A TRIBUTE TO STAN HUTSON OF CROYDON
by Keith Mott
I was very saddened to hear the recent bad news that Stan Hutson had passed away at the age of 75. He was a leading fancier in the Surrey area for many years and was a true gentleman of the highest order.
When I visited the South Croydon home of Stan Hutson the Surrey Federation was mid-way through the 1978 old bird programme having completed seven races and the Hutson's Delwich pigeons had recorded 7 times 1sts, 6 times 2nds. flying in the Surrey Valley Club. Stan's team of Delwich pigeons were bred entirely from birds obtained from the Thornton Heath 'Ace' George Gauntlett and said they did the job at all distances. He was always trying a cross and had brought a pair of young Dordins to try but they must be proved racing before being bred from. Stan had shown great form in the Federation and Combine that season having recorded 1st. & 2nd. Club, 1st. & 2nd. Surrey Federation Exeter and 1st. & 2nd. Club, 3rd. & 5th. Surrey Federation, 3rd. & 5th. S.M.T. Combine Vire. The Hutson's were premier winners in the Surrey Valley H.S. in 1977 and 1976 being runners up in 1975 and recorded 19 times 1st, 17 times 2nd and 12 times 3rd in them three seasons. Stan said his biggest thrill in pigeon racing was when he clocked a bird on the day from Bordeaux the longest race, for the first time. His wife, Shirley, used to be very useful with club work checking and marking, etc, but this fell away when they started a family. Stan said she liked her say at club meetings.
Stan started up at the age of nine when he caught a road-pecker in the church yard. His father bought a pair from F. Giles of Croydon for 5/- for Stan (on his birthday) and he was helped along by Dinky Barward and Sid March, the late Croydon Federation convoyer. Stan's first loft was his father's chicken run with a dirt floor and he started racing in the West Croydon H.S. with the Barker pigeons but with little success. At that time he had been in the sport 37 years and was Chairman of the Surrey Valley Club. Two of his all time best birds were pied cock NU 52 TN 51 winner of 14 times 1sts. and 36 cards in first three positions and the Delwich red chequer cock NU 64 B 36055 winner of 1st. Exeter, 1st. Rennes, 1st. Nantes (twice) 1st. Avranches, being the sire of the club and Federation winners.
28/6/07