A Bit of Old English Tippler History

Jack Prescott
(Pigeon Debut) May 2000

In an issue of the DFU Rundblick, German Tippler Union newsletter, there was a list of the World Records for young and old birds dating back to 1902. So, scribbling down the names of the record setting fanciers from his home, Sheffield, England area we asked Jack to give us a look-see into these Tippler men's lives.

Young Birds:
1916 16-31 Eagle
1920 16-40 Hollingsworth
1927 16-56 Holland
1932 17-00 Holland
1959 17-20 Heaton
1986 19-10 Brown.

Old Birds:
1908 18-15 Ward & Beech
1911 18-30 Cockayne
1922 19-35 Cockayne
1959 19-45 Marlow

L to R: the late George Marlow and the great Jack Prescott at George's house in Sheffield, England. Photo by: S. Ogozalek

Here's what he wrote, The men that you nominate are but few of many Sheffield men who were seriously involved with Tipplers. Jud Eagle of Crookes was a close friend of my grandfather. He was a dedicated man who kept Tipplers in a very small back yard in a slum area of Crookes, which is on the west side of Sheffield. For some time, at least he flew some crosses, which flew exceptionally high, and on two occasions this excess was responsible for subsequent disqualification.

Hollingsworth lived in Walkley and also belonged to a very strong Crookes and Walkley Tippler Club. Said to be a very quiet man, unless someone upset him. He flew birds directly from Jack Cockayne, so that Jack was flying against his own birds for several years. There was an argument about this. Hollingsworth flew into a rage and killed all of Cockayne's birds he kept. Unfortunately, thereafter, Hollingsworth never did very well.

Holland was a leading man who fell out with Billingham, another famous Tippler man, for reasons that were never told. He was the Uncle of George Marlow. Holland started George Marlow off with Tipplers that George kept in an old rabbit butch. Very soon and at an early age George Marlow was competing with his famous Uncle, who was heard to say, "That young rascal knows more than me and he has luck that I never had'.

Ward & Beech flew before the NTU (National Tippler Union of Great Britain) was formed (1912). Here is proof that more than 18 hours was flown long before the NTU was formed. The first record of official 18 hours after the formation of the NTU was in 1914 by two men of Heelp. Parkinson & Atkin were brothers-inlaw, laborers in a steel mill. Very little is known of Beech, but Ward used to play billiards with the famous Ben Stamp.

Sam Billingham supplied Ken Brown with his first Tipplers. He was one of the men, along with Stamp, who were against the formation of the NTU. It was said that Tippler flying was only a sensible proposition if conducted on a very local level. For this reason the East End of Sheffield broke away and did not fly with the NTU. Sam Billingham, a bad tempered man moved out of Crookes and came to live in Gleadless, because he said, it was a better location. Gleadless is a small area, pretty high up and on the South edge of Sheffield, but only 6 miles from Crookes and Walkley. It's only 8 miles from Stannington where Holland and Marlow lived.

Ken Brown lived just 2-1/2 miles from Gleadless and Ken kept Tipplers on an allotment, not at home. Ken's wife died in her 40's and from that time, Ken lived for his Tipplers. He was a Bricklayer, who from the best geographical location that I have ever seen, except if there was an Easterly wind and then it was hopeless. Ken, a patient and generous man, completely honest. He would tell you about his mistakes and failures with humility and frankness. Ken died from throat cancer shortly after getting the young bird record, 1986.

Another very famous man was Jack Heaton who lived at Arbourthrone, which is between Gleadess and Ken Brown's location, at Heeley. He was a Slaughterman, who made his living killing cows, sheep, pigs, etc. He also bred canaries. Jack was not a patient man. He was harsh and difficult to understand. He died of cancer. He was, at the time, a worthy contestant, a very, very strict and I suppose a cruel man. Jack had the pallor and complexion of those people who work in slaughterhouses. Because he was so strict, so uncompromising and so mean, he usually did well. I never actually heard Jack laugh.

Ken Brown and George Marlow laughed all the time. By the way, George Marlow was a stonemason and his work is all over Sheffield. He built miles of granite walls.

These men had a relationship not always pleasant. The often fell out. In the very early days, in the East End, fights took place and there was a lot of trouble to do with pigeons. In Sheffield there is no trouble now. But! It's dull. I haven't seen a good "punch up" among pigeon men for years.