The late Albert Lever Snr is one of the past masters of racing pigeons into Winsford in the county of Cheshire and here is a report that I wrote on him many years ago. Fanciers very often ask me why I visit so many lofts for reports well the answer is simple, in the Cheshire area there are so many good fanciers whose methods have not been put to print, fanciers who have won over many years, not just ordinary prizes but good National performance. This week’s visit was to 87 John St Winsford where Albert Leaver has lived all his life and flown birds since 1921. Albert had a loft full of odds and ends to start with, so when he decided to take the sport seriously his brother agreed to subsidise him as well as going partners and buying the best from S.P.Griffiths at Broken Cross, Northwich who at the time was the master. Even today Albert reckons that there has never been anyone to beat him. The first pair purchased from this fancier were for the then high price of £5. These birds started winning straight away and Albert never looked back and has never missed a years racing since. Not being in one of the richer families all of the training in those early days was done by bicycle from Whitchurch. Even during the war when he was exempt Albert carried on racing and getting corn on the black market. In fact on one occasion two American air force men visited him to acquire some birds, they went away with six and to repay Albert they supplied him with corn that he needed. Success continued in all types of competition from club to national where he has held his own as the results will show. The racing loft is 20’ x 8’ which gives plenty of room in each of the two compartments that it consists of. There is not a great deal of ventilation in this loft like you see in so many of the top lofts. Each comp has a glass window in the front, with a trap just below roof level. The Y.B loft is 12’ x 6’ which is just the one comp, with ventilation the full length of the loft. The stock loft is 12’ x 8’ with a 12’ x 8’ aviary which has a gravel covering on the ground. Although the birds have plenty of room, Albert said that the birds are not too hard to control as he spends a considerable amount of time with them now that he has retired. All lofts have a sand dressing on the floor. Pairing up for the racers is done during the first week of March as this puts them just right for the races that Albert likes most of all from across the channel. The stock are paired in the middle of January. Pure Sions are the mainstay of the loft from Hughes Bros whom I sure most of you will remember for there great performances into Liverpool. Additions have also been made form Mr & Mrs Pratt of Norfolk. Albert is always trying to find a bird that can consistently beat his old family, which is proving a hard task indeed. The Dordins have been tried from the Hillside Lofts of Stan Biss, (in fact they are still being tried but have only managed to win inland which is not actually what Albert wants.) Other strains have been tried including the Busschaerts and Stichelbaut (but have yet to prove themselves.) The families that are bought into these lofts are always kept separate until they have until they have proved whether or not they are up for the pigeon standard of the birds that are already winning in the best of the competition. This is not and never has been a one-bird loft, many good birds are there to handle. One such bird is a chequer hen that has won many very good prizes including Middlewich 2-bird club. The Red Cock that she is paired to is also a 2-bird winner and they have turned out some wonderful birds for Albert and his son Toby who is also an extremely good fancier. Albert like so many other fanciers has his favourite pigeon, which he classes as the best bird he has ever owned. Her wins include the best performance that he has considered she has ever won during 57years racing 2nd section, 8th Open Midland National Angouleme when only two birds were in the section and 23 in the Open on the day, 534miles. This game Blue Pied Sion Hen also has 13th sec 109th Open Angouleme, 2nd sec, 24 Open Nantes, 1st Middlewich 2-bird Saintes, only 2 on the day also all pooles. This Hen has taken other prizes but these would stand out anywhere. Albert has always raced on the natural system. Albert does give credit of past performances to his late wife whom he said exactly how to feed the birds when he was unable to for any reason. Although a lot of birds are housed Albert is not a mob flier and he can generally pick the birds for the big events. Many of prizes have been won at all levels of competition, which is what makes a first class fancier. As for eye sign he admits that he does not know a great deal about it. He would certainly not knock it as he said in his time it was not gone into as much as it is today. Nothing is proved about anything until it has been studied, Albert likes to see a rich coloured eye but does not pair to it. All pairings are done on the basis of winners to winners according to breeding and performances. For the eye sign enthusiast this loft has the lot. Most eye sign enthusiasts believe that the long distance bird shows the most eye sign, which is what the birds of Albert Levers, are, good long distance birds. Training, well the old birds are given several tosses before the first race after which they have 2, 30ml tosses on the transporter which is the cheapest and most convenient from of transport, with being at home all day. When the young birds are old enough for training Albert gets in as many tosses as possible from 1x 30ml, which is one thing that nine out of ten fanciers will tell you. The biggest disappointment that Albert has ever had in the sport was when he sent to the national F.C. Nantes race and was disqualified through a late telegram when he would have been 4th and 2oth Sec, you must admit that this would have been a great upset for any fancier to win this great race is the only thing left for Albert to do, so it is his ambition to top the list in the National F.C.
Melvin Bratt, Dougie Pope, Joe Whitney, Les Kettle and Albert Lever Snr
Performances are a part that makes a fancier, the consistency of his birds. I am going to list a few more of Albert’s that I normally would because they have been won against the best in the country. Firstly in the National F.C. 3rd , 5th, 15th, 25th, 19th, 4th, 48th Section X 165th, 172nd, 217th, 262nd, 303rd, 413th, 418th Open. Then in the strong Middlewich 2-B club with 140 members, 1st Rochfort505 miles, 1st Saintes 521 miles, 1st Niort 483 miles, 1st Angouleme 536 miles, 1st Rennes 354 miles along with many other positions. These are what make a great fancier when selection counts. Trophies from small shields to large cups for single performances as well as avgs have stood on the sideboard at Alberts but I won’t mention them, as there are too many. Advice, when I asked Albert for some advice for the younger members of the fancy his comments were, “To go to a fancier who is winning regularly with a family of birds that have stood the test of time and won out of turn over the years. Purchase as many birds that you can afford, of course within reason and go carefully with their youngsters for a couple of years. There is no quick way to success in pigeon racing, but plenty of disappointments, a fancier must be very patient.”
“Pigeon racing is all about having very good birds, the rest is up to the man having the eye and know how as to bringing the birds into condition and giving them the right frame of mind.” Something that Albert said that will differ from one fancier to another is that you should never send a hungry bird to race. Albert is a keen fancier who is straight with fellow pigeon men. Albert is not getting about as he used to but can still make them sit up in the clubs that he races in, which have some of the best fanciers if not the best in Cheshire. Middlewich 2-B has the best in George Stubbs and son of Sandbach and Dennis Gleave who along with Albert have not been at the top for years. George has not won this great club but is in the prizes taken out of this club with 5 x 1st ‘s each, if you can hold your own in this competition you must be good. During the Sunday afternoon that I spent with Albert and his son Toby (as he is known) I heard the stories from the beginning in the early twenties up until the present time and enjoyed every minute. Also seeing and handling so many good birds, which at the time were heaving a good moult, so gentle care was taken and not too many handled. Anyway Albert thanks for an enjoyable afternoon. Sez Les” I was going to update and modify a few things but decided to leave it as it was originally written.
