Lancashire Social Circle

The Autumn Gathering and Presentation of the Circle was held on the 6th and 7th November at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Southport, where 152 members and invited guests had a great weekend which started with many arriving on the Friday afternoon. A very slick booking in system had been put into operation by the hotel which made the start of the weekend trouble free. As more and more fanciers arrived throughout the day the weekend got off to a start with everyone gathering in the Windsor Room which was a change for us from the norm, but this elegant room was perfect for the Friday Forum where 115 assembled for a Hot Supper. A magician entertained each table with several tricks which had everyone mesmerised. Geoff Richmond could not believe his eyes when Dean the magician presented him with his watch, that had been removed from his wrist while doing a card trick. the reason behind the magician was to keep everyone entertained while eating a relaxing supper. This was a new format as the Windsor Room is slightly smaller than the Ball Room which we normally use, and members and guests were able to help themselves to food as they entered the room. Once the meal was behind us a top Comedian took to the stage and kept his audience in fits of laughter for over an hour. As is the norm at the Autumn Gathering we like to make the draw for our Breeders Exchange races and this was the next item on the agenda.

President Bob Smith (C) with guest speakers John Edwards (L) and Howard Nicholson (R)

The Lancashire Exchange Draw was as follows;

R Sutton with D Jones, M Hewitt with T Owen, E Entwistle with S Gabriel, J Churchill with D Newson, G Mackay with G Pulford, A Bamber with G Cockshott, P Latham with J Tunstall, T Shore with B Barnes, I Cooper with T Merrick, M Parry-Jones with R Smith, K Iddon with B Walsh, B Tattersall with D Sowerby, C Knowles with M McCartney, G Mainwaring with D Little, G Clements with K Cliffe, G Hilson with T Hawkins, A Jones with J Dearden, A Cowley with S Beardmore, R Pollitt with P Robinson, V Donnelly with E Fergusson. 2016 will be the 21 year the Midland SC and the Lancashire SC have exchanged pigeons, over the last couple of years we have experienced a few difficulties with this exchange one big reason being the Midland race both North and South with the membership being split, therefore they hold two races and the number of birds is naturally reduced. Another reason which has proved a problem is that Midland members seem to breed their youngsters much earlier than the Lancashire fanciers. Brian Garnham and Richard Carlton from the MSC and Brian Dearn and Chris Knowles from LSC are trying to arrange the exchange, so if any member gets in touch with these a transfer maybe able to be arranged. Other than that members will be able to exchange at each other's Spring Gathers in March.

The Midland Draw was as follows;

 P Humphries with I Cooper, A Ewart with S Gabriel, B Garnham with R Smith, G Kirkham with D Jones, P Newbold with C Knowles, John Bellerby with P Latham, M Middleton with T Merrick, J Norris with G Mackay, G Richmond with D Newson, P Mitchell with P Robinson, D Duffy with D Little, T Woolsey with B Walsh, C Upsall with A Bamford, D Bird with G Mainwaring, F Bristow with M McCartney, M Bainbridge with B Barnes, G Cardall with G Clements, S McCurry with A Cowley, M Betts with D Sowerby, R Rout with G Hilson, T Bennett with M Hewitt, R Carlton with M Parry-Jones, R Manning with J Dearden, R Knight with K Iddon, A Chapman with A Jones, T Roughton with G Cockshott, K Edwards with J Churchill, S Betts with R Sutton, D Hemsworth with T Shore, C Sutton with  T Hawkins, D Swift with K Cliffe, K Spears with E Fergusson, K Gostlow with V Donnelly.

Earlier in the year we had to mourn the passing of two Honorary Members from Scotland Hugh Higgins and Erskine Hilditch, it was the intention of these two along with Bob McLaughlin to present a trophy to the Circle. The task of this presentation was left to Bob McLaughlin who with a few well chosen words made the gift of the trophy to President Bob Smith. The trophy will be flown for this coming season and will go the winner of the highest winning velocity, this means it could well go to any of the races which the Circle hold. This trophy is not the first these three have presented to the Circle, but following the death of Hugh and Erskine will have a rather special meaning for all the members. This is the fifth trophy the Circle has received in the last three years and is very fortunate to have some great benefactors within its membership. The rest of the evening was spent with renewing old friendships and making new ones, and with a total of 16 fanciers attending this Gathering for the first time, proved once again the popularity of these social occasions. Bucking the trend within an ever declining membership in the pigeon sport in general.

George Hilson (L) with the members Red Rose along with Bill Wortley (C 2nd row) and guests from their native Scotland

Following breakfast on the Saturday morning members of the committee held a meeting prior to the AGM, very little change regarding officials, there being no need to fix that which was not broken. With the role of President lasting for a term of five years and this being Bob Smith's last year in office, the position of president elect was made and it was the unanimous decision to make Vice President Chris Knowles the holder of this post. Many feel Chris will make an ideal President who will take the Circle onto the next step following the good work of our present President Bob Smith.

Several members take the time and trouble to help set up the room in preparation for the official function on the Saturday night, the display of the trophies is in the capable hands of Brian Smith and Gary Cockshott who spend several hours perfecting the display. The table plan and place cards along with the 12 page program of events all need to be placed on the tables once the hotel staff have set the 15 tables for dinner. At the Autumn Gathering each place setting also has a Red Rose for every member and a White Carnation for each guest. These are paid for from a trust fund presented to the Circle by one of our past Presidents Colin Brough of Congleton who left a substantial sum of money so this tradition could carry on following its inception in the 1930's. This identifies the guests and should anyone of them ever find themselves alone a member would always come over and have a few words and once again friendships are formed.

Before moving on to the Saturday night official dinner all members of the Circle gathered for a group photograph in the International Room where all members along with the Honorary Members took 20 minutes out of the evening for the photo shoot. This left 30 minutes or so for pre dinner drinks before everyone made their way up stairs for dinner, with a smaller room than normal it was nice to see all the work put into the seating plan by Chris Knowles had not gone to waste. With a smaller top table than usual with only 7 fanciers left the 14 other tables to seat the rest of the 152 members and guests. President Bob Smith opened the evening with a minutes silence to past members before saying grace. Following dinner and the loyal toast one of our newer members Malcolm Parry-Jones made the introductions of the two official guests. The first of these was John Edwards President of the NFC and the second being Howard Nicholson who is the son of Billy Nicholson the founder of the Cumberland Social Circle. Malcolm gave a short insight to both in a light-hearted way slipping in a couple of amusing stories which set the scene for the evening to come, before asking all members to standard raise their glasses in a toast to the guests. Howard took the microphone and I along with several others in the audience wished he hadn't as he gave myself, Bob Smith, Graham Mackay and Bill Duckworth quite a ribbing much to the delight of everyone. When John Edwards got up he was first to admit this was going to be a hard act to follow but follow it he did, telling the gathering about himself and followed this again with a few hilarious stories.

This now brought the evening to the point of the presentation when John Edwards presented 24 of the 40 members with their diplomas awards and trophies. The final diploma was presented to Richard Carlton who is from the Midland SC and was the breeder of two pigeons for George Hilson in the MSC exchange. These two birds took 1st and 4th in the race and won Richard the Colin Brough Memorial Plate. While Richard was still on his feet as President of the Midland he took the trouble to present the two LSC members who had bred the winners in the Midland races. First the North road winner from Berwick raced by Brian Garnham and bred by Peter Latham winning the Vic and Peggy Buck Trophy. And second the South road winner from Portland, Dr Geoff Richmond bred by Alan Bamford winning the Glass Trophy.

Alan Jones had the task of replying, a difficult speech at the best of times, but when the night had been a series of silly stories, jokes and good humour from all before him, his task was all the more difficult. But being a true scoucers he rose to the occasion with flying colours. As Tommy Hawkins has always said you can always tell a scouser but you can't tell him much. Alan kept the light hearted theme which almost turned the night into the old TV program the comedians. Last on his feet was Gerry Clements this year's Niort winner who has the task of replying on behalf of the prize-winners. Gerry won the same race last year and had to do the same 12 months ago. Gerry felt we should change the protocol and have the winner of the first race do the speech which would give the job to Graham Mackay who has in recent years turned this race almost into his own. Gerry felt very fortunate to have won two races this season but had not forgot Graham Mackay, George Hilson, Roger Sutton and Alan Bamford had also won first prizes and he spoke for them to. With only a few photo to take by our very own photographer George Hilson left the rest of the evening for what we do best socialise.

Gerry Clements (L) receiving one of his trophies from John Edwards

Members were very pleased to see two of our members who had made a very special effort to come along to Southport this weekend, Tommy Hawkins and Brian Tattersall both of whom or not in the best of health. Brian left the Gathering a little earlier as he was having a reduction sale the following day getting his birds down to a more manageable number. I am pleased to report the sale was a complete success with all birds being sold and the proceeds going to Charity. The three charities to benefit being British Heart Foundation, British Lung Foundation, MacMillan Cancer Support and the NSPCC. A magnificent gesture which I am sure all three charities will very much appreciate.

CLICK HERE FOR - Gallery - Autumn Gathering 2015

Brian Dearn

Tel. 01254 772515

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