I am the youngest grandson of W.C. Baldwin, known by all friends and family as "Dude". In doing an internet search lately, I saw that he was nominated in 2012 for membership in the Foxhunters Hall of Fame. I would like to personally thank whoever nominated him, he truly lived for his hounds, for hunting them and showing them. Sadly, he died in 1954, I was only six years old at the time. But the stories they told of him for many years following revealed a most interesting, dynamic, and to say the least of it, colorful man. Thank you to Masterfox for remembering my grandfather. Mike Baldwin, Southington CT
Thank you for your reply. Yes, I am Al Baldwin's youngest son. Dad inherited his father's passion for foxhounds, fox hunting, and everything else that goes on outdoors. Dad particularly loved to fish. Family vacations were inevitably spent at one of his favorite trout lakes. And if you wanted to see Dad on a Saturday morning, you had to get up very early and go out with him and the hounds. Saturday afternoons would find him at the living room table tying flies in preparation for his next fishing adventure. When Dad died in '72, I believe the hounds went to Bud Moore in North Gower. At least that's my recollection. I assume you knew Dad through his love of hounds. You might also have known his good friend Norm Peg, from south of Smiths Falls as I recall. My regards, Mike Baldwin
I met your Dad on a couple of occasions around 1959-60. As I recall, this would have been at a one day qualifying trial leading up to the All Canadian trial. Although I don't remember this, it was probably Bill Moore that got your father's hounds. He definetly knew your Dad. Yes, I knew Norm Pegg. Norm lived at Lombardi and said the only person that owned more Baldwin hounds than him was your Grandad. There may be more hunters still around that knew your Grandad but Earl Shaw of Kingston certainly would. Did you know that Grandad had the "BALDWIN" name "stolen" from him and from that point on could no longer register a hound using the Baldwin prefix ???? This is why you would see Winnstay Baldwin's Faultless or Winnstay Baldwin's Dan O. Poor sportsmanship even back then.
Thank you very much for your reply, your information on my grandfather's losing "Baldwin" was unknown to me and, I suspect, to my siblings as well. All very interesting indeed. I have one correction for you on the disposition of Dad's remaining hounds, this coming from my oldest brother Bob, apparently there were only two remaining at the time when Dad died and they both actually went to Norm Pegg. I wish I could pull up a few more foxhound associates of my father's from my memory but alas, it's not happening today. But I certainly thank you for adding lost and interesting information to the Baldwin family archives. Our family foxhound history ended with my father, but I'm always tempted to make the trip to New York for the Westminster show, just for the heck of it, to see if any of the hound folks there might still remember either Dad or Dude. I live in the states, in Connecticut, so it's an easy train ride to Grand Central Station. Our correspondence here is very encouraging. Thanks again for taking time to share your memories, very much appreciated. Mike Baldwin