The club was started by Mr Len Robson from Thetford in Norfolk in 1975 for the promotion of the Jack Russell as a working terrier. In 1977 Mr Robson met up with a Mr Robert Johnson and together they organised the first Jack Russell Club of East Anglia show at Chadacre Agricultural Institute near Bury St Edmunds Suffolk. The two founders at first thought they would become part of the Great Britain Jack Russell Club but at a meeting at the end of the show it was decided by those present to stay independent although affiliated to the GB club. The club is also affilliated to the National Working Terrier Club and the Countryside Alliance.
The Aims of the club are to promote the Jack Russell and to provide Terrier shows throughout the year and to circulate newsletters to paid up members of the club to keep them in touch with club activities and the committee. A breed standard was compiled and a registration system was set up for members dogs, which is an excellent source of tracing a terriers history, each dog having a unique registration number, and the club still gets many enquiries from different parts of the world.
The club advises members and anyone interested in Jack Russell's to either find puppies through reputable breeders or advise on problems if they are able. The club can also sometimes help with rehoming of Jack Russells but does not actually take dogs into their care.
In 2002 the club opened its doors to Lurcher owners for the first time.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the club is £3.50 per annum for a single person membership and £5 for per annum for a joint/family membership (Family, parents and children under 14 years of age) Membership includes two free registrations and subsequent dogs being registered at £1 each.
