Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-23
IN A FAMOUS FAMILY
DISASTER FoREToLD By BIRTH OF
BLACK CALF.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star
LONDON. April TO- 1905.
Until they were offered for sale q while
ago few persons were aware that there
stt1 existed in England q herd of wild
white cattle which are pure-blooded de-
scendants OF the aboriginal bulls and cows
that were kept by the ancient Britons. For
centuries this herd has been one of the
most cherished possessions of the family OF
Early Ferrers at their famous Charley
tate in Staffordshire. 1t was first estab-
lisned there in the reign of Henry III.
All that remains of the once mighty herd
that used to roam through the forests and
over the moors surrounding Chartley-less
than a dozen shaggy beasts-has just been
bought by the Duke of Redford. Their dis
posal in this fashion puts the finishing
touches to the singular verification of an
ancient legend that the birth OF black
calves in the herd portended death or dire
disaster to the family or it's possessions.
The legend began to be respected in 1922,
after the battle of Burton Bridge, between
Edward IL and his revolted barons. with a
Ferrers among them. black calf being
born that year at Charley, and the second
downfall OF the house ensung-the first had
been preceded by a simnar occurrence-thS
was imputed to the black quadruped rather
than to the impolitic patriotism of the earl.
and 1t was ruthlessly slaughtered. By mar
riage Charley passed to the Shirleys, who
were oppressed by Cromwell as royalists
and later rewarded by Charles II with the
revival of the Ferrers barony. The Earl
Ferrers of Queen Anne's time had fifteen
sons and twelve daughters. which greatly
impoverished the patrmony. His grandson,
the notorious Lawrence, Early Ferrers, was
executed at Tyburn in 1850 for the murder
of his steward According to superstitious
chroniclers. every yicissitude in the affairs
Of the family has been heralded by the
birth of black calf.
The present Earl Ferrers showed his con-
tempt for the legend by introducing black
bull into the herd. His object was to COM
bot Enoo frnyv In.
uous inbreeding by introducing new
strain. In 1903 several black calves were
born in the herd This Intentional sullying
of the wilderness of the breed was followed
by what folk who take pride in noble her
ttages regard as the GROWING disaster in
the annals Of the family, the sale of the
entire estate-feudal fortress. historic asso-
Citations. park. broad acres and all the rest
at auction. And thus was lost to the fam
lily property which. though it had many
times changed hands through death.
had never been subjected to the ignomin-
ious fate of being bartered for current coin.
Now that the herd itself has been sold,
none of the earls former tenants at Chart
ley believes that his descendants will ever
regain possession OF the estate.
However, the herd has fallen into good
hands Both the Duke and Duchess of Bed
ford are devoted to dumb animals of all
sorts and have the largest private collec-
ton In the country. They can be trusted
to apply the restorative remedies necessary
to perpetuate these interesting relics-the
Introduction Of fresh blood and the rearing
of newborn calves by foster mothers.
Prof. Robert Wallace suggests that the
off-colored calves Of these white cattle, in
stead of being slaughtered as has hereto
fore been the custom, should be collected in
one park and allowed to breed indiscrim-
inately 1.-The possibilities are great" he
says, "of obtaining profoundly interesting
scientific as we'll useful practical re-
suits from efforts made in that direction.
Had a position of similar scientific interest
to America arisen in that country the
calves in question would no doubt have
been bought by the Department of Agri-
culture or such an institution as the State
Agricultural College at Ames Iowa, where
800 cattle of many different breeds are
available for experimental and teaching
work. Results of profound scientific inter-
est to the whole bucolic world could hardly
have failed to develop from the action