NEWS FROM SCOTLAND
Reports by Joe Murphy
Thankfully I’m feeling a lot better this week however we were supposed to get the grandchildren this week as the schools are off for 3 days, but alas the wee man Conner (aged 2) has chickenpox and is confined to the house. Margaret and I have never had chickenpox so we are at risk of getting ‘shingles’ so have had to keep away from the kids. So with having this spare time I decided to pair up the birds and have been getting them used to their nest boxes but some of the yearlings are doing my head in as they keep going into the wrong box. I have even painted the fronts of the nest box a different colour so that it will make it easier for them and hopefully by the weekend they will be settled down. I have some spare cocks which are a bit of a problem but they will have to sit in the aviary during the day until I get the pairs settled. My next job is going to collect ‘heather’ for nesting material but with all the rain we have been having it is too wet and not much good to use just now. It makes you feel a lot better when the birds are paired up and there is that ‘Buzz’ about the loft which all makes for a good season.
Lanarkshire Social Circle
A few weeks ago I included a photograph of fanciers at the Lanarkshire Social Circle that I received from John Barlow who did not know all the names in the picture. Well Adam Hamilton and Alex Meikle phoned me with the names of the group. These are from left to right back row John Robertson of Glenboig (he lives in Abington now but does not have the pigeons), Abe Brown of Tofts Farm in Douglas Water, Andrew Hamilton of Larkhall (who flew in Netherburn club and died in September 2013 and who made every SNFC result last year), Billy Frame of Strathaven, Peter Leishman of Douglas Water, Dan Wilson of Strathaven club, Jimmy Hamilton of Ferniegair, Adam Hamilton (who phoned). Front row left to right, William Rae, Andrew Deans (secretary), Willie Wilson (President), Ian MacDonough (vice president), Robert Frame of South Quarter Farm who flew in Low Waters Club, Andrew Bryson of Bryson Brothers of Strathaven.
My thanks to Adam and Alex Meikle who flew as Meikle and Banks and won 3rd open SNFC Rennes in 1989 and was 3rd open SNFC Sartilly with a daughter from the 3rd open Rennes winner, not bad going when you have a mother and daughter winning so high positions. THANKS once again to the lads for their phone calls.
Aberdeen Greats
Received a letter and some photographs from Dave Pirie of Aberdeen. The first picture is of the much revered pair of fanciers from Aberdeen judging at the Blairgowrie show in 1951. The first one holding what looks like a mealy is the late great Jimmy Milne of Torry who was responsible for the first bird from Rennes on the day into Aberdeen a distance of 626 miles. He was also responsible for the famous ‘Cripple Cock’ bought at this bereavement sale by Bob McDonald from Fraserburgh. The fancier next to Jimmy is the late Bob Hadden, a fancier much trusted by the said Bob McDonald and used as his eyes and ears at any sale in the area (if he saw something that might do Bob some good he would contact him). I find it appropriate that it looks like a deep red chequer that he is judging as he was known throughout the area for birds of this colour. I never met Millie, as he was known, but was acquainted with Bob Hadden an ex-plater in the shipbuilding industry first introduced by my late father who was also a plater by trade.
Jimmy Milne of Torry with R Haddon at Blarigowrie Show 1951 (don't know the fancier on the right)
The next photo is of the late Jock Elphinstone with the Granite City club secretary for a number of years Ewan Robertson. The photo was taken in the 50s while they were taking a leisurely stroll down Union Street in Aberdeen. I knew Jock Elphinstone very well and was invited to race his birds for him when he was housebound in the early 1960s. A great exponent of long distance racing into Aberdeen, he once bred and raced a red chequer that flew Dol in France 5 times, losing the cock on the 6th occasion. These are the people who promoted distance racing in this area and planted the seed that has grown into the minds of the fanciers of the north section of the SNFC. Bob McDonald of Fraserburgh was a frequent visitor to these fanciers and with other fanciers from this area purchased a number of birds which has established the north section as a stronghold of long distance racing.
Wee Jock with Ewan Robertson
Dave concludes by saying, ‘I hope you find the photographs and above interesting but like everything else it pales in significance when it comes to your health, so look after yourself Joe and good wishes to Margaret and Kevin yours in sport Dave Pirie.’
My thanks to Dave for the above. It was good to look at these old photographs and put a face to the name as I have heard many times the name of the great Jimmy Milne of Aberdeen mentioned over the years. These men like many more of bygone days were household names in distance racing and unfortunately nowadays it is more about sprint to middle distance racing and of course commercialism.
Thank You
Received another letter from Ken Gray of the Gray and Atkin partnership from Bridlington in East Yorkshire who wrote saying: ‘Just a few lines hoping they may be of interest to your readers of your column. On a visit to their friend George Atkinson of Market Weighton, Yorkshire we arranged for Walker and David Kennedy of Dunfermline to visit a few lofts and one of these was his friend Ken Gray. At this visit Walker and David arranged to swap some young birds and from this swap Ken’s birds (very in-bred) were crossed with the Kennedy birds and below are the results of these young birds. All 3 flew the difficult programme with 2 having 8 races out to 200 plus miles and the third bird had 6 races. The a blue white flight hen F 2082 came back from her first training toss four days late with only 2 tail feathers and all her secondary’s missing in one wing and missed 4 weeks training but she still won 1st club 1st east coast federation 704 birds from Peterborough 106 miles. 2082 her sire was a 2012 blue pied late bred cock bred by Ken from his Premier Stud Reyneart Bloodlines. The dam was yearling hen bred Walker & David from a pair of Premier Stud Kees Bosua blood lines. (This pair was picked by Kerry Mellonby of Premier Stud). The blue cock number F 2081 won 4th club 41st federation 1785 birds from Maidstone 201 miles. He was bred from a Paul & Jelle Rozier cock purchased at a Les Green sale in Blackpool in 2011, the sale was on behalf of Syndicate Lofts. He has sired a bird for Walker & David that topped Fife Federation from Kelso in 2013. The dam was a 2012 late bred blue pied bred by Ken Gray from his Premier Stud Reyneart bloodlines. The 3rd bird rung F 2076 would have won a prize but failed to register on the ETS going into the loft with other birds that won prizes. Her sire is a Louella bred Van Dhree, purchased again at Blackpool. George Atkinson had this bird on loan for a few seasons and he bred winners direct and grandchildren from this bird. The dam was a 2012 late bred blue hen bred by Ken from his Premier Stud Reyneart bloodlines. I hope you don’t mind me writing this letter to you Joe as I do not think the breeders of winners get the credit they deserve and we would like to thank Walker and David for all their help and for giving us quality pigeons. I have included a photo of Walker, David, George and friends at Blackpool.’
Eric Reid, G David Kennedy, Walker Kennedy, Lee Smith and Gordon Turnbull.
The A to Z
A is for arthritis; B’s for the bad back; C’s for the chest pains, perhaps car-di-ac? D is for the dental decay and decline; E is for the eyesight, can’t read that top line! F is for fissures and fluid retention, G is for gas which I’d rather not mention. H is high blood pressure I’d rather it low; I for incisions with scars you can show. J is for joints, out of socket, don’t mend. K is for knees that crack when they bend. L’s for libido, what happened to sex? M is for memory, I forgot what comes next. N is for neuralgia, in nerves way down low; O is for osteo, bones that don’t grow! P for prescriptions, I have quite a few, just give me a pill and I’ll be as good as new! Q is for queasy, is it fatal or flu? R is for reflux one meal turns into two. S is for sleepless nights, counting my fears, T is for Tinnitus, bells in my ears! U is for urinary, troubles with flow; V for vertigo, that’s dizzy you know. W is for worry, now what’s going ‘round’? X is for x-ray, and what might be found. Y is another year I’m left here behind, Z is for the zest I still have - in my mind!
I’ve survived the symptoms, my body’s deployed, and I’m keeping 26 doctors fully employed!
Joe’s Joke
First Class Seating: A plane is on its way to Toronto, when a blonde in economy class gets up, and moves to the first class section and sits down. The flight attendant watches her do this, and asks to see her ticket. She then tells the blonde that she paid for economy class, and that she will have to sit in the back. The blonde replies, "I'm blonde, I'm beautiful, I'm going to Toronto and I'm staying right here." The flight attendant goes into the cockpit and tells the pilot and the co-pilot that there is a blonde bimbo sitting in first class that belongs in economy, and won't move back to her seat. The co-pilot goes back to the blonde and tries to explain that because she only paid for economy she will have to leave and return to her seat the blond replies, "I'm blonde, I'm beautiful, I'm going to Toronto and I'm staying right here." The co-pilot tells the pilot that he probably should have the police waiting when they land to arrest this blonde woman who won't listen to reason. The pilot says, "You say she is a blonde? I'll handle this; I'm married to a blonde. I speak blonde." He goes back to the blonde and whispers in her ear, and she says, "Oh, I'm sorry." and gets up and goes back to her seat in economy. The flight attendant and co-pilot are amazed and asked him what he said to make her move without any fuss I told her, "First class isn't going to Toronto”
Please continue to keep the news flowing; to Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 Flutorum Avenue Thornton by Kirkcaldy KY1 4BD or phone 01592 770331 or to my NEW EMAIL ADDRESS at:
© Compiled by Joe Murphy
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