Stuart Bramwell, DPhil
Stuart Bramwell, DPhil
My Dogs
There has been a special place in my heart for dogs for a long time now. I am even lucky enough to own a couple of my own. Or ... rather ... they own me, as I often tell my students!
Meet Graham and Mabel.
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Graham is a Welsh Jack Russell that has the markings of a Collie. He has won a couple of prizes at the annual Manor Park Dog Show for "waggiest tail" (seriously, you should see that thing go!) and Mr Manor Park in 2025. He is a very sociable dog and loves attention from other dog owners and, to a lesser extent, dogs.
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Mabel is a Jack Chi. She possesses the most impressive set of lungs proportional to her overall bodyweight ever. In other words, she barks ... a lot, and very loudly when she sees other dogs! Yet, unbeknownst to the general public, she is one of the sweetest little companions I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
​On 3rd December 2025, I welcomed a Staffy Pug Cross into my home and named her Adaline, after one of my wife's favourite films "The Age of Adaline". She was without a doubt one of the sweetest and beautiful little dogs I've ever met, to the point that I, the hard-nosed skeptic that I am, even began to call her our "Christmas miracle".
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Until the night of 27th December, she was the perfect dog, and I counted down the hours until I could get home to be with her. She loved kisses, to nap next to my wife and I, chew her favourite toy ("Mr Dinosaur"), and wag her little tail whenever she saw us. I took her out as much as I could for walks and even to a few Church events, and everywhere she went, people wanted to stop and say "hello" to her.
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However, little did we know that Adaline was suffering from hydrocephalus and the MRI showed that she effectively had more water than brain in her cranium and whatever matter was there was severely malformed. She deteriorated so quickly and severely, that on the 30th December, we took the decision to have her put to sleep.
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Adaline, you were my Christmas miracle, and everything I do going forward will be in memory of you!
