Lancashire Social Circle
Like most organisations the Lancashire Social Circle has not been able to hold any meetings, prize presentations or functions for over 12 months with lockdown and restrictions on numbers of people meeting. So, all members were delighted when it was announced we would be holding the Autumn Gathering and prize presentation this November. As one would expect the numbers were down on what we are use to as the number of cases of Covid has risen over the previous couple of weeks. This had given rise to several guests giving backword the week that proceed the event. Adding to this the Printer we use to print the programme of events had also gone down with Covid and a new printer had to be found at short notice. The programme on this occasion was a 12 page one as there was two years of race results and trophy winners published, and since we last met there had been four bereavements three of which were honorary members Stan Dangerfield, Ken Cliffe and Brian Newson along with flying member Arthur Cowley. The programme reflected these along with a number of photos some of which went back in time from past ladies’ weekends bringing back many memories for those in attendance. We met at the Prince of Wales hotel in Southport the venue that has been our home for over 30 years. But times change and with a move on the cards for our next Gathering in the Spring this was going to be our last in Southport. The hotel had pulled out all the stops over the shut down with the whole hotel having a lick of paint in all the rooms including the Ball Room the venue for our two-night stay. The Friday night Forum was something a little different this year following a gorgeous meal with more than enough for everyone that was followed by a prize presentation for the prizewinners from last season.
Bob Smith with Frank Bristow David Newson and Frank Bristow David Pritchard with Frank Bristow 
George Pendleton and Frank Bristow Eric Entwistle with his Diploma from Frank Bristow Roger Sutton with Frank Bristow
Frank Bristow did the honours of presenting them but not before saying a few words of thank to the Lancashire Social Circle for the many friends he had made over the 30 years he had been coming. He made mention of how in an exchange with Brian Barnes, the pigeon he received was responsible for his Lerwick winner a race he had always wanted to win since joining the sport at the age of four. His exchange a short time later with Dennis Little was again the result of his Midland National winner and as a result of these great performances a real friendship has been forged not only with Brian and Dennis but with all the members and guests of the Lancashire Social Circle as a whole. I have included a number of photos of the Diploma winners who were able to attend on the Friday and these include Roger Sutton winner of 2nd Carentan, Bob Smith winner of 3rd Carentan 6th West Bay, 3rd Breeders Exchange racer and 2nd in the Friendship Race. Mark Cliffe 4th Carentan 3rd Breeders Exchange breeder and 5th in the Friendship Race. Eric Entwistle won 5th Fougeres while David Newson who had a great YB race having all his four entries home in a couple of minutes won 2nd from West Bay. John Dearden was 2nd Fougeres and 6th exchange from West Bay. Only becoming a member this last season Maurice Jackson picked up 6th Fougeres, while Keith Iddon had a great season with more than a little help Ronnie Wilson won 3rd Fougeres, 1st West Bay with the young birds winning a string of trophies having been the winner or runner-up of all the average competitions in these two bird races. John Winstanley was 3rd in the YB race from West Bay and was 1st & 5th in the exchange with two pigeons from Stephen Beardmore. Bobby Brandon took the red card from Fougeres and 5th place in the YB race along with a number of trophies including Bird of the Year along with a Parsonage, Holland and Shone awards having had a great racing season with the Circle. Chris Knowles won 1st Carentan and was also 1st in the Friendship race with a youngster that won the highest winning velocity trophy bred by Ian Burnett, Ian was booked in for the weekend but he was one of several who caught Covid and was unable to attend. David Pritchard won 5th Carentan and 2nd & 4th in the exchange with two YB's bred by Peter Morris. The Friendship Race where guests provide a pair of young birds to a member to race in conjunction with the YB race only had a couple of these fanciers with us on the Friday night these being George Pendleton who has since become a member bred the second prize winner for Bob Smith and Les Adams who bred the 5th placed pigeon for Mark Cliffe. I would like to thank Frank Bristow for doing the honours in what was a relaxed and casual setting. We then proceeded to have the draw for the Breeders Exchange race which went as follows, John Winstanley with Malcolm Parry-Jones, Graham Mackay with Peter Morris, David Jones with Brian Walsh, Vinnie Donnelly with Peter Robinson, David Pritchard with Mark Cliffe, Maurice Jackson with Gary Cockshott, A N Other with John Dearden, Chris Knowles with Gerry Clements, Alan Jones with Alan Bamford, Ian Cooper with Peter Latham, George Mainwaring with Kenny Atherton, Tony Merrick with Ray Bullen, Eric Entwistle with John Mills, Ernie Fergusson with Roger Sutton, Jeff Churchill with Keith Iddon, Stephen Beardmore with David Sowerby, Bob Smith with Tom Owen, Dennis Little with David Newson, George Pendleton with Maurice McCartney, Bobby Brandon with George Pulford. This was followed by an hour of laughter provided by Lester Crabtree a stand-up comedian who has been to our Forum about 10 years back and made a welcome return to start the weekend off on a lighter note.
Saturday morning had everyone meet up following a very substantial breakfast for the AGM, this went very smoothly as the whole of the membership had been kept in contact with the Circle's affairs over the last 18 months with news letters from the Secretary. The retiring President Chris Knowles from Stockport who has done a sterling job over his five-year term of office stood aside and welcomed the new president Stephen Beardmore for North Wales into the role. Chris has left a great legacy of achievements including setting up the Text messages of the liberation times, having the articles published on the internet written by the Secretary and the world-wide publicity given to the Circle with the article published in the Schroeder Tollisan magazine, along with being a great front man at the twice-yearly Gatherings. With a new President came a few more changes first were the election of two new Vice Presidents, Malcolm Parry-Jones and John Winstanley who also take their seats on the Management Committee along with Brian Smith, Peter Latham and Ray Bullen. This adds both strength and youth to the Committee and will I am sure help the Circle going forward. The rest of the working positions were voted back into office. Tony Merrick had done a splendid job finding a venue for our future Ladies Weekend which is to be held at the Clifton Arms Hotel in Lytham which is right on the sea front and only a matter of a 4-minute walk to the town centre. The hotel is a family run hotel that has taken the opportunity to have it completely refurbished this last year with the lock down that has cost a million pounds. The hotel will cater for all our needs having only 48 rooms so its first come first served with a number already having their names down for the weekend that is to be held on 21st 22nd October 2022.
Three miles up the coast from the venue for the Ladies Weekend is Circles new home for its twice-yearly Gatherings at the Inn on the Prom at St Annes. Once again, its situated right on the coast overlooking the Irish sea and St Annes beach. It's a 4 star with a fully heated swimming pool and a large Car Park with easy access to the front, once inside there is a number of areas where members and guests can sit and relax over a drink. The Normandy Room is the function room we will be using for both our functions on Friday and Saturday nights that will easily accommodate our needs having a small stage that will provide for our entertainment on Friday and an ideal place for the trophy display on Saturday. There are a number of smaller function rooms that will be available for committee meetings or full meetings with the whole membership. It is hoped this will be a new chapter in the history of the Lancashire Social Circle and will go some way to keeping us at the forefront of events in the social calendar in the pigeon world. Now to the down side at the old venue we always held the Gatherings on the first Friday in March and November, but this is not possible at the new location at St Annes and the dates have changes with our Spring Gathering going back a week to 25th 26th February and the Autumn one going forward to 18th 19th November 2022. These weekends will be the same weekends going forward for the next five years which have been booked in with the hotel.
Saturday evening was the official dinner when everyone met up in the Ball Room which looked very smart having been recently decorated that must have been quite a big job with a very high glass ceiling. The tables had been set out earlier in the day with a number of members helping clean the trophies for our man in charge Brian Smith to prepare the display. The menus were placed in front of every member and guest, and their napkins had been folded in the shape of a shirt with each one having a small version of the Circle Tie with its emblem and the name of the person to be seated there instead of a place name. The President call the function to order by asking all to stand for a minute’s silence in memory of past members. Following what was one of our better four course meals the Secretary Brian Dearn paid tribute to the four members who were sadly no longer with us finishing by asking all to stand and raise a glass in memory of absent friends. The official handover of the presidency came next when retiring President Chris Knowles made his farewell speech handing over the collar of office to Stephen who had a few words to say in gratitude to Chris before presenting him with the highest award the Lancashire Social Circle has to offer the LSC Stick Pin for services to the Circle.
Maurice Jackson who introduced the Guests
Maurice Jackson on his feet for the first time, made the introduction of the main guest for the evening Chris Sutton known to many as the man behind most if not all the photos published in the fancy press. Chris is not only a renowned pigeon photographer but is press officer for the National Flying Club as well as being the President of the Midland Social Circle. In his reply Chris gave us a quick breakdown of how he became involved in the sport. When he worked for a construction company in a well-paid job with all the benefits plus a company car. At the time he and his first wife made a great team and raced a very successful team of winning pigeons, winning a total of 43 individual first prizes and a total of 63 overall in one season. Overnight he found himself out of a job so bought a ladder and cleaned peoples gutters for a living to help pay his way in life. Sometime later he met Jim Jenna who made films on pigeon fanciers and their birds. Chris had some good contacts so he found the fanciers and Jim made the films. In the mean time Alastair Ewart gave him a box for photographing pigeons he had made, he picked up a camera and tried his hand at it later enrolling on a photographic course. He put an advert in the fancy press costing £180 with little or no response. Speaking to the editor he explained you need to have an ad in every week to make it pay. Chris looked at the cost of this and there was no way he could afford £180 a week; this was never going to work. So, he contacted the National Flying Club and offered them a deal he would take a photo of the winning pigeon in every National race and get it on the front page of the BHW for no cost to the National. This would mean the fancier got the publicity the National got the publicity and Chris also got the same with his name of the front cover following every race. The first winner was in Plymouth, then more Nationals got in touch wishing the same service but with the Welsh there are three Nationals and the whole idea got out of hand. Following the success of the coverage Michael Massarella called him asking could he take 16 photos of pigeons that were going for sale. This worked out well and a week or so later Michael rang asking can you take some more photos for me this next week for a new web site. Chris response was yes, how many, Michael's reply two and a half thousand. Chris worked out the most efficient system and took 130 photos per day until the job was finished. Chris has seen and handled more National winners than anyone but told his audience there is only one thing that makes a National winner and that's motivation. He recalled on one occasion a fancier had left him to take photos of a team of pigeons one in particular was very much in the moult while the rest of the team would have won in the show pen. Chris thought the fancier had made a mistake and didn't take a photo of this bird, when the fancier returned Chris explained he had not photographed the bird that was badly in the moult as he thought he had made a mistake. The fancier replied that's the bird you came to photograph she is the National winner who at the time was flying to a big youngster the first of her life, condition poor, motivation spot on. Chris finished by asking all the guests to stand in a toast to the Lancashire Social Circle.
Malcolm Parry-Jones making the reply on behalf of the Members.
Malcolm Parry-Jones made the response on behalf of the members, who was delighted Chris had made the move from gutter cleaner to become a top pigeon photographer. He had his audience in the palm of his hand with a story about his son-in-law that had everyone in fits of laughter. Then finished by asking all members to raise their glasses in a toast to the members. The President Stephen Beardmore then asked Chris Sutton to accompany him to the trophy display to present this season’s prize winners with their Diplomas Trophies and Awards.
Bobby Brandon receiving his trophies from Chris Sutton Chief Guest Chris Sutton David Sowerby and New President and Stephen Beardmore. Stephen Beardmore.
Chris Sutton Keith Iddon and Stephen Beardmore 
Chris Sutton with John Dearden and President Stephen Beardmore Ernie Fergusson collecting Graham Mackay's trophy. 
Las Adams with the Colin Brough Silver Salver Mark Cliffe with the Dave Allen Crystal Glass Trophy
New Committee Member Peter Latham receiving his Diploma fro Chief Guest Chris Sutton.
New Committee Member Ray Bullen with his Diploma Paul Bolton receiving his Award from Chris Sutton.
Peter Morris Winner of First Yelverton with the Briggs Trophy Peter Robinson who put up a great performance flying all the way up to Kendal with his Diploma.
I have covered the race winners in my articles throughout the season so will just touch on the trophy winners. the first of these was John Winstanley who was 4th Yelverton, 2nd Yeovil, 1st Truro and 6th in the Friendship Race winning the J S Kearns Trophy, the Arthur H Todd Trophy, Sir William Proctor Smith Trophy, Brian Dickinson Trophy, Holland/Meyer Trophy, Cotswold Trophy, Ishmael Trophy, the Joe Haworth Trophy and the Reliance Trophy John also picked up two Frank H Parsonage Awards and the Tom Holland Award for Bird of the Year. Graham Mackay who was unable to be with us won 4th Lyndhurst in the YB race and won the Brian Woodhouse Trophy for the first Nom Bird timed in and these were collected by Ernie Fergusson for him. Bob Smith never far away in the races won 3rd Yelverton, 4th Yeovil, 5th Truro and 2nd in the YB race from Lyndhurst winning the Mary Hammond Rose Bowl, Dr William Anderson Trophy, Lady Proctor Smith Silver Salver and the Anglo Scottish Friendship Trophy. Keith Iddon following his success of last season was 6th Yelverton, 3rd Lyndhurst, 1st Breeders Exchange breeder and 2nd in the Friendship Race with a youngster bred by Frank Bristow he won the Webster Bros Trophy the Braithwaite Trophy and a John Marsden Award. Bobby Brandon was 2nd Yeovil and 2nd Breeders Exchange racer and wins the Second Thoughts Trophy the Barrett Trophy and a John Marsden Award. Gerry Clements another of our members who missed the Gathering for health reasons won 1st Lyndhurst and 3rd in the Exchange Race breeder and he won the Battersby Trophy, the Irish Trophy and a Frank H Parsonage Award. Vinnie Donnelly kindly picked up his silverware for him. Peter Morris was our winner of the first OB race from Yelverton winning the Briggs Trophy and a Frank H Parsonage Award. Ray Bullen back with us following some health issues last season won 1st Yeovil and 4th in the Friendship Race being the only member to time in both his birds bred by Willie Lawrence. Ray won the W E Evans Trophy, the Three Musketeers Trophy and the J O Shone Award. Mark Cliffe was 1st in the Friendship Race with a pigeon bred by Les Adams and won the Dave Allen Trophy.
John Winstanley responding on behalf of the Prizewinners
The final speaker was John Winstanley who was making the response on behalf of the prize-winners. John spoke about his winning pigeon from the longest OB race and congratulated the other winners from both this season and the last one before handing the microphone back to the new President Stephen Beardmore to close the evening. Stephen thanked everyone who had helped to make the evening a success and congratulated two regular guests Les Blacklock who had been made President of the RPRA and Stuart Mellor elected one of his Vice Presidents. Then explained following the success of the Friendship Race this might be an ideal opportunity for members and guests that wished to get involved in next year's race to get their heads together and arrange a pair of youngsters for next season. With the handover taking place at our next Gathering early next year for those members and guests living in different parts of the country. With a number of guests attending for the first time he asked them to make themselves known to as many members as they can, as their company is very much appreciated and with this, he closed the Gathering for another year.
