Family

Thomas William Twyford's family.
Son Harold, daughter Dora, wife Susannah, and Thomas William
Date: unknown

Dora Twyford
Daughter of Thomas William Twyford
Date: 1921

Harold Twyford
Son of Thomas William Twyford
Date: 1895

Thomas William Twyford photographic portrait 1910
His own signature

Thomas William Twyford
Photographic portrait  Date: 1910

Thomas Twyford, father and Thomas William Twyford, son

Thomas William Twyford goes shooting
with his man servant and his dogs,
Whitmore Labrador Retrievers. Photo: 1910

 Twyford's Whitmore Labrador Retrievers   

The Whitmore line was founded by Thomas W. Twyford whose family lived successively at Shelton, Endon, Moor House Biddulph and finally at Whitmore Hall where Thomas became a breeder of these famous Labrador Retrievers.

Mr. Twyford was a leading instigator in the formation of the Labrador Retriever Club, and one of the original Committee members, on which he sat until his death.

Mr. Twyford had been a strong supporter of the Labrador Retriever for many years, and Mr. Mackay Sanderson wrote of him, "after the Banchory Kennel, probably no name is writ larger on the Labrador history than the Whitmore. Both on the bench and in the trial field the Whitmore Labradors proved themselves capable of holding their own with the best. Throughout its career, the Whitmore Kennel was most ably directed by Mr. John Cady, and it was largely through his efforts and unremitting care that the kennel secured and maintained its commanding position in the gundog world." 

Thomas W. Twyford - Whitmore Labrador Retrievers 
Watercolour with gouache of
'Tulip of Whitmore' & 'Typist of Whitmore' 
Signed and dated Reuben Binks 1927 (1880-1950)

Mr. Twyford died in 1921, and the kennel was carried on by his son, Major H. Twyford, on a reduced scale and under the able management of Mr. John Cady. It was dispersed in 1931. During the course of its career inmates of the kennel won at least 36 field trials. It produced one Dual Champion in Titus of Whitmore (1919), the only Dual Champion to win the Retriever Championship, in 1923 and 24, also six Champions, and three FT. Champions. Their subsequent influence on the breed was far reaching.

The death of Thomas William Twyford - 1921

Death notice - Thomas William Twyford
Click on the image to expand it and make it readable

The Twyford family grave 1996
Whitmore Church, near Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire.
Thomas William buried with his wife Susannah, daughter Dora,
and with one of his beloved Whitmore Labrador Retrievers
Photo: Terry Woolliscroft Collection  Date: 1996

The Twyford family grave 2025
Whitmore Church, near Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire.
Photo: Terry Woolliscroft Collection  Date: October 2025

Whitmore Hall, Whitmore, near Newcastle under Lyme
Home of the Twyford family
Rented from the the Cavanagh-Mainwarings
Photo: Terry Woolliscroft Collection  Date: 1996

Whitmore Hall, Whitmore, near Newcastle under Lyme
Photo: Terry Woolliscroft Collection  Date: October 2025

Note: GUY CAVENAGH-MAINWARING - Guy of Whitmore, Staffordshire died on July 25th 2021 aged 87. He was the 34th Hereditary Lord of Whitmore and sixth generation South Australian. Husband of Christine, and father of Edward, Tara, Fleur and Rosanna (deceased). He died from Covid-19.

Whitmore Hall is a Grade I listed building, the hall was designated a house of outstanding architectural and historical interest and is a fine example of a small Carolean style manor house. The original hall was encased in red brick during the reign of Charles II and completed in about 1676. It has a balustraded frontage with nine bays and two storeys. There is a particularly well preserved Elizabethan stable block.

Moor House, Biddulph.
Home of the Twyford family before their move to
Whitmore Hall

 

Christopher Twyford (1825-1869), brother of Thomas (1827-1872) who was father of Thomas William, also manufactured Sanitaryware. He operated from New Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.  New Street is now called Goodson Street after the major street renaming in The Potteries in the 1950s. The street is less than half a mile from Thomas Twyford's Bath Street factory. more about factories here>