed British Type Shorthairs. There were no imports to help them - they had to start from scratch and it was not unusual for them to bench up to nine at a show. If only one or more other breeders had worked with them, the Uphaws' breeding programme may have continued to full success. By 1956, their British Type S.H. were being shown under a prefix and they had a most interesting Tabby, ESPERANCE MACK.

The first L.H. Tortoiseshell to become Best Long Hair In Show appeared in 1956. She was Mrs. Matheson's LINDISFARNE MARY GOLD, IMP. NZ sired by CH. ROYAL OF PENSFORD, IMP. UK. I have never seen a better Tortie. Ruby Price had also bought HOMEND COPPER IMP UK and began through him to produce the Regent cats, so famous for the pale purity of their Lavender coats. Up until then, L.H. Blues had been quite dark. The 1956 Shorthairs consisted of Seal, Blue and Chocolate Point Siamese - not even a lone Russian Blue. The Seal Points were very good, but the Blue Points were at a peak of perfection very rarely seen now or for many years. We ourselves bred a litter of seven Blue Points: WESTWOOD BLUE JADE, BLUE ECHO, BLUE ISIS, BLUE ORIRIS, BLUE HAZE, BLUE BEAU and BLUE IRIS which became famous in all States and were so good they only reflected the overall quality of the Blue Points of the day. There were just so many good Blues - all owing to the great stock imported from the United Kingdom.

1957 saw big benchings of Blue-Eyed White Long Hairs. How rarely we see these beautiful cats now! Very big benchings of Chinchillas, with Monivae generally taking honors: I well remember the great MONIVAE TROY. A few British Type S.H. were shown, but by the 'Britishers' benched today, the 1957 British Type would be classified domestic. Foreign Short Hairs? Still only the three Siamese colors.

AGRICULTURAL SHOWS

The Governing Council held the first of the now many Cat Sections of County Agricultural Shows at Shepparton in 1958. Whenever an application came in from a County Agricultural Show, G.C. would send someone (usually my husband, Clyde, and I) to meet the show committee, outline requirements and look at the site in which the cats would be benched, before permission for a show was granted. If the cats could not be properly, safely and comfortably benched in acceptable conditions, no show. For those where we agreed to hold shows, we would charter a bus to take exhibitors and their cats.

Burmese and Manx made their debut at our shows. Lylie Thurmer of South Australia sent RANSEIN HIRAJI IMP NZ , a male, and AMHERST HORSA, who was the result of a Burmese (TOMAHAWK IMP UK) X Siamese (TALBINGO TURELLA) breeding. This male was part of a Supplementary Register programme being undertaken by Geoff Allen. Mrs. Matheson showed a Manx. Blue-Eyed Whites dominated the other Long Hairs: type wasn't marvellous but they really had blue eyes. The Blue L.H. were very good in type and color: Regent predominated but Laraine Picken, Kashan, was showing more U.K. imports, as well as progeny of those already imported. It was strange how few Creams were shown. The year 1959 followed a similar trend.

1960 got off to a good start with a cat show held in conjunction with the Royal Agricultural Society's "Royal Melbourne Show" which met with great success. That year the Foreign Short Hair classes were made exciting by the addition of two Abyssinians: Lylie Thurmer's FINISTERE CASSIM and FINISTERE SHERADA, both imported from New Zealand and, at that time, owned by a South Australian breeder. CASSIM and SHERADA, while owned by Lylie, gave birth to a litter and among the kittens was Australia's first Red Abyssinian, SHERADA was later sold to Nell Moloney and gave birth to the then world record litter of nine Abyssinians! Lylie Thurmer continued to show her Burmese male, MAUSEIN HIRAJI, in G.C. shows.
During 1960, in the Supplementary Register Show section, kittens from the Black Oriental breeding programme were shown, as were kittens from a programme toward Red Point Siamese. Still, however, Seal, Blue and Chocolate Points were the only Siamese benched. It was not uncommon to find up to twelve Siamese litters at a show. The Long Hair scene remained static.

DISCORD IN THE CAT FANCY

Despite another successful cat show at the Royal under Governing Council rules, despite the growth of the cat fancy and plans for its future, 1961 saw the end of unified cooperation in the Victorian fancy and the end of an era.
After a year of strife, there was a split in the fancy and a number of fanciers went under the control of the Royal Agricultural Society in a cat section named the F.C.C.

The 33-year-old Governing Council had an exciting start to the year 1962 with the arrival from England of two fabulous Lilac Point Siamese: a male, ANNELIDA LILAC NOKOMIS, and a female, SUPRA LOLLY POP, imported by Mrs. E. Moloney and Mr. Howard Scott. In 1963, Mrs. McDonald showed a Cameo Long Hair, and again we marvelled at the delphinium blue eyes of the same owner's White, DELHI ARCTIC STORM. Will we ever see anything like the blue of those eyes in a L.H. White again?

Howard Scott showed EASTERN CIRCE in 1964, a Blue Burmese female so good that she would give today's Blue Burmese a run for their money. She was from Australia's first all-Blue litter of Burmese bred by Mrs. Abbott of New South Wales. Good Abysinnians, Brown and Red, were seen as well as many exquisite Lilac Point Siamese, progeny of the first imported pair. Good they were, but it was years before one came up to beat their sire. Two more legendary cats were shown when Margaret Turner brought with her from England the Blue Point male, GALEGLOW FLORESTAN, and a 'first' for Tabby Points, the female SAMSARA SILVER SHADOW. Black Foreign Shorthairs (now called Black Orientals) were shown in considerable numbers. Chestnut Browns, on Supplementary Register, made occasional appearances as did S.R. Red Point Siamese. In the Long Hairs that year, Blues dominated with Chinchillas next and a surprising number of really good Odd-Eyed Whites. The show benches were getting exciting with variety!

In 1965, the progeny of ANNELIDA LILAC NOKOMUS IMP UK were doing well and, from this foundation, the excellence of all Lilac Point Siamese to the present day must be credited. Blue Point U.K. imports, GOLDEN FLORESTAN and MISSELFORE TYRAN PRINT were having their influence on Blue Point Siamese breeding. That year, Mrs. Nottingham showed Australia's first Red Point Siamese, an import from New Zealand. Tan Cattery (Mrs. Moloney) and Eilandonna Cattery (Howard Scott) dominated Abyssinian breeding. Scott benched the first Russian Blue kittens born in Australia from U.K. imports SYLPHIDES SHARKOV X ARCHON CINDERELLA and imported another Burmese from New Zealand, RANSEIN LORENZO. Rex cats were imported for the first time and shown. Mrs. Purnell showed an Australian Silver Tabby (British type).

For the Long Hairs, 1966 generally meant a top win for a Regent Blue, though Monivae Chinchillas did well and Lil Roberts' Yandalla Chinchillas were also to the fore. Kalmia Cattery was tops for Whites. Siamese were interesting: Mrs. Moloney showed SOUTHVIEW FIDGET IMP UK, a Chocolate Point with an intensely important pedigree; she also showed a litter of Red Points from ABERDARE GOLDEN KIWI X ABERDARE MERRI GOLD, all very good. Governing Council stood sponsor for the first "Sanction Cat Show". This was one run by the Committee of an entrant in the Miss Australia contest. It was conducted under our rules and G.C. judges officiated. It was a good show and lots of fun. Some cat clubs had celebrities as their Patrons: the Blue Pointed Siamese Cat Club had Miss Vivian Leigh (of "Gone With The Wind" fame).

Noteworthy in 1967 was the showing of the first Color Points (Himalayans) in Australia, and the beautiful Classic Silver Tabbies, British type, shown by Mrs. Purnell. For the first time in ten years. Chinchilla Long Hairs took Best In Show wins in 1968. Tortie Point Siamese made their debut at the 1969 shows.

1970 was a very good year. A smashing Cream kitten, ROXBERRY ZELDA, bred by Nell Shead and owned by Lil Roberts was shown. Victorian Creams just weren't cream until 1970. Birmans, Dr. Tait's U.K. imports, were seen at our shows for the first time.

Siamese were seen in quantity at the 1971 shows - some good, some very good, but the effect of past good imports and the work of careful breeders was being eroded by the careless. Best were the Tabby Points and Paolina Silverside benched some stunning ones. In the Orientals, Blacks were good, but Lavenders, Browns and Blues were better.

DEVON REX IMPORTED

Leslie Batiste imported the first Devon Rex into Australia from England in 1972. He was a Black Smoke, HEPHAESTOS SHARIM - pixielated perfection indeed. WATERMILL KANDLEWICK, a fabulous Cream, sired the first Australian-bred Cornish Rex litter. A particularly good Black Oriental, MOONLIGHT SHERE KHAN, owned by the Bells was shown that year and Mrs. Purnell continued to bench her British type Silver Tabbies, Smokes and Chinchillas. Wyn and Bill Essex were showing Black and Red L.H. which later had tremendous influence on Torties. Annette Inness imported from U.K. a Seal Point Siamese male, CASUARINA CHEETAH, a stud who was to have great influence.

In 1973, Ann Marks and Lil Roberts showed two wonderful Black Smokes, FISHERMORE NABUCCO and SONATA IMPRESSARIO IMP UK. Sarayan Cattery introduced exquisite Cream and Blue Cream Point Siamese to the show scene. The Burmese, already well represented, received two exciting additions when Carol and Mike Bray brought in two lovely Creams from U.K. - Australia's first ones - KERNOW CREAM KERBURHO and KERNOW CREAM CAROMEL. This new color had vital breeding effects, as did the bloodlines the cats carried. More firsts for the Orientals: Beryl and Laurie Wilson imported Whites from New Zealand, two males, OURLYNN APOLLO LEVEN and OURLYNN AJAX. Sarayan Cattery came up with a Lavender Oriental as beautiful as a melody, SARAYAN SILVER CHIBA.

The first Lilac Burmese came in from England in 1974 to the Delmoro Cattery, SITTANG LILAC CRESSIDA. Ten Blue Burmese appeared at one show and we saw a number of Manx after many years of absence from the shows.

A superlative Red Long Hair was shown in 1975 and there were more Birmans and Seal Colorpoints at the shows. The Burmese were continuing to increase in Brown, Blue, Cream, Blue Cream, Tortie, Red, Chocolate - the latter due to the arrival of the country's first Burmese of this color from U.K., ILUSKASS KAI-FENG. Leslie Batiste imported another Devon Rex, a female, STANLESA SAPPHIRE HAZE. The Korat appeared at the shows, and there were a few Cornish Si-Rex. Quality of Abys was fair that year but one alone had captured the Aby "essence", its style, its unique charisma, the particular type of nobility only an Aby conveys: OPTIMA RASSELAS, owned by Paolina Silverside. He wasn't perfect but he had that magic and I hope we shall see this again because this cat is gone now.

Two smashing Smokes came to Australia from the U.K. in 1976: HARDENDALE SMOKE NOCTURN and HARDENDALE FAVORITA, male and female. Smokes are excitement cats, a challenge and a frustration to bench at the time of full coat glory. We saw a stupendous Blue Cream L.H. in Noel and Marion Heaton's PEMBROOKE PALADIN.

And so we come to 1977. Here's how it was reflected in the show catalogues. For the Burmese, it was a very good year. The popularity of this breed ensured the numbers for a successful Specialist Show held by the Burmese Cat Club. Browns predominated in entries. Blues next, then Torties, Cream and Red, followed by Chocolate. Shows for the rest of the year were All Breeds and, in the Long Hairs, Blues and Chinchillas were the largest benchings, followed by Orange-Eyed Whites and Creams with most other standard LH colors in varying numbers. At one show there were 43 Chinchillas, just beating the Blues. In the Siamese, Seal Points had the numbers but were closely followed by Lilac, Chocolate and Red Points. The big benching of Seals at one show was very nearly outnumbered by Red Points! Tabby Points in all colors were not in such great numbers as the previous year but made up for this in quality. A British Blue, from imported stock, was shown. Benchings got bigger for Orientals which is good as long as quality is not lost in the popularity boom. Russian Blues shown were the best ever. Abyssinian and Rex benchings were impressive in numbers but an Aby is more than a foreign shorthair with a ticked coat. Quality walks a razor's edge in Rex and the responsibility of Rex breeders to ensure the future of this special breed by what they do now is an awesome one. GOODBYE, 1977.

HAIL TO 1978 —the Governing Council's Golden Jubilee!