A very Victorian hoax! Greyfriars Bobby who kept vigil over his master's grave for 14 years was 'a publicity stunt'

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Updated: 03:11 EDT, 4 August 2011

For more than a century, he has been seen as the epitome of man’s best friend, known for loyally refusing to leave his master’s graveside for 14 years.

Now, however, it appears the heartwarming tale of Greyfriars Bobby the Skye terrier was a Victorian hoax cooked up by money-grabbing businessmen, an academic has revealed.

Dr Jan Bondeson has uncovered evidence that there were in fact two Bobbies from 1858 to 1872 – and that neither of them belonged to the man buried in Greyfriars cemetery, Edinburgh, whose grave they sat by.

Good story nonetheless: A still from the 1961 Disney film Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story Of A Dog - just one of the films made about the legend of the cemetery-dwelling Skye terrier

Tributes: The grave put up in memory of Greyfriars Bobby, left, and a painting of the 'second' Bobby, right

Dr Bondeson, who has published his findings in a book, said: ‘I knew the famous story of Greyfriars Bobby but the more I researched it the more I smelt a rat.’ His research shows the first dog was in fact a stray which wandered into the nearby Heriot’s hospital and was then taken to the graveyard.

James Brown, the curator of the cemetery, treated him so well that he stayed, and locals assumed he was mourning his dead master.

As the story spread, visitors to the churchyard increased 100-fold, with many donating money to Mr Brown and using a local restaurant owned by John Traill, according to accounts found by Dr Bondeson.

Hoax: The memorial statue of Greyfriars Bobby in Edinburgh. New research has revealed the tale of the faithful dog to be a publicity stunt by local businesses

He says his research shows the first dog died in 1867 and was replaced with another by Mr Brown and Mr Traill in an effort to keep visitors flocking to the grave.

Dr Bondeson said: ‘Pictures of Greyfriars Bobby show a distinct change in May or June 1867.

‘The first was an elderly, tired dog who wasn’t much to look at, and the second a lively terrier who ran around and fought other dogs.

‘It would also explain Bobby’s longevity – he was supposed to have lived for 18 years, when even today ten to 12 years is a good life span for a Skye terrier.’

He said Bobby was ‘very good for the local economy’ so it wouldn’t have been difficult to persuade those who knew to keep quiet about the con.

Study: The cover of Jan Bondeson's new book, left, and a drawing of the dog completed in 1918

He added: ‘There were mutterings about the story of Greyfriars Bobby from various Edinburgh locals “in the know” and many newspaper writers have tried to pour doubt on the legend – but Bobby has vanquished them all.’

There have been a number of explanations of Bobby’s origins. According to some, he was owned by a shepherd.

But Dr Bondeson added: ‘There’s no reason why a shepherd would be buried in the middle of Edinburgh and, as far as I can see, there is no other evidence to back it up.'

A dog's life: In the Disney film the dog falls foul of Edinburgh dog catchers and has to be rescued by some kind children

The academic, a senior lecturer at Cardiff University, also dismissed the theory that Bobby belonged to local policeman John Gray, buried in the cemetery, as he was too small to have been a police dog.

He said: ‘In my opinion, all the theories about the dog’s life are about as full of holes as a piece of Swiss cheese. After five years of research, I believe he was an  unwitting impostor who made use of the sentimental notions of how a dog should behave to get a good life for himself.’

Publicity stunt: The Greyfriars Cemetery in Edinburgh

Dr Bondeson said both the dogs were in fact among the many who waited for food in graveyards at the time.

Seeing such dogs, visitors believed they were waiting at their masters’ graves, so continued to look after them.

And, not surprisingly given how well they were being treated, the dogs chose to stay there.

Greyfriars Bobby has been immortalised in a number of books and films, including the 1961 Disney hit of the same name.

Dr Bondeson added: ‘It won’t ever be possible to debunk the story of Greyfriars Bobby – he’s a living legend, the most faithful  dog in the world, and bigger than all of us.’

• Greyfriars Bobby: The Most Faithful Dog in the World is available from Amberley Publishing and costs £18.

Famous postcard: But the heartwarming tale of Greyfriars Bobby the Skye terrier was a Victorian hoax cooked up by money-grabbing businessmen, an academic has claimed