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Please leave any comments about my site

1. Hello John

   Thank you for telling me about your website this morning. I have really enjoyed looking at it and reading your story. I came to London in 1958 and worked just north of the City in what was then Finsbury. For a country girl coming to London it was a great joy to watch the Whitbread horses on more or less a daily basis. It must have been a real pleasaure to work with them and I'm so glad for you that you can maintain that contact through the Lord Mayor's Show.

   Kate from Brandon Mews

   (Posted on 2009-11-15 19:18:00 by Kate)

2. I am really pleased to find this site which is dedicated to the famous Whitbread Shires. I have been a fan from childhood, looking for pictures in books and later buying videos all which added to the image I had of life with these magnificent horses.

   I used to look out for John and his fellow draymen at the various shows they attended to quiz them about the horses and find out which horses they were driving; if they were going to pull The Lord Mayors Coach that year. Knowing the names of the team would make watching the Lord Mayors Show on television more exciting for me as a young boy.

   I never saw the horses working in London and it is shame that it is something that will never be seen again. I did visit the horses in the stables at Paddock Wood a few times.

   I also followed the dray in Cranbrook carnival procession once. I was driving my Shetland and trolley which would have fitted in the back of the dray. Little and Large!

   Thank you John for giving the opportunity to recapture memories and a chance learn more about Whitbread Shires through your site. The horses may be gone but will certainly never be forgotten.

   (Posted on 2009-08-12 14:38:00 by Ivor Hatcher)

3. Subject:

   your web page

   Message:

   I recently bought some English horse brasses on e-bay.One of the brasses

   was enprinted " Whitbread Shires" I knew nothing at all about the brewery and

   its grand tradition of horses until I found your web site. WOW. I was entranced with

   all that you revealed. What a story. I can understand why you wanted to share it

   with the world.

   I am fortunate enough to be able to drive two teams of drafts - one a

   pair of Clydes, the other full brothers who are Perch/Shire crosses. I swear the more I

   work with them, the more I adore them. I can only imagine what a lifetime of

   working with such horses can mean. Very powerful stuff.

   My hat's off to you. Will Conyngham, Dallas, Pennsylvania, USA

   (Posted on 2009-06-12 14:28:00 by Will Conyngham)

4. Message:

   Hi John,

   I was very interested to come across your website and found the stories and pictures fascinating. Although I have had horses all of my life I am new to keeping shires and going through a steep learning curve. I have a former Whitbread delivery dray in need of some repair but plan to renovate it at some point. If I look up the serial number of the dray is it likely that you may know some history or even have any photo's of it in earlier times.

   Regards,

   Mark.

   (Posted on 2009-05-11 10:23:00 by Mark)

5. John, I have just found your site and think it is fantastic. I am a Met mounted Policeman but I grew up in Whitecross street.

   As children we were fascinated by your stable and during school holidays would wait outside the arch in Garratt Street for a glimpse of the horses.

   We also knew that often one of the men in the yard would let us have a quick peek at the horses on the ground floor. Obviously the horses were a very familiar site to us and we viewed them as ours, we would often feed them carrots given to us by the greengrocers in the market.

   My Grandparents lived in the market during the incendiary raid in 1940, they told us of the horses being led and tethered to the railing outside St Lukes church.

   Sorry to rattle on, again thanks for reviving some fond childhood memories.

   Take care,

   Bill Hounsome

   (Posted on 2009-03-04 14:16:00 by Bill Hounsome)

6. HI JOHN,WELL DONE,FIRST CLASS SITE,I LOOK AT IT EVERY TIME I LOG ON AND LEARN A BIT MORE EACH TIME ,THIS STORY NEEDED TELLING AND RECORDING AND YOU ARE MAKING AN EXCELLENT JOB OF IT KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.. (PS) IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU HAVE NOT LOST THE OLD DRIVING SKILLS. ALL THE BEST JOHN PAYNE HHHA

   (Posted on 2008-08-12 10:18:00 by JOHN PAYNE)

7. Hi John – just a quick note to let you know how great your website is and also quite sad in places!

   I was going out with Tony (Konig) when he joined you in 1990 I think – those were the days....!!! I remember going to the stables a few times at Garrett Street (as well as a few xmas do’s) and falling in love with the horses. I went down to Kent as well but it wasn’t quite the same, although I’m sure the horses preferred it!

   I think it’s brilliant what you’ve done.

   Karen

   (Posted on 2008-08-10 10:52:00 by Karen)

8. Subject:

   Whitbread Hop Farm

   Message:

   John, ive really enjoyed looking at your website and have learnt alot! I have the privilledge of currently working with the four remaining shires at the Hop Farm (we still use Whitbread harness), and I have really valued learning and seeing more pictures of the history behind the Whitbread horses. Unfortunatly there is so little of the history left at the hop farm. I only wish I was able to work there at the time shown in your photo's! They clearly show a very high standard of turnout and horsemanship. Anna

   (Posted on 2008-08-10 09:55:00 by Anna)

9. John, your's is one of the best amateur sites I have seen. It's got a really professional look about it and it brought back many memories of my association with the horses at Chiswell St. and around the shows.

   (Posted on 2008-06-27 21:33:00 by rogerwillan)

10. hi john ,great site love the potos, nostagia not what it used to be, have you got any photos of you bet ?

    (Posted on 2008-06-25 21:56:00 by Lennie Guy)

11. Excellent John, not only memorable for you but interesting to see what went into the high standard of the Whitbread turnout

    (Posted on 2008-06-17 11:00:00 by Sheila Kelly)

12. John! A great job! And a lovely story. Well done.

    (Posted on 2008-06-16 19:19:00 by Peter Shaw)