ISTALIF AFGHAN HOUNDS UK
(Mr T G Chamberlain)
(By Steve Tillotson with Lyall Payne,May 2017, Updated August 2019)

T G Chamberlain 1934

Trevor Goth Chamberlain was the owner of the Afghan hound kennel "Istalif". Istalif was a small kennel, but, as we shall discover in this article, his Afghan hounds were significant foundations in the estabishment of the breed in the UK and overseas..

Mr Chamberlain was baptised in the Wesleyan Methodist Church, Hinckley, Leicestershire on 10 March 1904 and he died on 9 November 1972. Mr Chamberlain married in Bournemouth, England in 1930 in. He had two children (James and William Richard both born in Eastbourne. his adopted home town). Mr Chamberlain was a veteterinarian surgeon (M.R.C.V.S) and In 1938 he was appointed to the Government positon of Chief Veterinary Officer for Kenya (British Colonial Africa). He and his family emigrated to Kenya in 1938 to take up this British civil servant apointment. Mr Chamberlain was a superb athlete and sportsman and he played for the Eastbourne Rugby Club and also captained the team. Mr Chamberlain was honourary veterinary surgeon for his local canine club the Eastbourne and District Canine Society and also the East Sussex Hunt. He was a Helmsman at the Eastbourne Yachting club. . He was also an active member, and officer of the Eastbourne Diving and Swimming club. Press reports show that he was a frequent winner in the swimming races held by the Club, often competing against his Afghan hound co-owner and friend Mr T H Watt who's Kennel name was "Retaw Syab" (which is the name "Bayswater", (an area in West London), spelt backwards).

T G Chamberlain (front row, 4th from the left)

Mr Chamberlain appears to have been active in the breed for only a few years (c 1928-1932) , possibly due to time demands of his sporting interests, and later, his Government appointment in Kenya. His first Afghan hound was the important brood bitch Shireen Of Ghazni (Malik of Ghazni x Rani Of Ghazni), whelped 1st March 1925, bred by Mary Amps, ownership, transferred to Mr Chamberlain in August 1928

Malik Of Ghazni c 1925

Mr Chamberlain also owned the dogs Ch Ashna of Ghazni and littermate Asani Of Ghazni (Sirdar Of Ghazni x Shireen Of Ghazni), whelped 18th August 1929, bred by Mary Amps. For a period of time these two dogs were co-owned by Mr T H Watt, ownership was transferred to Mr Chamberlain in November 1931. (This litter also contained Asra Of Ghazni who was exported to the USA (to Zeppo Marx) and then transferred to Q A Shaw Mckean of Prides Hill Kennel.. Another famous hound from this litter was Ch Asman Of Ghazni who went to Daniel Cronin, Enriallic, Southern Ireland).

Ch Ashna of Ghazni 1931

Ashna, Asra, and Asman Of Ghazni (Sirdar Of Ghazni x Shireen Of Ghazni)

Although Mary Amps bred this litter, the litter was raised by Mr and Mrs E E Taylor who lived in Sutton Courtenay. Coincidentally, in 1929 Mr Chamberlain was living at 2 The Vineyard, Abingdon, a small village immediately adjacent to Sutton Courtenay. At this time (1929) Mr Chamberlain owned Shireen Of Ghazni (the dam of this litter). So it would appear that Mary Amps and Ms Chamberlain must have had an arrangement to use Shireen, and that Mary Amps outsourced the rearing of the litter to Mr Mrs E E Taylor.

Mr Taylor with pups from the Asra/Ashna/Asani/Asman litter

Mr Chamberlain bred only one litter - Sirdar Of Ghazni x Shireen Of Ghazni, whelped 7th April 1931. The litter produced 3 dogs and 5 bitches . Dogs - Rustum of Istalif (late Fairseat Ramsan), Rafiq Of Istalif, Ramata Of Istalif. Bitches - Rudarii Of Istalif , Roshni Of Istalif . Retas Of Istalif , Rasti Of Istalif . Ramata Of Istalif .

Ramata Of Istalif (left), Rasti Of Istalif (right)

According to AHI DB Fairseat Ramsan's name was changed to Rustam of Istalif (BRS 9/33) and AHI find no registration for a "Rustam". however there was a "Rustum" as shown above, so most likely there is a typo in the KC records and Fairseat Ramsan most likely became our Rustum Of Istalif). Mr Chamberlain had been involved with Mary Amps and her Ghazni kennel from the early days, It appears that at one time (1932) Mary Amps owned Rustum of Istalif -

Mary Amps and Rustum Of Istalif Press Report 1932

Ranai of Istalif was owned by Mrs Conn (Faizabad. UK) and was the dam of AM CH Garrymhor Pearie who was a foundation hound for the famous Arthea (USA) kennel. Ranai was also the dam of AM CH Garrymhor Zabardast Of Arken who was a foundation hound for the famous Arken (USA) kennel. Zaberdast was the sire of AM CH Rajah Of Arken who held the record of three consecurive National Speciality wins for over 60 years. Thus, Ranai of Istalif had a huge impact upon the foundations of the breed in the USA.