On a London bound platform at Slough station can be found a rather old glass case, and inside, a very dead dog. Stuffed.
This is Station Jim, or Dog Jim sometimes, who was a charity collection dog who would walk around the station with a small wooden box for people to put money in.
The money he raised was given to the Great Western Railway Widows’ and Orphans’ Fund, and although he only worked for two years, he managed to collect the astonishing amount of £40 – that’s about £5,000 in today’s money.
He was taught to bark whenever he received a coin, and on one Sunday during the summer of 1896, a hospital parade was organised at Southall, and his trainer was asked to take him up there to collect. The result was that when his boxes were opened by the Treasurer 265 coins were in them. There were only about five pieces of silver, but when it is remembered that he barked for each coin given him, this must be regarded as a good afternoon’s work.
He knew a great many tricks. He would sit up and beg, or lie down and “die”; he could make a bow when asked, or stand up on his hind legs. He would get up and sit in a chair and look quite at home with a pipe in his mouth and cap on his head. He would express his feelings in a very noisy manner when he heard any music. If anyone threw a lighted match or a piece of lighted paper on the ground he would extinguish it with a growl.
He died suddenly, still wearing his coin collecting harness on the platform on the evening of November 19th 1896. Being much loved by passengers, a collection was made and he was stuffed and put on display on Platform 5.
Although the Great Western Railway Widows’ and Orphans’ Fund no longer exists (it’s now a staff pension scheme), there is still a collection box underneath Station Jim.
He doesn’t bark anymore, but he’s still collecting for charity.
What a lovely story. I really do enjoy Ian Visits.
If my childhood memoeries are correct there used to be a similar stuffed dog on the platforms at Wimbledon station. I’ve not been through there in about 30 years so no idea if it’s still there.
I posted this on Facebook and sadly the answer is no. The dog was sent to the Railway Museum in York. I was visiting a few years ago and was surprised to see him.http://www.nrm.org.uk/OurCollection/UsingTheRailway/CollectionItem?objid=1990-7629&pageNo=318.
York first they nick our railway museum then the dog.
Wimbledon’s dog still exists.When the station was redeveloped in 1990,Laddie fouund a new home in the Station Hall of the National Railway Musuem at York.Laddie spent his working life at Waterloo collecting money for the Railway Home at Woking,as did the other collection dogs that worked at Victoria,Charing Cross,& London Bridge.
How did he extinguish things? The obvious answer isn’t pretty.
I have a distinct childhood memory of seeing a stuffed racing greyhound that served a similar function, but can’t remember where. I’m from London, so it was probably down here. Natural History Museum? Can anyone help?
Are you thinking of Mick The Miller? Always the first exhibit viewed by my wife on visits to the Natural History Museum until he was removed about 15(?) years ago. We were told he had been moved to a ‘reserve collection’ (ie. put in storage). Don’t remember a collecting function – just the dog in a glass case.
Station Jim,has been on Slough platform for many years.
I remember him from the 1960’s when I use to visit my uncle, who lived at Windsor.
He was on the railway and based at Slough as a guard.
He’s been there since he died – over 100 years ago.
Surely the title should state RAILWAY station. This is Britain, not America or the BBC.
Train station is perfectly fine.
Let us not forget London Jack, who you can see at the Bluebell line Museum.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28420246
When I arrive at a Railway Station, I know I should always expect to see a RAILWAY, but whenever I visit a Train Station, I don’t always see a TRAIN!
Whenever you visit a bus station you expect to see a road, but you don’t always see a bus.
At least the stuffed dead dog is still a icon at Slough railway station. Whilst most people are still complaining about the “station” being called “railway station” or “train station”. It’s just the same thing except we say railway station in the UK & worldwide. Americans say it as they prefer it as train station because it’s “A American thing”. Lighten up people please.
Still I’m sad that the dog has passed away and it’s been placed in a box but still collecting money for a local charity.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28420246 for more in collection dogs.