Around Middlewich
They say that the average age of fanciers is increasing, well our oldest member is Syd Latham whose 90th birthday party
was held recently and we were pleased to receive an invitation.
Syd cutting the cake
The venue was the very nice Willington Hall near Chester which is a real nice venue for any party and the food was good. No doubt all the family got stuck in to help out with arrangements but our contact was daughter Joyce
who always appears to be running around for one reason or another. I must congratulate them on the cakes especially the one with the pigeon loft on, they were well made and tasted very nice,
n fact we took a couple of samples home and had them with a whisky while watching the TV later that day.
Pigeon loft cake - Two other cakes
Syd was racing pigeons long before I joined the club in 1969 when he was racing as John Latham & Son with his late father in what used to be called the orchard. This was situated just up White Horse Ally
not too far from where a few stock birds were housed in John's back garden located by the local fire station. Syd raced there for many years and this was where I first visited the lofts and I must say the one pigeon I remember
was the old red hen, or should I say at the time, a young red hen which she was but when referred now she is the Old Red Hen. Joyce was saying that this was a good hen who later went to Pau which is where Syd got
most satisfaction from, racing the channel especially in the National. The lofts stayed there until I think 1976 when the school took up the land and the pigeons were moved to his daughter Jean's home where they are still situated.
Pigeon's had been raced at this location for many years because a fancier I never knew Kelly Hough raced there before Syd so it was nothing new for the residents to see pigeons flying round.
Another pigeon that Syd had was "Jumbo" who won an awful lot and is well remembered. As time moved on Syd raced and still does with son Peter and then daughter Joyce joined the team at a later date,
Peter does race at his own home with wife Dawn. Syd's other daughter is Pauline who does not have anything to do with pigeons but has enjoyed going to the pigeon functions over the years and we must not forget
the most important person in Syd's life his wife of 68yrs Mary who is enjoying the three generations of family at xxx years old.
Syd and wife Mary
There were also several grandchildren and great grandchildren at the party enjoying themselves taking plenty of photos on the mobile phones and there were friends also in attendance. I remember many years ago we were down
at the marking for a race and I passed comment about a pigeon to the fancier who was putting it through, Syd took me to one side and gave me a bit of advice which I have never forgotten and never will, it was valuable advice.
He also spent some time as basket attendant with Joyce for the local clubs which included the NWCC where Joyce was also there to help. No doubt if I sat down with Syd I could write a great deal about him
but on this occasion I would like to thank the family for the invitation on this very special occasion and wish Syd many more years racing his pigeons.
Westlands
