Did I ever tell you about Walt Bettison who flew Maccelsfield Tipplers in
the old Carbrrok Tippler club between 1920 and 1940? Walk died September 9th
, 1940. Well, this is the way it was.
Walt was a soldier in World War I serving in our Yorkshire Light Infantry.
Due to standing in waterlogged trenches he developed what was diagnosed as
trench feet.
I had a few young high flyers out for general training and imprinting. At
about 7 weeks old they were quite able to fly but nevertheless a risk if by
chance they got too high or at distant a range. The trick is to keep them
under restraint and to keep them from any wild flying while they are a
little older and have developed their navigational skills.
Ornithological and zoologically, the specimens that get detached from the
herd or mass flock are the most likely to be killed by predators or raptors.
The basic law is that there is safely in numbers and a compact herd or flock
represents a more formidable target. To be singled out and isolated is the
most vulnerable aspect of survival.
Well, extremists ruin everything, don't they? All too often the show pigeon
fraternity introduces standards which, to me, produce grotesque specimens,
with structure and feathering gone mad.
What is wrong with natural beauty? What is this show pigeon caper all about?
I contradict myself - it is not always a 'fraternity'. Readers of our
Feathered World have to endure too many episodes of absolute hate and
childish stupidity.
I have been notified that the secretary of the Sheffield Tippler club has
withdrawn his membership from the National Tippler Union of Britain. For a
few years this Sheffield club has had only two flying members, namely the
secretary and one other member who have been timing each other for several
years.
Described as flying machines, I have mixed feelings about them. I have never
known any man who has been able to control them and avoid such unacceptable
losses. Our two notable Sheffield men who flew them with remarkable success
have told me that in just on year they lost 120 young birds--let us say 60
birds each. In a recent phone call from Mr.
According my inherited records I conclude that the early Tipplers came not
from Asia directly but from Macclesfield, in the county of Cheshire, about
30 miles south west of Sheffield. Macclesfield is a small town in the Peak
Mountain district noted for the export of silk. It is on record that Al
Capone imported his silk scarves from there.
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.
I believe that very few people understand the value of spectator interest. I
have said that contest tippler flying only makes sense in areas where a few
or several men live fairly close together, supervise each other, visit each
other very easily and without much travel. Apart from this there used to be
a large spectator interest from neighbours.
