Eden is synonymous with the Collie’s development during the first six decades of the twentieth century. With every Collie born, in whatever country, during in the latter half of the century able to traces its ancestry to one of three Collie dogs with Eden connections explains why the ‘Rough Collie Breed Council’made an early decision to protect the name from future use.

 

left - Ch Eden Ethel - gained her third Challenge Certificate at Kensington Canine Society’s Championship Show 1914, making her the first Eden Champion.

 

right - Ch Eden Diadem - the first Rough Collie to win a Junior Warrant after its introduction in 1938, adding his UK title the same year,  before crossing the Atlantic on the outbreak of war to add his American title as Eden Diadem of Bellhaven

Ch Eden Esmeralda - A Ch Legend of Ladypark daughter and Mr Robson’s last Collie Champion  gaining her title in 1959

 

Having immortalised the name of the River Eden which runs through Mr Rubmann’s adoptive home town of Carlisle, he set about building a world renowned kennel of Collies in 1904, making up his first champion ten years later. The Anglicising of his name to Robson during the 1914-18 war marked a turning point and throughout the period which followed he was to campaign many Collies to their title, with several crossing the Atlantic to add an American title and/or to contribute to the development of the breed in their new home.

Like most of the larger kennels Eden was not averse to purchasing stock which invariably acquired a new identity to match that of the home kennel, but Fred Robson was also a clever breeder producing a string of very feminine bitches prized for their head and expression.

Heeding the general advice to reduce stock at the outbreak of the second world-war the kennel drastically reduced its numbers, but undaunted Mr Robson returned to the ring in 1947, making up the home bred sable and white bitch Eden Enchanting at Ayrshire Agricultural Association’s Championship Show the following year. Ten years later Mr Robson returned to Ayrshire with his latest young hopeful to annex the Challenge Certificate with Eden Esmeralda, who became the last of the Eden Collies to gain a United Kingdom title.