Nellie Ennals

1917 - 2009

Nellie Ennals by Ann Foxwell

The breed has been blessed by a number of dedicated breeders who have worked tirelessly to improve their stock and hence the breed. Mrs Nellie Ennals was one of these; a devotee of a numerically small blus and blacks, her Bringtonhill kennel was established in 1936 and after the Second World War Nellie set about improving and developing these two colours whose numbers were decimated by this conflict. If anyone is fortunate enough to have a copy of the Midland & West’s handbook ‘Your Great Dane’, Nellie’s thoughts on breeding these two colours are set out quite clearly and interestingly.

There were champions in blue, black and fawn both home and abroad.

Nellie also served on the committee’s of The Great Dane Club and The Midland and West of England Great Dane club, where her input and knowledge were put to good use. Her hospitality for club committee meetings held at her lovely home was incredible she must have spent hours in the kitchen preparing the delicious spreads for the committee members.

As a member of the Midland and West committee, Nellie was librarian, a task she undertook with great efficiency, some excellent Dane books were available for members to borrow, and Nellie always made sure they were returned safely.

As a judge of the breed she was well thought of, her opinions were valuable and hers and hers alone. She was very thorough, at one of the Birmingham shows Nellie had well over an entry of 300, not the fastest of judges, she finished the bitches at around 6.30pm, I was fortunate enough to win the CC from junior bitch, but alas her call for second in junior was in vain, by the time BOB was declared the Birmingham committee had packed up and left. No-one seemed to mind the late finish; it was all taken in good spirit.

Despite failing eyesight Nellie still attended Dane shows until quite recently, enjoying the company of other enthusiasts and of the breed itself.

To say Nellie Ennals was a true Lady would be no exaggeration, I for one will miss her.

Nellie Ennals Bringtonhill Great Danes by Eric Bailey

Nellie died peacefully in the early hours on 22nd December 2009 in the Old Rectory Nursing Home, Ewhurst, Surrey at the grand age of 92.

Nellie will be remembered for her work in re-establishing the blue and black colours of the breed.  After the Second World War the gene pool for these two colours was very limited, but by using at stud Hyperion of Ladymead and Ch. Dawnlight of Ickford, a Hyperion son on her two blue bred bitches which she had managed to keep through the war years.  She was able to produce Champions in Blue, Black and Fawn.

Her passion for Great Danes carried on through out her lifetime and the breed has lost the last of its Senior breeders that spanned the 1939/45 World War.

Donations to the Stroke Association either direct or c/o Cranleigh Funerals, Sussex House, Ewhurst Road, Cranleigh, GU6 7AE Telephone 01438 275758.

Bringtonhill Brad

Bringtonhill Liza & Phanta