Help (1878 – December 1891) was a

Scotch collie The Rough Collie (also known as the Long-Haired Collie) is a long-coated dog breed of medium to large size that, in its original form, was a type of collie used and bred for Herding dog, herding sheep in Scotland. More recent breeding has focus ...

dog which gained fame through being used to collect money for charity. Bred in the vicinity of Hailes Castle in

East Lothian East Lothian (; ; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In ...

by William Riddell, in 1880 Help was donated to John Climpson. Climpson, who was the long-serving guard of the night boat train to Newhaven on the

London, Brighton and South Coast Railway The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR (known also as the Brighton line, the Brighton Railway or the Brighton)) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at ...

, had previously had the idea of using a dog to obtain donations for the Orphans Fund of the

Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants (ASRS) was a trade union of railway workers in the United Kingdom from 1872 until 1913. History The ASRS was an industrial union founded in 1871 with the support of the Liberal MP Michael Thomas Bas ...

(ASRS). He did not provide Help with any special training, the dog simply being fitted with a wooden collecting box on his back, and a silver collar and medal. The medal was inscribed: "I am Help, the railway dog of England, and travelling agent for the orphans of railwaymen who are killed on duty. My office is at 306, City Road ater 55, Colebrooke Row London, where subscriptions will be thankfully received and duly acknowledged". While Help often travelled with Climpson, he was also lent out to other guards to undertake collections on their routes. By the time of his death, it was claimed that he had travelled every railway line in Britain and visited all the major towns, and had also travelled twice to France, in the course of his travels raising more than £1,000. He also attended many of the conferences of the ASRS. Help was awarded a silver medal at the Bristol Dog Show of 1884, was the subject of numerous paintings and sketches, and appeared on a commemorative badge. He was retired in 1890, settling in Newhaven. He died in late 1891, the ''Railway Review'' claiming in his obituary that he was "without doubt the best known dog in the United Kingdom". Following his death, he was stuffed and placed on display at

Brighton railway station Brighton railway station is the principal station serving the city of Brighton in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, operated by Govia Thameslink Railway. It is the southern terminus of the Brighton Main Line, the western terminus of the ...

. Help was succeeded by numerous other railway collecting dogs, including Prince, based in Croydon, Nell, based in Bournemouth, Tim, based at Paddington, and Basingstoke Jack.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Help (dog) 1878 animal births 1891 animal deaths Individual dogs Individual animals in England

See also

References