Frank Hunpphries

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THE FEDERATION WESTERLY PROFILE

This month we talk with Frank Humphries and for all of you that know Frank you will agree that he is Mr. Gentleman of our sport always humble in victory and gracious in defeat. Frank doesn’t keep a big stud of West’s but the birds he does have would grace any loft in the country. He puts his birds out in fine order and they are always a credit to him. Frank is now retired and living in Droitwich having lived in Worcester all his life. Frank has two sons aged 38 and 33 both married and he also has three grandchildren aged 11, 7 and 4 but alas none has the pigeon bug. Recently Frank broke his ankle and has been in plaster for a very long period, which this year restricted his showing, but he will be back next year of that you can be sure.

Frank currently shares a cottage with Melvyn Sorrell who he met at Louella Pigeon World about five years ago while he was attending with Tony Stone. Vic Salnicki introduced them and they have remained great friends since. It was about two years ago that they were both looking for new accommodation with enough garden to allow them to take their birds, eventually finding their current cottage in Droitwich. Frank and Melvyn keep their birds separately Frank preferring the Blacks and Duns and Melvyn having a soft spot for the Creams. We will keep Melvyn’s story and profile for another day.

Frank always has a tale to tell which is well demonstrated in a couple of his answers and is always interesting to listen to. Next time Frank is showing his birds take a closer look at them I think you will all be quite impressed and it wont be too long before he is walking away with all the top honours.

A. I started keeping pigeons in 1946 when I was 13years old. I was sent with a message for a girl who was in bed ill at the time, but her mother sent me upstairs to see her. She was giving me a message to take back but I did not hear what she was saying to me, I was looking at a pair of pigeons (racers) on her window cill cooing and driving. She pushed me and said “Would you like some pigeons?” Her father had sold all his pigeons but they kept coming back. Her father gave me a “pair” and told me to keep them in. The next day I took him some fags (cigarettes for those of you who don’t know DW) to which he promptly gave me another “pair”.

At that time we were on rationing (due to the war) and the shop refused to sell me 2 lbs of maples at 7½d per pound (3p for you youngsters) and was told to come back with a permit. I was telling my school pal about this as he kept Rollers. He told me to go with him after school to the same shop. He asked the shopkeeper for something that he knew was out the back and while he was gone he said “Come on fill your pockets before he comes back.” I will always remember those big wooden bins that they kept the corn in.

I then started work as a cooper (barrel maker) in 1948 and there were at least six other pigeon fanciers working there. They told me to join a club and I would get a permit for corn but I would always be at risk of the war department coming and taking the youngsters for war service. I can remember there was no such thing as nest bowls I made my own from a 2 gallon barrel that I cut in half.

A. For a long time I had racing and show racers. I raced my birds on the North and South Road together with showing them.

A. I did keep a few fantails (shakers) they were for my kids then. I had no birds for years then about 14 years ago a work mate of mine saw me reading a pigeon magazine and said he had a basket and six birds that I could have. Thinking that they were rollers as he was a roller man. They turned out to be West’s. This was the first time that I had seen a West in all the time that I had kept pigeons. Soon I was wanting something better than this lot so I went to see Colin Hawkins in Bristol and Vic Salnicki in Redditch and I have gone on from there.

A. I only keep West’s now in Black and Duns and occasionally the odd Red or Yellow.

A. My loft is 10ft x 8ft with two compartments of 4ft x 8ft and a corn store of 2ft x 8ft.

A. I look for balance with good feather and a pearl eye. I like a pigeon with no marks on the head and low on the legs.

A. There are all the obvious things like buy the best you can afford. Have plenty of ventilation in your loft,. Never buy cheap food. Change the water daily and one thing that I do feel strongly about is, do not keep too many birds. The nest bowls that I use to make were made from vinegar barrels and my birds never had any red mite problems whatsoever. Another tip from years gone by is if a bird shows the obvious signs of canker around the mouth paint it with pen ink (Quick Ink) this quickly curses the problem. I can also remember that we made available to the birds coal slag, course sand, rock salt and used mortar, we also put cod liver oil over the corn but I suppose that the modern health grit we buy nowadays has replaced all these little quirks that we used to have.

A. That now is the time ALL pigeons are vaccinated against paramyxovirus if they are to be shown after all racing pigeons and show racers have to be injected. I would like to see some shows have a through the wire class. There are a lot of very good pigeons left at home because of minor feather faults etc. And why do I hear so many people saying I have too many birds when its in their own hands to put this right. Only keep quality birds and be very selective. I only have four nest boxes in my loft and have done for the last 10 years so I have to be selective. Good luck to you all for 2000.

Thanks for an interesting chat Frank and I am sure that you wont mind me using this space to wish Vic Salnicki (someone I knew more years ago than I wish to remember) a speedy recovery in the future having not enjoyed the best of health recently. We have missed you Vic with those lovely Reds, Blacks and Yellows always a picture to behold.

I wonder how many probable champions we have out there all ready. Don’t forget all you Federation members keep Rick Taylor informed of everything that is happening that maybe of interest. Rick is not a clairvoyant, so please phone or write to him, I’m sure you all have a story to tell. Yours in sport. DAVE WALTERS