More About the Flying Shuffle

Jack Prescott
(Internet Published) Jun 2000

When Sheffield, in the county of Yorkshire England was the Mecca of Tippler flying, the attitudes of the men involved are of Tippler historical interest. A city, with a population of about a half million. Between 1850 & 1950 an ugly city. A dirty industrial city. "The steel town" and the smoke and air pollution was terrible. A hundred men flew tipplers, within the city limits.

Often, one would see adverts for sales with the exclusion that "no birds would be sold locally." The reasons were that such pigeons sold locally could return to their original loft at a most inconvenient time and cause a disqualification. Otherwise a man may not wish to be competing with his own birds.

Nevertheless, the exchange of Tipplers took place between the best tippler men of Sheffield. For example, a kit that had failed or defected in one area of Sheffield could often be rehabilitated or re-located in another district of Sheffield and flown with remarkable success. Such relocated Tipplers after initial recovery and settling would, so often, develop a style of flying that was never seen in the original location. Such re-located kits would fly between the air spaces of their present loft, their original loft and a distance of, often 1 mile to 5 miles.

Examples, a kit relocated by me from Ken Brown 1958 were regularly seen over the loft of Ken Brown a distance of 5 miles, but once rehabilitated at my loft, they never dropped at Ken's loft. In 1995 a kit given to Richard Cottrill by Brian White were regularly seen over the loft of Brian White "IN CONTEST" a distance of 4 miles.

The sky between two locations creates a style of flying that would seldom occur with kits settled at one location. Usually Tipplers drift in several directions. In 1917 a case came before the tribunal. A shuttle kit was reported to have been dropping at its original location at Ranskill Road, Tinsley, Sheffield at regular intervals there to take a little water and seed. The timer was a certain Mr. Jack Thompson also a distinguished Tipplerman who indeed never suspected misdemeanour. The case would never have come to light but for the notice of an 80-year old woman who had sized up the situation and seen fit to inform against the transgression. Such was the general public interest and involvement in those distant days. The tribunal of five men was supervised by Mr. Ben Stamp--overall president of 4 local clubs. A giant man, said to have diabolical strength--proclaimed that the offender was guilty and must be cast from the sport.

Then spake our respected Ben Stamp. He rose, looked all around at the meeting and said, "This here situation is a disgrace, it is no fault of our learned friend Mr. Thompson that this here deameanor took place. This here caper was planned. As an example to all men who have similar ideas, we proclaim that the offender be banned from our sport." And the assembly unanimously shouted "Aye Aye".

Such was the order in those days. Today we have apathy of the most despicable of vices. It would not have done for Ben Stamp.

J Prescott