Fox farming in the UK began with the establishment of Snow Belt Farms Ltd, Britain’s first silver fox farm. Founded in 1920 by Major Harrington, a Canadian naturalist, the farm was located in Alness, Scotland. Harrington imported eight pairs of silver foxes from Prince Edward Island, Canada, marking the beginning of a unique chapter in the history of British agriculture and fashion.
The farm quickly became a success, producing fine-quality pelts that were highly prized in the fashion industry. By 1932, Snow Belt Farms had expanded to include 65 breeding pairs, with an annual output of around 200 cubs. Beyond producing pelts, the farm also exported breeding pairs to countries like Holland, Finland, and Persia, establishing Scotland as a global player in fox farming.
Managed by F. Ballinger, the farm earned accolades at the 1927 Silver Fox Show, where its foxes won awards for their exceptional quality. However, this early success was not to last. The farm ceased operations at the start of World War II, as the war effort and changing attitudes towards fur brought the industry to a halt.
Snow Belt Farm Steals the Show
The 1930 Silver Fox Exhibition in Glasgow proved to be a significant event for Scotland’s fox farming industry, with Scotland carrying off the majority of the trophies. The competition featured top-tier foxes bred for their valuable pelts, and the judges had a difficult task given the high standard of the entries. Ultimately, Scotland dominated the awards, claiming all but two of the cups, with one award going to Wales and another to England.
Notable Awards:
Challenge Cup for the Best Fox: Awarded to James A. Marr of Cumnock, Ayrshire, for his adult vixen, a three-quarter silver named Gem of Cumnock.
Challenge Cup for the Best Fox of the Opposite Sex to the Champion: Won by Dartmoor Fur Farms, Devon.
Challenge Trophy for the Best Fox Cub: Secured by Snow Belt Farms, Alness.
Other Awards:
Best Fox in Slight Silver Section: Snow Belt Farms, Alness.
Best Fox in Half Silver Section: Snow Belt Farms, Alness.
Best Fox in Three-Quarter Silver Section: James Marr, Cumnock.
Best Fox in Pale Silver Section: Snow Belt Farms, Alness.
Chief Prize-Winners in Ordinary Classes:
Three-Quarter Silver Cub Dogs:
1st: Snow Belt Farms, Alness
2nd: Highland Silver Fox Ranch.
Adult Vixens:
1st: Snow Belt Farms, Alness
2nd: Highland Silver Fox Ranch.
This exhibition highlighted the high level of competition in the silver fox farming industry, particularly in Scotland, where operations such as Snow Belt Farms in Alness and Highland Silver Fox Ranch competed fiercely for top honours.
East Lothian's Contribution: Saltoun Fur Farm
Following the success of Snow Belt Farms, other fox farms sprang up across Scotland, including the notable Saltoun Fur Farm in East Saltoun, East Lothian, owned by Captain A. M. Talbot Fletcher.
Established in the 1920s, this farm became another prominent name in the fur trade. By 1935, Saltoun Fur Farm housed 230 silver foxes, bred for their luxurious pelts, which were prized for their beauty and quality. Articles from the time noted that the British climate, initially thought unsuitable for fox farming, proved to be ideal. The foxes not only thrived but also produced award-winning pelts, further cementing the farm’s reputation.
The photograph above, from 1935 captures the unique operation, with workers carrying the foxes—though it was noted that only trusted handlers could safely do so. The farm became a local hub of activity, with boys skinning rabbits to feed the foxes and the farm exporting pelts to satisfy demand for high-end women’s fashion.
Tullochvenus House: Highland Silver Fox Ranch
Scotland saw several fox farming operations develop during the early 20th century, and Tullochvenus House in Aberdeenshire was among the more notable locations. In the 1920s and 1930s, the property was used as a fox farm where several acres of woodland were converted into enclosures for silver foxes. This farm was part of a broader trend in the UK, where foxes were bred for their valuable fur.
The Highland Silver Fox Ranch, as it was officially known, operated under the lease of Mr. Harold Ireland, a key figure in the Scottish fox farming community. The farm's location in the rolling hills of Aberdeenshire allowed for a conducive environment for breeding and raising silver foxes. Over time, the farm gained recognition and participated in exhibitions, where it earned accolades for its high-quality foxes.
At various competitions, including the Silver Fox Show, Highland Silver Fox Ranch received several awards. As part of Scotland's contribution to the fur trade, the farm helped bolster the reputation of Scottish fox farming, particularly with its high-standard foxes, which were prized for their premium pelts. As with many of the other farms in Scotland, Highland Silver Fox Ranch ceased its operations following changing public attitudes and legal regulations concerning fur farming.
The BBC’s Early Fascination with Silver Foxes
In its very first week of television broadcasting in November 1936, the BBC’s programming included a segment on Silver Fox Breeding. The programme, titled ‘Four foxes will be exhibited by a representative of the Silver Fox Breeders’ Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,’ highlighted the growing interest in silver foxes, which were prized for their luxurious pelts and the role they played in the burgeoning fur farming industry.
This early broadcast on silver foxes was part of a broader trend where the BBC turned to animals, alongside human interest stories, to experiment with content that might captivate its new audience. While much of this early television content has been lost to time and is impossible to re-watch, it provides a fascinating glimpse into the public’s fascination with animals, particularly those involved in commercial industries like fur farming.
The inclusion of silver foxes in the BBC’s early programming reflects the significance of these animals in British culture at the time and highlights how the more-than-human world was interwoven with human life and media, even from the dawn of television.
The Silver Fox Breeders Association
Founded in 1920's, the Silver Fox Breeders' Association of Great Britain and Ireland organized the eleventh annual exhibition of live silver foxes at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington, London, November 1933. At this prestigious event, 300 silver foxes were meticulously graded according to their color classification.
The Association played a pivotal role in promoting the breeding of silver foxes, bringing together breeders and enthusiasts from across the country. During one of these exhibitions, a Three Quarter Silver Fox from Hambledon Fox Farm was showcased as a luxurious wrap for Miss Hinings, exemplifying the fine quality of the breed and its use in the fur industry, as seen below.
The Decline of Fox Farming
As with Snow Belt Farms, and many others, Saltoun Fur Farm's operations came to an end during World War II. The estate was partially sold to the Forestry Commission, and what remained was repurposed for other uses. During the war, Land Army girls were housed on the property, and in later years, it served as accommodation for forestry staff.
The end of the war also brought a shift in public attitudes toward fur. Fox farms transitioned to mink farming, but the decline in demand for fur made this shift unsustainable. By the mid-20th century, fox farming in the UK was a thing of the past.
In 2000, as a tribute to their historical involvement in the once thriving trade of UK fur production, the Shetland Museum opened an exhibition dedicated to the history of fox and mink farming on the isles, documenting their involvement in the fur trade, as well as the humane farming practices the isles brought to the industry. Since it's peak in the mid-1900's, the fur industry has considerably reduced housing standards compared to what was once considered acceptable.
A Forgotten History
Today, the stories of Snow Belt Farms, Saltoun Fur Farm, Highland Silver Fox Ranch and other such operations serve as reminders of the nation's brief but significant role in the global fur trade. From Major Harrington's pioneering efforts to the BBC's awe at the prize-winning foxes, these farms represent a bygone era when silver fox pelts were symbols of status and elegance.
The fur farming industry in the UK came to an abrupt halt in 2000, when the UK government passed a law that prohibited the breeding and farming of foxes for fur, effectively ending the controversial industry that had once flourished in the UK. The shift in public attitudes toward animal rights and welfare led to the closure of all fox farms across the country, including those in Alness, East Saltoun, and other regions.
These farms may be long gone, but their legacies remains etched in local history, offering a fascinating glimpse into the agricultural and cultural past of the UK.
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