How It All Began.

Would be interesting to learn how the latter day fanciers became interested in the sport and the help given.

Then the old boys do the same, think it would be a nice change.


Regards

i`ll go first then misty.....

my older brother started keeping pigeons when he was 12 years old, then when he left home and gt married he removed most of his lofts and left just one section, I was around 16 years old and got the idea in my head that I would get some pigeons, so went to the local market and bought a few for 50p each, which were probably strays or what some fancier had took there to dispose of them.........anyway I loved them and kept them a couple of years just as pets until my brother took me under his wing (so to speak ) and we joined a club and raced until 1986 when my mother moved house, so the pigeons had to go and I packed in keeping any until 2008 when I suddenly decided I wanted 6 as pets again.

it wasn't long before I was talked into joining my old club again by a local fancier, the numbers grew, and since then very little racing has took place, probably had approx. 12 races in 10 years....yes I know its a waste, but to honest I never re started to race, so my heart hasn't been in it as far as racing is concerned.

anyway, fact is im greatly over stocked, I could do with reducing half my numbers to enable me to spend more time enjoying them, rather than it being a bind looking after them.

as for help from other fanciers, I don't really bother with other fanciers, maybe speak to 2 or 3 but I mainly keep my self to my self........

look forward to reading someone elses story

my grandfather got me interested when I was 8 years old was always at his house until he passed when I was 14 my uncle also kept them (same side of the family) and I went into partnership with him until I was 17 then other birds came along the 2 legged type then when I was 36 years old I got some digs with garden space and had them there as pets only 8 birds I then had to give that place up after 5 years then moved to a top floor flat 12 storeys up and kept them on the balcony ,1 year after that I moved to present location and got a loft immediately and joined a club and been racing since I did have 2 years out with the wifes pregnancy and the wee fellas first year,the last 3 seasons has seen me racing consistently and now the wee is taking an interest he comes to the club Friday and Saturday also waits for the pigeons and clocks a bird on weekends and lighter nights he likes to help with the loft chores ,maybe he will be the 4th generation of pigeon fancier in our family ,incidentally my grandfather was a good friend of bill Hammond of Hammond & whittaker grooters, maybe he got his interest off him I don't really know where my grandfather got his interest from but he was in the war so maybe he knew bill from there ...look forward to this topics replies great topic misty

David wrote:

i`ll go first then misty.....

my older brother started keeping pigeons when he was 12 years old, then when he left home and gt married he removed most of his lofts and left just one section, I was around 16 years old and got the idea in my head that I would get some pigeons, so went to the local market and bought a few for 50p each, which were probably strays or what some fancier had took there to dispose of them.........anyway I loved them and kept them a couple of years just as pets until my brother took me under his wing (so to speak ) and we joined a club and raced until 1986 when my mother moved house, so the pigeons had to go and I packed in keeping any until 2008 when I suddenly decided I wanted 6 as pets again.

it wasn't long before I was talked into joining my old club again by a local fancier, the numbers grew, and since then very little racing has took place, probably had approx. 12 races in 10 years....yes I know its a waste, but to honest I never re started to race, so my heart hasn't been in it as far as racing is concerned.

anyway, fact is im greatly over stocked, I could do with reducing half my numbers to enable me to spend more time enjoying them, rather than it being a bind looking after them.

as for help from other fanciers, I don't really bother with other fanciers, maybe speak to 2 or 3 but I mainly keep my self to my self........

look forward to reading someone elses story

I'm 3rd off the rank it appears etc Same/similar here David to a degree, as my older brother first had them at our place. Didn't last long as he got interested in canaries & budgies as such. Then he went looking for a bunny type to take the pigeons off his hands & he then found one Poor tragic type, then inherited the greatest lot of scrubbers a boy could ever wish to desire at the time. Great thing was, the senior pigeon club then fostered a junior club for the local kids on the block & we all had the same quality of scrubbers to enjoy & race in our own strange way back then. Race nights     anything that half looked like a pigeon was sent away to race with more unrung types going away than rung pigeons. Clocks/distances didn't exist as everyone had to run to the local railway station with the rubber off their first bird home type of thing. First big race we had was a big 3 mile event etc but Slowly, slowly the quality of our birds improved for us kids at the time through the help of the senior club members. Still remember the local senior flyer that helped me here by the name Sherriff. Senior curator at the local golf club & he allowed me fortunately to help him water the greens through out the summer at night there, were much of the talk was about pigeons . Junior club had over 30 odd kids looking to have the fun/enjoyment factor, before the girl thing took pride of place as we all lived by the sea side & bikini chicks were a plenty type of thing . Was also a half decent footballer in my younger days here "Aussie rules" But the coaches back then just hated me as half way through the season for years, I would just disappear of the scene & go & race my birds as that was where my real love was. Few years down the track thou I then won a lottery prize of sorts, & I still even today, remember the day it being April the 29th as such which took me away from my birds at the time where by my sister had full control of looking after them for 2 years. Like you David I'm also a myself type of person to a degree on average, with a few close good friends in this sport of ours always has been that way for me & always will be as I rather like the space thing & the smell the roses scenario at the end of the day as such .

Was about 4. when I was at uncle Regs' He was timing in from San Sabastian or like. Any way My sister in charge was watching and wait... when a chequer landed on fence aside the loft. Reg started rattling a tin and I whooped out pointing at the bird. He was not pleased to say the least - had been told times before to stand still and be quiet! He crossly asked my sister if I would put him in a bucket of water etc... lol. That was the first.

Two years later, aged 6, Dad and mum put me a train at Kettering to St. Pancras's. Told me I would be picked up by a uncle Reg - didn't of course dawn on me it was Reg.
So I stood on the platform and a man - Reg asked 'You Ro'? ' Yes' said I and I went and stayed for a few week there.
His stepson Ray. was a nasty cretin of the highest kind and a bully. I would be sent out with him and his mates … they were orrid to me!
But I was fascinated by the pigeons. Their colouring necks amazed and intrigued me.
I went home after being put on the train alone/ Dad met me at the station. I went on about the pigeons... didn't like the rest of that so - called holiday to be sure - Mum took delight saying I couldn't have any pigeons big time.
Soon after Roy, eldest brother went and stayed there. He came home early because he took to giving Ray a beating etc.

He asked mum for pigeons. Dad was quite keen when she said yes! Don't for a moment believe she would have said yes to him - Roy was the be all and end all. So Reg supplied us with a few pairs. Reg Wardale (Think that is how his name was spelt) Sidcup way I think he raced from. He was a very good fancier and won much including San Sabastian etc.

I spent hours watching them pigeons, the colour changing on their' neck. Often wonder how that could be and happen.
Here's how.... I think most of you might like this 5 minutes … I hope so.

https://www.jw.org/en/publications/videos/wonders-of-creation-reveal-gods-glory/light-and-color/

We had them at school, also rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens. One lesson a week was rural science, but you could be in a group who looked after animals each school day. I chose pigeons although there were only one pair of racers, pair fantails, pair tumblers and a roller and tumbler. Youngsters were sold to the local pet shop or other school kids to buy feedstock same with baby rabbits and guinea pigs. The chickens were fed left over school dinners mixed with bran and the pigeons tucked in the trough with them. Racers fed beans and rest got wheat. Teachers bought chicken eggs, all went to pay upkeep. Some teachers brought their dogs in and kids walked them at break times, dog in a bed in corner of classroom. Teachers paid couple of pennies for the privelidge, all went to the kitty. One day a week, Friday, bus took us to swimming baths and the racers went in a little red wooden box for a fly back about 3 miles as long as weather was ok, 12 months of the year unless heavy in moult. We had to go with a wheelbarrow to farm about a mile away for feed and straw and hay, unescorted and crossing main roads, I remember pushing the empty wheelbarrow was hard enough!
I would be 9 yrs old at the time. At 11 yrs the teacher who organised all this retired and everything had to go, really sad time, I was gutted it was a big part of my school days. Not just mine but kids who had no pets at home.
I took a grizzle roller and a black feather legged tumbler who had been together many years. I settled  them to the chickens shed back home, then a rabbit hutch up on stilts. I just left them to come and go all day so after a while stray racers started calling this their new home and so the adventure began! I reckon the old roller and his tumbler hen just have been near on 20 yrs old when they passed on, only a few days between them.
Looking back, school wasn't so bad, but sadly no way would the snowflake society allow such an experience for children today.

It all started for me in 1979 my dad got a loft joined the local club Tipton and District HS, we started racing 1980 and won our first race with a Red Cock in 1980 from Weymouth the funny side of it was my dad was fitting the new wardrobes in his and my moms bedroom i went outside to the shed and as i looked the Red cock was on the trap and went straight in shouted my dad who came down the stairs like lighting timed him in, went to the club won it by 2 or 3 minutes

My interest grow as i got more involved with the birds cleaning feeding breeding training you name it I was doing it and loved every minute doing the work involved even lost a few friends as i was always stuck down the loft straight from school on school holidays what ever time i could spend at the loft I was found there

I was on basket duty the ringer then marker and clock duties

As the years went on we won a few minor prizes nothing special it not until 10 years later that me and my dad won another race which was in 1990 from Sartilly with a yearling Cheq Cock but by this time my mom and dad had divorced not over pigeons but my dad was having an affair with a pigeon fanciers daughter the fancier was Billy O'Neil from Dudley Port who was a top all round fancier

I wanted to get to another level and I was lucky to meet Barry Nicklin the top Busschart fancier who was also from Dudley Port he flew in the same club as Bill and even lived in the smae street, Barry asked me if I wanted to help out at the old commrades show at the NEC and I jumped at the chance what an experience mixing with the creme de la creme of the pigeon world

This was to carry on for about 10+ years meeting fanciers like Brian Kaid, Matt Rakes, Dereck Nicholls, Ronny Bigwood, Dave Allen, Mike Fishlock (Fishlock and Harding fame), when Mike sold up I was the only fancier who was allowed to steward and put all the best pigeons in the sale cage plus I handled Westen Kadet who sold for £15k a new auction record then

Learnt lots from different fanciers from all over the country but when you had a farther who could not accept the fact that he was crap and I was capable off winning with the pigeons we had ( The pigeons were nothing special except the old Stitabult Hen) it was hard seeing the pigeons wait outside the loft because my dad was heavy handed with them so they would never trap when we stood there and we had may weeks were my next door neighbour timed the pigeons in because me and my dad was fighting over who was going to time the pigeons in.

In 1998 it all come to an end as I was putting a lot off money into the pigeons and bringing in the right pigeons at a high cost to me to see no return which was hard then I asked my dad would he be prepared to allow me full time with the pigeons if i put him on the motor insurance as he had to go to work alot earlier than myself as he worked in a foundary I said take the pigeons training you go straight to work and I will get the pigeons in and clean the lofts out and do all the chores as i could get in work later my dad's comment was if i have to go down the motorway to win a pigeon race I will pack pigeons in.

My comment was then I have packed in and I left the loft in the hands off my dad who only won 1 race after i left the partnership, when you consider we were winning 3/5 races and a bucket full of cards a year in a club off 100 members sending anything from 500-800 pigeons a week

I really miss my pigeons and still help out friends and go to the shows and keep an eye on the results still have the British Homing World every week I have never really left the sport as I'm on the case with everything going on within the sport now

But due to work and more importantly my family commitments as i spend a lot off time with my family who aren't interested in pigeons, pigeons will have to wait a little longer until I am able to get started again.

So you can say I have over 30+ years experience within the sport  

Sorry for boring you with my post

Don Webb wrote:

It all started for me in 1979 my dad got a loft joined the local club Tipton and District HS, we started racing 1980 and won our first race with a Red Cock in 1980 from Weymouth the funny side of it was my dad was fitting the new wardrobes in his and my moms bedroom i went outside to the shed and as i looked the Red cock was on the trap and went straight in shouted my dad who came down the stairs like lighting timed him in, went to the club won it by 2 or 3 minutes

My interest grow as i got more involved with the birds cleaning feeding breeding training you name it I was doing it and loved every minute doing the work involved even lost a few friends as i was always stuck down the loft straight from school on school holidays what ever time i could spend at the loft I was found there

I was on basket duty the ringer then marker and clock duties

As the years went on we won a few minor prizes nothing special it not until 10 years later that me and my dad won another race which was in 1990 from Sartilly with a yearling Cheq Cock but by this time my mom and dad had divorced not over pigeons but my dad was having an affair with a pigeon fanciers daughter the fancier was Billy O'Neil from Dudley Port who was a top all round fancier

I wanted to get to another level and I was lucky to meet Barry Nicklin the top Busschart fancier who was also from Dudley Port he flew in the same club as Bill and even lived in the smae street, Barry asked me if I wanted to help out at the old commrades show at the NEC and I jumped at the chance what an experience mixing with the creme de la creme of the pigeon world

This was to carry on for about 10+ years meeting fanciers like Brian Kaid, Matt Rakes, Dereck Nicholls, Ronny Bigwood, Dave Allen, Mike Fishlock (Fishlock and Harding fame), when Mike sold up I was the only fancier who was allowed to steward and put all the best pigeons in the sale cage plus I handled Westen Kadet who sold for £15k a new auction record then

Learnt lots from different fanciers from all over the country but when you had a farther who could not accept the fact that he was crap and I was capable off winning with the pigeons we had ( The pigeons were nothing special except the old Stitabult Hen) it was hard seeing the pigeons wait outside the loft because my dad was heavy handed with them so they would never trap when we stood there and we had may weeks were my next door neighbour timed the pigeons in because me and my dad was fighting over who was going to time the pigeons in.

In 1998 it all come to an end as I was putting a lot off money into the pigeons and bringing in the right pigeons at a high cost to me to see no return which was hard then I asked my dad would he be prepared to allow me full time with the pigeons if i put him on the motor insurance as he had to go to work alot earlier than myself as he worked in a foundary I said take the pigeons training you go straight to work and I will get the pigeons in and clean the lofts out and do all the chores as i could get in work later my dad's comment was if i have to go down the motorway to win a pigeon race I will pack pigeons in.

My comment was then I have packed in and I left the loft in the hands off my dad who only won 1 race after i left the partnership, when you consider we were winning 3/5 races and a bucket full of cards a year in a club off 100 members sending anything from 500-800 pigeons a week

I really miss my pigeons and still help out friends and go to the shows and keep an eye on the results still have the British Homing World every week I have never really left the sport as I'm on the case with everything going on within the sport now

But due to work and more importantly my family  commitments as i spend a lot off time with my family who aren't interested in pigeons, pigeons will have to wait a little longer until I am able to get started again.

So you can say I have over 30+ years experience within the sport  

Sorry for boring you with my post

Must agree unfortunately etc Don boring as sh**e type of thing . Feel welcome thou to bore us all here some more as such I suggest as I for one can stand the pain factor with such sad/sorry tales & your experiences etc as one could say just for the sheer enjoyment factor/scenario attached within   .
*****

So I will bore you some more, Knackered.

My longstanding love of all animals started in the infants and junior school.

The school had a white rabbit kept in a hutch on the school quadrangle,

I used to demand to feed It and the brat that I was, was allowed to do so.

My first school report said words to the effect that I was as think as two thieves but kind to dumb animals.


My father was friends with a game keeper, Charlie Murgatroyed, he lived in an isolated cottage on the edge of the village.

He kept all sorts of animals including racing pigeons, and had many fruit trees.

His pigeons were kept in two old railway carriages and open loft, he advertised Barkers and Logans, on reflection some sold may have a tumbler or fantail amongst them.


My dad used to do small jobs for Charlie and I used to go with him.

He used to trap all the small birds to stop them eating the fruit etc; and said he released them far away.


One day he gave me a cage full of small birds to release away from his abode, I took them home and showed them to my mam who went ballistic saying they would bring bad luck.



The next time we visited Charlie I told him what had happened and he gave me two young pigeons.


My father, never ever interested in pigeons but cage birds helped me to build a LOFT (dog kennel)



That was the start of a long and marvelous association with our feathered friends, some 75 years ago.


Could write a book on incidents since, some hilarious others sad enough to make you cry without which it would not be pigeon racing.

Yes and I do miss it.

Regards to all.

The rabbits name was SNOWY, he would never forgive me if I did not mention that.


Regards.

keep um coming lads great reading

MISTY wrote:

The rabbits name was SNOWY, he would never forgive me if I did not mention that.


Regards.

Saved just in the nick of time one could maybe suggest Misty etc . SNOWY could be just looking down a watching as such .

Was hoping you young ones would give your accounts of how you became involved in our sport, it may throw some light towards encouraging others to join, the circumstances now are a million miles away from 75 years ago.


Regards.

Young ones Misty,where are they?
Look at avatar I was about that old (im in white,god only knows why my mother made me wear that...)
Maybe mid 60s I used to occasionally go to the garden (allotment) with me Granda but not on race days.
around 1970 race season was when i could go on race days trying to spot the batches of earlier libs going over in droves most weeks then wait for the 15/20 min gap before the next group were due,ours.
I was allowed to time in a couple but only if granda's weren't in the first half dozen on the gardens.
School summer holidays were great, i used to sleep at granma and granda's as often as my mother would allow.
He used to go down stairs around 5.30am and i was up,dressed and down the stairs before the kettle boiled.
The days of '' Kevin go back to bed '' had long past.
So away across the field to the garden,ybs out then away to sit in the greenhouse with the radio on watching them exercise.
Great i loved been out early mornings and loved watching them fly. Then in the small yb end which only housed approx 20 to clean out.
Roll on another year or two and because of shift work (he was a miner) my first chance to time in on my own, i must have shouted for every pigeon in the sky 40 minutes before they were due.
Thats my earliest memory of how i started.
Few years later i started on my own 1978 i had bred myself some 77 ybs so had them to race just a handful and a few cross hanted from Granda and away i went a ''proppa pigeonman''.
Bit more to this pigeon racing than i thought....SHOULD HAVE LISTENED MORE.

Hi, fieldwalker, I feel anyone around 60 to me are young uns and have experiences that others would appreciate.

Regards.

Nice to hear yours.

Regards.

MISTY wrote:

Was hoping you young ones would give your accounts of how you became involved  in our sport, it may throw some light towards encouraging others to join, the circumstances now are a million miles away from 75 years ago.


Regards.

Don't hold your breath here/there etc Misty I suggest "the young ones". It's like FW said find one & you have struck the jackpot just about these days I suspect .

Knackered wrote:

MISTY wrote:

Was hoping you young ones would give your accounts of how you became involved  in our sport, it may throw some light towards encouraging others to join, the circumstances now are a million miles away from 75 years ago.


Regards.

Don't hold your breath here/there etc Misty I suggest "the young ones". It's like FW said find one & you have struck the jackpot just about these days I suspect .

One here yesterday with her Grandpa. Club member. I gave the young lady 12 or so a white hen. She was thrilled!! She helps out in the loft all the time apparently. Has a passion for the red ones I gave my club mate. Beats me with them!!

Think you have partly hit the nail on the head, Hal.

Many so called fanciers would not let a young person near their loft, must not disturb the widowers etc.

It is only by getting close that one can feel the heat.


Too many selfish fanciers.


Got as mutch pleasure giving pigeons away that won for others as winning myself.


Better the competition the better the feeling, too many small ponds.



It fanciers do not get out of the closet ???????.


Regards.

Having said that, there are many fanciers who would do anything to assist a prospective new fancier, the problem is getting the initial interest and this can only be done by direct contact with the sport.


No good keeping it in the BHW and the RP, very few fanciers read them never mind out siders.


I am sure local papers would be pleased to help with articles about the sport and clubs could offer open days with free tea, coffee and a bun, and have those attending actually seeing both young and old pigeons and talk about the sport and all it has to offer and the help available.


Point out to parents that their chioldren would benifit from an activity not involving electronics etc;


Appeal to the parents as well as the youngsters, some parents with wayward children may get involved themselves to help their offspring.


If something is not done, BINGO.


Regards.

MISTY wrote:

Having said that, there are many fanciers who would do anything to assist a prospective new fancier, the problem is getting the initial interest and this can only be done by direct contact with the sport.


No good keeping it in the BHW and the RP, very few fanciers read them never mind out siders.


I am sure local papers would be pleased to help with articles about the sport and clubs could offer open days with free tea, coffee and a bun, and have those attending actually seeing both young and old pigeons and talk about  the sport and all it has to offer and the help available.


Point out to parents that their chioldren would benifit from an activity not involving electronics etc;


Appeal to the parents as well as the youngsters, some parents with wayward children may get involved themselves to help their offspring.


If something is not done, BINGO.


Regards.

 

Sounds simple in theory I suggest Misty real life thou     it's some what harder I suggest etc on average. Have a dedicated band down here trying their best to recruit new members on the local scene, for which I give them all credit. Sadly little has been achieved unfortunately as the forces are against them with what this generation of today aspire too type of thing. Now In a Perfect type world I would have a large poster in every doctors clinic etc saying, forget the pill scenario from your local GP here for all your complaints. Just go pigeon racing for the sheer enjoyment factor & save some money along the way & also maybe, have a far better quality of life on average .

The local lads here are doing their best but it is an up hill struggle.

One or two youngsters have joined and then most for varying reasons have had to pack in, it is getting harder for the young to become involved there are now too many demands relative to their future that have to be considered.


The young workers have ever more demands on their incomes and the middle aged too busy working for a living and not the time to be involved.


The retiring age is going up and the pensioners will have been worked to death and have no energy to think of starting from scratch.


In truth the outlook is not too bright but it would be a great pity not to try every avenue to save the sport for future generations.




Regards.

Some very interesting stories regarding how fanciers became involved in our sport, now the next thoughts should be how to make it interesting to prospective new fanciers.


Perhaps having a pigeon loft in the detention centers for young delinquents may give a spark of life to some, away from drugs etc;


Many of the young are frightened into participating in drug running etc; and giving them an alterative and some good advice may just kill two birds with one stone, as it were.


Regards.

MISTY wrote:

Some very interesting stories regarding how fanciers became involved in our sport, now the next thoughts should be how to make it interesting to prospective new fanciers.


Perhaps having a pigeon loft in the detention centers  for young delinquents may give a spark of life to some, away from drugs etc;


Many of the young are frightened into participating in drug running etc; and  giving them an alterative and some good advice may just kill two birds with one stone, as it were.


Regards.



 

Actually could see it working to a degree Misty in a low security type prison/detention centre etc. End of the day any thing that would/could just help some get off the ice epidemic around & other issues some have has more on the plus side on average than the negative aspect I suspect .

One of your better ideas Misty
Having been in such places in my mis-spent youth plus all my schools were "approved"
I can easily see how it would work.
Maybe not detention centres as its to short a stay but borstal (or what ever they are called now)
Open prisons and not only for young crims old lags aswell.
Maybe thats how knackered started in "cell block H"