| KALLIBUNKER The first Cornish Rex |
| QUAILS NEST CORNISH REX |
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| KALLIBUNKER Kallibunker was the first Rex ever registered...Born on July 21, 1950, his registration number is SR78021. Kallibunker died on September 12, 1956 |
The first Rex coated cat, recognized as such, appeared on a farm in Bodmin Moor, Cornwall,
England. A tortie and white cat named Serena delivered a litter of five kittens on July 21, 1950.
The cat and her kittens belonged to Mrs. Nina Ennismore. In the litter was a curly coated cream
male that she named Kallibunker. Since Mrs. Ennismore knew of a similar mutation in rabbits,
she called the new coat in cats the same name, specifically Rex.
And so it began with Kallibunker, Although Kalli had sired Butterfly and Orange Girl, it was not
until 1952 that he was bred to his dam Serena. Their litter of three kittens, born August 27,
1952, contained two Rex coated kittens which were kept. One of the kittens failed to thrive and
died March 1953. However, the other Rex kitten named Poldhu grew to maturity and sired.
Poldhu was thought to be a blue-cream male, and because of his fertility, unfortunately,
interested the local veterinarian. A testicular biopsy was done, and thereafter Poldhu sired no
more. Helen Weiss had suggested that in all likelihood Poldhur was a blue tabby and white.
Although fertile blue-cream males are rare, they are not unheard of. Kallibunker and Poldhu
were bred to several normal and Rex coated females. From the breeding came a number of
cats that were historically significant. Millie Brim, a normal coated female, when bred to Poldhu
produced Lamorna Cove. Another was Pendennis Castle, a red male. Lamorna Cove and
Pendennis Castle were sent to California.
Kallibunker's brief span of life was from 1950 to 1956. Although Mrs. Ennismore received help
with the breed from the late Mr. Brian Sterling-Webb and A C Jude, she bore the brunt of
expense herself. Ultimately, she destroyed a number of Rex and the dam Serena and her son
Kallibunker were among the number destroyed.
Mrs. Ennismore had enlisted the help of interested breeders, and they worked together to
preserve the breed. Mr. Sterling-Webb had bought a male and two females. Mr. Rickeard had
been given a cream male.
In 1957 Lamorna Cove and Pendennis Castle went to Mrs. Frances Blancheri in California.
Having been bred to Poldhur prior to export, Lamorna delivered four kitten; one died in less
than a year, one male lived to age six years and never sired, while the other two kittens went
on to establish the Cornish Rex in America.
The kittens were Diamond Lil of Fan-T-Cee and Marmaduke of Daz-Zling. Diamond Lil went to
Mrs. Fred Galvin, while Marmaduke went to Mrs. Helen Weiss. Various breeding are outline by
Mrs. Weiss in her excellent article Rex the King, published in the CFA Year Book, 1965. It is
important to note that Diamond Lil and Lamorna cove had no more kittens.* Reference 1974 CFA Year
Book
England. A tortie and white cat named Serena delivered a litter of five kittens on July 21, 1950.
The cat and her kittens belonged to Mrs. Nina Ennismore. In the litter was a curly coated cream
male that she named Kallibunker. Since Mrs. Ennismore knew of a similar mutation in rabbits,
she called the new coat in cats the same name, specifically Rex.
And so it began with Kallibunker, Although Kalli had sired Butterfly and Orange Girl, it was not
until 1952 that he was bred to his dam Serena. Their litter of three kittens, born August 27,
1952, contained two Rex coated kittens which were kept. One of the kittens failed to thrive and
died March 1953. However, the other Rex kitten named Poldhu grew to maturity and sired.
Poldhu was thought to be a blue-cream male, and because of his fertility, unfortunately,
interested the local veterinarian. A testicular biopsy was done, and thereafter Poldhu sired no
more. Helen Weiss had suggested that in all likelihood Poldhur was a blue tabby and white.
Although fertile blue-cream males are rare, they are not unheard of. Kallibunker and Poldhu
were bred to several normal and Rex coated females. From the breeding came a number of
cats that were historically significant. Millie Brim, a normal coated female, when bred to Poldhu
produced Lamorna Cove. Another was Pendennis Castle, a red male. Lamorna Cove and
Pendennis Castle were sent to California.
Kallibunker's brief span of life was from 1950 to 1956. Although Mrs. Ennismore received help
with the breed from the late Mr. Brian Sterling-Webb and A C Jude, she bore the brunt of
expense herself. Ultimately, she destroyed a number of Rex and the dam Serena and her son
Kallibunker were among the number destroyed.
Mrs. Ennismore had enlisted the help of interested breeders, and they worked together to
preserve the breed. Mr. Sterling-Webb had bought a male and two females. Mr. Rickeard had
been given a cream male.
In 1957 Lamorna Cove and Pendennis Castle went to Mrs. Frances Blancheri in California.
Having been bred to Poldhur prior to export, Lamorna delivered four kitten; one died in less
than a year, one male lived to age six years and never sired, while the other two kittens went
on to establish the Cornish Rex in America.
The kittens were Diamond Lil of Fan-T-Cee and Marmaduke of Daz-Zling. Diamond Lil went to
Mrs. Fred Galvin, while Marmaduke went to Mrs. Helen Weiss. Various breeding are outline by
Mrs. Weiss in her excellent article Rex the King, published in the CFA Year Book, 1965. It is
important to note that Diamond Lil and Lamorna cove had no more kittens.* Reference 1974 CFA Year
Book
| DIAMOND LIL OF FAN-T-CEE |
| MARMADUKE OF DAZ-ZLING Photographed at three years of age. He is in the pedigree of most Cornish Rex cats |
| HISTORIC INFORMATION AND PHOTOS ON THE CORNISH REX WHERE DID THE CORNISH REX COME FROM? WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE FIRST CORNISH REX ? WHAT DID SOME OF THE FIRST CORNISH REX LOOK LIKE ? WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE PERSON TO CREATE A CORNISH REX BREEDING PROGRAM? INFORMATION BELOW CONTAINS HISTORIC INFORMATION OF THE BEGINNING OF OUR LOVING AND BEAUTIFUL CORNISH REX. |
| QUESTIONS OR JUST WANT TO CHAT ABOUT CORNISH REX. CALL OR EMAIL BARBARA BARBARA@COPPER.NET TWOMORROWS@AOL.COM TPhone 559-2992433 Clovis, California |