Buster Brown!

Remember those shoes? Did you know that there was a comic strip of the same name at the beginning of the last century?


This image of the small, blonde boy and his faithful dog was very popular around 1904. Do you recognise the breed? How many dogs do you know with that "smile"? Its a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

It seemed the look that Buster Brown had was all the rage for small boys at that time. I have this photo of my Grandpa Carew and his brothers and Grandpa is wearing this very same style of suit.

This is a photo of Clifford (aged 4) Murray - my Grandpa - (aged 3) and John (8 months) Carew. Manawa, Wisconsin. Photo is circa 1904.

The other thing that was popular, was the breed of dog. Known for its loyalty and reliability with small children the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was a very well loved family pet for many families.

(not a family photo)

Bull and Terrier breeds were believed to have arrived in North America sometime in the mid-1880's. In the US they developed along different lines with a heavier, taller dog being the end result.