HISTORY OF LONDON & SOUTHERN COUNTIES BS
(Written in 2002)
THE FORMATION
In the midst of the horrors of the "Blitz" on
London during the second World War, one gentleman, namely
Alfred M. P. M. Dillon conceived the idea of forming the
LONDON AND SOUTHERN COUNTIES BUDGERIGAR SOCIETY. Perhaps
it should have been more aptly named "The Phoenix B.S.".
From an idea as far back as July 1941 when
seated on the walls of York, where he had played as a boy,
Mr. Dillon drafted a scheme to form the London & Southern
Counties B.S. which he submitted to the chairman and
secretary of the Budgerigar Society a few days later. A
promise of full cooperation was received from the B.S. and,
together with a gathering of a body of influential
supporters, he finally convened an inaugural meeting at
2.30p.m. on the 4th October, 1941. The meeting was held at
the Avenue L.C.C. School, Walworth, under the auspices of
the Battersea CBS. At the head table sat Mr. E. R. W.
Lincoln, editor of Cage & Aviary Birds, Mr. E. W. Brooks, of
the Technical and Colour Committee of the Budgerigar
Society, who was in the chair, and Mr. Dillon, the orginator
and organiser of the movement. From the chair, the aims of
the society were read:
1 ) To ensure that judging of Budgerigar
exhibits would be carried out by Budgerigar specialists.
2) To give members and affiliated clubs
something for their money - expert advice and a quarterly
journal of a high standard.
3) To give clubs service by (a) lectures
either personal, written or exchanged; (b) the granting of
diplomas; and (c) supplying competent judges for club shows
at a nominal fee.
Fifty two budgerigar enthusiasts subscribed
to the membership roll of the new area society which they
had just formed - the LONDON AND SOUTHERN COUNTIES
BUDGERIGAR SOCIETY. Mr. Dillon was made secretary. The
boundaries of the Society to be south of a line from Bristol
to Chelmsford, both towns inclusive. The subscription was
fixed at 5s.
An invitation was extended to Mr. Dillon by
the Budgerigar Society's Administrative Panel and Delegates
from Affiliated Societies to attend its meeting on 24th
October, 1941 . The application for affiliation was accepted
at that meeting.
One can say that from the ruins of a
previously short lived society - The Southern Budgerigar
Association formed in 1935 and disbanded just three
years later, a new society was formed.
One will always be indebted to those members
who laid the strong foundation as we approach our Diamond (sixieth)
anniversary in 2001. Names like A. J. Barnicott, E. W.
Brooks, C. H. Crowther, P. L. Dabner, W. H. Eales, E. W.
Gadd, Miss M. E. J. Hughes, J. F. Jeffrey, F. W. Pratley, R.
W. L. Thrasher, L. Trevallion and A. M. P. M. Dillon will go
down in the annals of the London and Southern Counties B.S.
history.
THE EARLY YEARS
Work began immediately with the first
committee meeting held on l8th October. Officers elected
were Dr. P. Saint (president); Miss Hughes, Dr. T. Hare, F.
Hopkins, F. Pratley and A. Barnicott (vice-presidents); E.
Brooks (chairman); A. Dillon (secretary); R. Thrasher
(treasurer); E. Gadd (editor); and a committee consisting of
D. Spilsbury J. Darby, C. Taylor A. Clarke, J. F. Jeffery
and L. Trevallion. E. Auerbach, Principal of The Avenue
L.C.C. School, assisted in providing the premises of his
school for meetings and shows. Membership shot to 70 in the
first two weeks.
Such confidence had the Society that a show
committee consisting of F. Hopkins, F. W. Pratley, A. J.
Barnicott and G. Lynch was formed to organise the Society's
first show. This was staged on 3rd and 4th January 1942 at
the Avenue L.C.C. School and attracted an entry of 300.
The Journal was the next task to be
tackled. With the Government issuing their "Paper
Restriction Order" for any new publications, the
Yorkshire Budgerigar Society came to the rescue. They
offered four pages for us in their "Budgie Bits" and sold us
enough copies of their magazine to supply our members.
Regular articles that would have appeared in our Journal
appeared in the "Budgie Bits" as part of the arrangement.
Within the first year of formation twenty two
cage bird clubs became affiliated, reaching from Bath in the
west to Chatham and Rochester in the east. Patronage was
granted to 12 shows, and panels of judges found for about
the same number. Fourteen lectures were given to various
clubs. Three "Rallies", similar to our recent past seminars,
were arranged within the Society's first year incorporating
Lectures and Delegates of the Affiliated Societies.
The Society came to the rescue of their
members in Bath and Exeter when these two cities were bombed
in the summer of 1942. Birds were collected from many
fanciers in the south east to supply members who lost so
much of their stock.
By the Society's first A.G.M. on 3rd October
1942 membership stood at 175 with 24 affiliated societies
and 14 panel judges. Cash balance at the Society's bank was
£2 5s. 2d. Membership was continuously on the increase with
members joining from as far afield as Lancashire. There were
14 cups up for competition at the third club show in 1943
when the society also hosted the Budgerigar Society's Club
Show.
J. F. Jeffery became the chairman at the
second A.G.M. on l5th April 1944. Subscriptions were raised
from 5/- to 7/6. Membership stood at 193. Uxbridge CBS
staged our club show. A member of the society, W. H. Eales,
motioned a proposition to the Budgerigar Society to have one
subscription fee and one ring for members of both the parent
body and its affiliated area societies.
POST WAR
The Blue Riband scheme was initiated
in 1945 from an idea submitted by L. Trevallion. The WAR was
over. The Budgerigar Society administration was re-organised
and finalised at a meeting on 2nd February 1946. The new
General Council was to be 32 strong, 16 of whom were to be
elected by members of the B.S. and 16 by the Affiliated Area
Societies (two from each of the eight Area Societies). Our
first delegates were T. E. Wheeler and R. Thrasher. The
strength of the London & S.C.B.S. under this new
constitution was such that there were 8 members serving on
the B.S. Council with important positions on various
sub-committees. How our society fared in the allocation of
work was as follows: E. Brooks on the General Council and
chairman of the Scientific Committee. T. Wheeler on the
Executive Committee and chairman of the Finance Committee.
R. Thrasher on the G.C. and A. Dillon on the Executive and
Show Committees.
The club show was held at the National Red
Cross Show in November 1945. F. W. Pratley was the new
chairman. The society's balance at the 1946 A.G.M. stood at
£49 6s. 5d. Number of Affiliated Societies was 27.
Mr. Trevallion won the first Blue Riband
award. The Budgerigar Society re-defined boundaries for its
Affiliated Area Societies. Our Society's boundary to be
Essex, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight,
London and Middlesex. A. W. Plant advocated the use of
Plastic Show Cages in an article in Cage and Aviary Birds in
December 1946 (nothing new about the current idea!)
In 1947, a motion was put forward at the B.S.
General Council to reduce its size to half, this was
defeated by one vote only. An Inter-Area Society competition
was arranged with the newly formed Lincolnshire & East
Anglia B.S. Most B.S. meetings were held in London.
Eight members of the society served on the
B.S. General Council in 1948. Mr. Dillon stepped down as
secretary and Mr. & MRS. W. Keevil filled the post. Regular
monthly committee meetings were announced. The number of the
Affiliated Societies reached 50. The first all Budgerigar
club show was staged by the L.& S.C.B.S. at Hounslow. The
first Society's Journal was published in 1948, editor was
Mr. Dillon. L. Trevallion was the publicity secretary. The
first meeting of all Panel Judges was held in July 1948.
Nineteen judges were present. Membership was now fast
approaching the 400 mark. The first Delegates Meeting took
place in November 1948 at the Strand Palace Hotel.
1949 saw our president T. E. Wheeler become
president of the Budgerigar Society as well. The Society's
first badge was issued, designed by Mr. & Mrs. Keevil,
and sold at 3s. 6d. The club show moved to Brighton, the
Budgerigar entry was 600. By the end of the decade
membership was more than 500.
STEADY PROGRESS IN THE FIFTIES
The new decade started with new secretaries,
Mr. & Mrs. H. S. Saunders, in 1951 with W. H. A. Reeves as
the Show Patronage Secretary. W. E. Brooks was made Hon.
Life Vice-President and Life Member. Southall & Uxbridge CBS
staged both the B.S. and L.&S.C.B.S. club shows in 1950. The
Silver Star Award was instituted in 1951. The
1,000th member was enrolled in 1951. He was Mr. Hudson
of Tooting, a beginner, and received three years free
membership. The 6th Delegates' Meeting was held in April
1951 with two meetings planned a year. J. M. Robottom was
the president of the Council of Judges. S. G. Nye was
co-opted to the Committee to take over publicity and
editorial duties in 1951. Membership stood at 1550 in 1952
and the Silver Spoon was introduced at Blue Riband
patronage shows. Entry at our Club Show was 1540.
Changes within the Committee in 1952. F. L.
Dodridge became the new
chairman while Mr. & Mrs. W. J. Bourne the
new secretaries and our founder member, A. M. P. M. Dillon
became president of the Society that he had formed in 1941,
a long awaited honour. He was also honoured with the
presidency of the Budgerigar Society as well in that same
Coronation Year. New changes to General Rules were adopted
at the A.G.M. Membership exceeded the 2000 figure
(B.S. membership stood at 15,000), the first Area Society to
achieve such a high membership. Journal issued four times a
year. The inauguration of the Judges Training Scheme
commenced.
WORLD BUDGERIGAR CONVENTION
1954 saw the first World Convention organised
by the Budgerigar Society at Harrogate in August. It was
gratifying to see that the idea came from Len Trevallion,
one of our founder members. 160 Societies now affiliated to
the London & Southern Counties B.S. The first open meeting
of the Judges Panel was arranged in June at the Surrey &
Sussex B.S., three more to follow that year. Membership
zoomed to just under 3000 by the end of 1954.
E. W. Brooks, first chairman of the Society,
passed away late 1955. Membership in excess of 3200.
New general secretaries in 1956 were Mr. & Mrs. R. W. Parkin.
F. Sivier was appointed as the Judges' Panel secretary
following the resignation of N. T. R. White after many years
in office. New alterations to the B.S. Show Cage standard
came into force. Another successful venture for the Society
was the launching of the monthly Advanced Budgerigar
Culture Courses, well conceived and organised by W. J.
Bourne. A reconstitution of the affairs and management of
the Society was rejected by the Committee on a majority vote
because of the proposed creation of an Executive Committee
and the introduction of Area Representatives.
Mr. & Mrs. E. Fielding became the new
secretaries, the fifth husband and wife partnership in that
post since Mr. Dillon's departure in 1948.
For economical reasons only two Journals were
issued in 1957 the year that Harry Bryan won the supreme
exhibit at the National and the year in which L. Trevallion
became the Budgerigar Society President. D. E. Pratt took
over from S. G. Nye as editor at the end of the year.
Subscription fees stood at only 7s 6d for singles. A drastic
drop in entry at our club show from 2500 in 1956 to 1269.
The show was held at Winchester. 1958 was yet another
notable year as again a London & SCBS member became B.S.
President (2nd in a row) - this time Len Dabner.
OUR OWN CLUB SHOW
The important happening in the Society's
history was the organising of the independent club show in
1958 run entirely under the management of our own show
committee. This was at the Central Hall, Westminster. The
new show secretaries were Mr. & Mrs. A. Dexter. W. Steadman
won BIS. Also the splitting up of the Hon. Secretary's post
into a general secretary and subscription secretary. L. J.
Tompkins and Mr. & Mrs. T. E. Collins occupied the new posts
respectively. J. M. Robottom was made a Technical Adviser.
Only 49 members attended the 1959 A.G.M. The
Advanced Culture Courses were on a monthly basis and very
successful. A new fund was established; the staging fund to
buy our own staging. The Budgerigar Society's
championship scheme came into effect. The decade closed
on a high note with membership nearly 2400 and 172
Affiliated Societies. Successful Dinner & Dances were
organised annually and Year Books issued since 1947.
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
The Society lost one of its founder members
and past president; E. W. Gadd. A new editor was appointed;
H. R. `Skip' Chamberlain. Barbara Gray joined her husband
Malcolm on the Committee (she retired from the Committee in
1990). The spring Journal was combined with the Year Book to
bring forward the issue date of the Year Book. Subscriptions
were raised from 7s 6d to 10s. The Society engaged a foreign
judge, N. Tolmaer, for the first time at the open show.
Long debates in the B.S. Council meetings
regarding the introduction of owner-bred adult classes at
shows (forty years later the fancy is still talking about
it).
1961 saw many changes in officers. The
chairman F. L. Dodridge stepped down after nine years in
favour of H. S. Morris. S. G. Nye took over the treasurer's
post from R. W. Thrasher after twenty years. K. J. Sparksman
became the new general secretary and Mr. & Mrs. G. Jennings
the new subscription secretaries. The last Year Book was
printed for some time. There was a decline in membership to
1509 and Affiliated Societies dropped to 157.
A new chairman, L. E. Gawthrop, was elected
in 1962. The club show venue moved to Alexandra Palace. W.
H. Eales, a founder member and past president, passed away.
H. S. Saunders became the new secretary of the Judges Panel.
The death of Mr. Dillon, better known to his
many friends as A.M. P.M., was announced; a great loss to
the Society and to the fancy as a whole. New general
secretaries, Mr. & Mrs. G. Jennings, were appointed in 1963
and they carried the duties of subscription secretaries as
well.
The Northern and Southern Area Club Shows
came into existence. And the Society entered into a legal
dispute with Mr. Sparksman, past secretary, regarding
affiliation fee, which was resolved within a few months.
Mr. Morris was re-elected to the chair in
1964. The date of the Society's A.G.M. moved to February.
R. Bissell took over the treasurer's post
from Mr. Nye in 1965, Mr. Nye becoming the new chairman of
the Society. In his first message to the members he
reflected upon the decline in membership in all societies
but hoped that the decline in our Society's membership from
3500 to 1346 had now been halted. There was no ballot due to
insufficient applicants; (same fate still exists 35 years
later). The Juvenile lower age limit was dropped from seven
to six years. There were 46 members on the Society's Main
Panel of Judges. An E.G.M. was held in May to approve
changes in General Rules.
Mr. Reeves stepped down from the post of
patronage secretary at the 1966 A.G.M. in favour of H. Aplin-Taylor;
a post he had held since 1951. B.S. membership at this time
only just over the 5000 mark. The state of the fancy was in
disarray. It was the year of our SILVER JUBILEE, (25
years). The Journal took on a new format. R. Bissell was
elected delegate to the B.S.; (he later became B.S. chairman
in 1989 till his retirement from the B.S. General Council in
1991). A list of Members was published and a Convention to
celebrate the Silver Jubilee was arranged for l0th June
1967. The area club show had a record entry of 2700 but this
was marred by the protest lodged against an exhibit (258-5)
in the beginner any age class. The exhibitor was Jeff
Attwood who entered a bird in the Banded Pied class, won
its class and eventually became a Best in Show just to be
wrong classed a few hours later and the award withdrawn. In
those days the Pied B.S. in awarding its patronage, called
for three classes to be provided; Dominant Pieds, Banded
Pieds and Clearflights. The B.S. at the time did not
recognise the Banded Pied variety on its own but all Pieds
(the dominant type) as one. It was claimed that the bird
should have been entered in the Dominant Pied class. The
Society upheld the decision of the judges, one of whom
judging that class, namely Harry Bryan, was the president of
the Pied B.S. Many letters were exchanged between the
various bodies and much Committee time was spent on this
issue but regrettably Jeff Attwood was a very sad and
disappointed beginner. Mr. Attwood did forgive the L&SCBS
and entered his birds in 1991, the GOLDEN JUBILEE
year, to win BIS but did not bench his birds. It is also
worthy of note that there were 21 Junior exhibitors at the
show.
One of our founder members and past
presidents; Miss M. E. J. Hughes passed away in summer 1967
followed shortly by W. H. A. Reeves, another of our
pioneers. The convention was a great success. The speakers
were H. Aplin-Taylor, R. K. Bissell, J. M. Robottom, and C.
H. Rogers.
Mrs. G. Jennings, joint general and
subscription secretary passed away in December. F. C.
Goodman and G. B. Smith were appointed in 1968 to the
positions of general secretary and subscription secretary
respectively. W. Watmough relinquished the office of the
chairmanship of the B.S. after 21 years. Len Dabner, another
of our pioneers, passed away after a long illness in autumn
1968.
CHANGES IN THE SEVENTIES
New changes in officers in 1970. S. G. Nye
who was acting editor for 4 years relinquished this post in
favour of R. Bissell and took over the treasurer's post.
Membership was steadily increasing to 2000 plus. The
publicity officer was E. Morris with Mrs. B. Gray being the
social secretary for a number of years until 1981;
organising the successful annual dinner and dances. F.
Wright became the subscription secretary in 1971. The club
show reached a record entry of 2700 again.
A new secretary was appointed in late 1971,
D.J.C. Faulkner, but he stepped down after a few months due
to a combination of health and business pressure. Mrs. Gray
took over the post in early 1972. A. Marshall joined the
Committee in late 1971 (still on the Committee in 2001), and
Mrs. J. Hemus took over as Judges and Lecturers Panel
secretary. H. R. Chamberlain resigned as show organiser; a
post he held for many years.
1972 was also a year when another of our
prestigious members, S. G. Nye, became president of the B.S.
Subscriptions were raised to 75p in 1973, the
first in ten years, and a Members' Handbook, edited by Ron
Bissell, was issued. The B.S. AGM was held in Worthing and
our chairman, S. G. Nye, handed over the B.S. presidential
chain of office at that meeting. Two new officers joined the
Committee; Mr. & Mrs. G. Hemus became subscription
secretaries and T. H. Davis the new editor. M. Mapston
became the new secretary of the Judges and Lecturers Panel.
A twenty year membership badge was introduced.
A. Ormerod became chairman of the Society in
1974 after Jim Nye stepped down from the hot seat after 9
years to become the Society's president. R. Bissell took on
the publicity task and the new editor resigned after less
than a year D. Beecher offering his services.
B.S. GOLDEN JUBILEE
1975 was the B.S. Convention Year at
Harrogate with a number of our Society officers and members
on the various panels of lecturers and speakers. The
Society's team was represented by G. Al-Nasser, R. Boyce, B.
Byles, T. W. Clark, J. Graydon, A. J. Hutton, Mr. & Mrs. D.
Jones, T. North, Ormerod & Sadler, W. Relf, C. Roberts, C.
D. Saunders, G. B. Smith, M. Summerfield, K. Trapnell, H. F.
Turk and F. Warren. Our Society's stand was judged second
best and our team won the Grey Green BOC (Ormerod & Sadler).
R. Bissell replaced H. Aplin-Taylor as
patronage secretary with F. Warren taking on the publicity
task. Subscription increased to £1.50 for adults to be
effective in 1976. Due to lack of representation by
affiliated societies at the Delegates meetings, these became
open meetings with speakers attending. Ormerod & Sadler won
BIS at the B.S. club show for the second consecutive year
with the same bird; a Dark Green cock. Indeed this was a
great honour as it was the first time that a member or
partnership from the L&SCBS had won this top honour.
THE SEMINARS
1976 saw the beginning of the seminars
organised by the Society which were still successful in the
early Nineties. The first was organised by F. Warren and F.
Wright at Coulsdon in October with a small show for the
beginners and novices on the basis of a mini Inter-Club
competition. The Delegates meeting was replaced by a "Face
to Face" where F. Warren conducted interviews with top
fanciers.
Mr. & Mrs. J. Harvey became the new
subscription secretaries in 1977, while G. Fletcher took the
patronage secretary's post and C. Bennett the treasurer's
post. The latter two vacated their posts at the 1989 A.G.M.
The Journals were reduced to three issues a year (January,
May and September) instead of four to reduce cost. A replica
of the Blue Riband cup was awarded in addition to the cup
itself as a keepsake to the winner. R. Bissell became the
new president of the Council of Judges. Both Delegates
meetings were changed to open meetings due to the success of
the "Face to Face", with another seminar organised again.
The Silver Star was awarded to a non-budgerigar person, Miss
Irene West for her longstanding contribution to the open
shows. A special general meeting was called in July to
consider an increase in subscription to become effective in
1978. This was carried unanimously, the new subscription
rate to be £2.50 for adults. J. Robottom was made an HLM,
only the second in the Society's history.
A new editor was appointed in late 1977, M.
Beale, but joined by F. Warren and P. Spain in 1978 to be
known as the "Editorial & Publicity Team". R. Bissell took
over the chairmanship as Alf Ormerod returned to Lancashire.
Another seminar was organised by C. Bennett in July in
Chichester. The Society's open show moved to a new venue,
Picketts Lock Centre in Edmonton.
RING ISSUE DATE
The ring issue date discussed once again by
the B.S. Council (being discussed previously in 1949 and
again in 2001). The Council asked the Area Societies'
delegates to go back to their members for general views
regarding the later date (March 1st). Their decision at the
October meetings was for the issue date to remain at January
lst. Miss M. Kirkby-Mason became an HLM of the Society.
1979 saw many changes in the Society. The
Journal with a newly designed front cover by Ken Gray who
won the best design chosen from many entries. F. Warren
became the new chairman, P. Jay the new secretary and D.
Bracher the new subscription secretary. M. Beale stepped
down from the editorial team. Two long serving members of
the committee and past presidents passed away; Jim Nye and
Malcolm Gray.
THE SOCIETY OF THE EIGHTIES
A new pictorial Ideal Budgerigar was chosen
by the B.S. from two designs submitted by G. Binks and E.
Peake with the latter chosen. Leeds became the new venue for
the B.S. club show. Jack Robottom completed 50 years of
continuous membership of the B.S. and the President's
Trophy was introduced by Reg Crossman.
The Judges Training Scheme commenced.
Barbara Gray became the Judges Panel's new secretary and
Gerald Binks their new president; a post held by both
throughout the eighties. A Crested Spoon for each section
breeder was introduced as an extra incentive at Blue Riband
shows. The Colour Certificates were introduced. An extra
area show, the Floating Area Club Show, was introduced.
Subscription was increased to £4 (effective in 1981). M.
Mapston joined the editorial team.
Mrs. S. Bracher joined her husband to become
joint subscription secretary in 1981; a post held until the
1990 A.G.M. Membership stood at 1454 at the end of the year.
This was also the year that the sixth member of the Society
became B.S. President; R. Bissell.
A further increase in subscription by 50p in
1982. The Society hosted the B.S. meetings in May and Len
Trevallion, a founder member and past president, died early
in the year. Budgerigar World, a monthly magazine, came on
the scene in September under Gerald Binks's editorship.
Ted Woolley took on the secretarial post in
1983 and the Society introduced its first Young Stock
Show to be held in Camberley. It received an entry of
846. Stan Richardson became the new editor. We had a ballot
to elect the Committee for a change. The scope of the Judges
Training Scheme widened to include novices and
intermediates, as well as champions.
DECLINE IN MEMBERSHIP
Subscriptions were again increased in 1984 to
£5.50. Crawley Leisure Centre became the new venue for our
Area Club Show, which received an entry of 2342. The show
received sponsorship from Freeborn Citroen Garage of
Southampton. Membership dropped to 1254 at the end of 1983.
New General Rules were adopted at the A.G.M. and F. Warren
stepped down from the publicity role after 10 years. G.
Al-Nasser was co-opted to the Committee in June to deal with
publicity. The Chelfers Award Patronage Scheme was
introduced for the 1984 show season; devised by G. Fletcher,
the patronage secretary. Jack Robottom passed away; a past
president of the Society and long serving Officer who held
the technical adviser post for many years.
B.S. DIAMOND JUBILEE
The Committee spent much time discussing
irregularities in the 1985 Ballot. One member on the ballot
engaged a solicitor. A re-count of the results discounted
112 papers as invalid. The Society re-introduced the Seminar
incorporating an Inter-Club Competition and held in Coulsdon.
G. Al-Nasser and F. Wright organised this seminar which
attracted 230 fanciers. West Middlesex BS won the team award
and D. Dillon the best budgerigar in show.
The B.S. celebrated its Diamond Jubilee by
staging another Convention at the Metropole Hotel,
Birmingham in May. Among the specialist speakers were two
Committee Members; G. Al-Nasser and R. Bissell. Our team,
although only 53% strong, fared extremely well in achieving
second best area society team in the Inter-Area Society
Competition. Three Best of Colour awards were achieved; Best
Opaline Blue series (Joyce & Watson), Best Recessive Pied
(Bissell & Al-Nasser) and Best A.O.C. (R. P. Watts). G. N.
Cook won Best Novice in Show.
Membership at the end of the year stood at
1106. S. Richardson stepped down from the editorship at the
end of the year as well as the secretary Ted Woolley.
The new secretary D. T. Stephenson took over
at the end of 1985. A new editorial team, G. Al-Nasser and
A. Nash, was formed in 1986. The latter taking on full
responsibility in 1987. D. Bracher took over the chair from
F. Warren. Another ballot for 1986 was held with much
improved security. This proved to be the last ballot for the
remainder of the decade. Gurney Smith was made an Honorary
Life Member but died at the end of the year.
South Essex BS won the team award and S.
Robertson won BIS at the 1986 seminar. R. Bissell was
awarded the B.S. Silver Bird.
Subscription fees went up to £6.50 in 1987. A
motion to reduce the size of the Committee was defeated. A
new category of membership "Journal Membership" was
introduced. South Hampshire BS won the Inter-Club
Competition at the Seminar with John Bird winning BIS. Frank
Warren stepped down from the Committee late in the year. The
first "Beginners Day" was organised by F. Wright in
October at Rayleigh. Despite the hurricane two days earlier,
attendance at this event was in excess of 80.
The Young Stock Show received a record entry
of 1001. A beginners' pamphlet "Welcome to Budgerigar
Keeping" written by Roy Stringer was produced by the
Society to encourage newcomers to the fancy.
Brian Scott, open show secretary, gets
married to Karen Boyt, daughter of another budgie member in
September; the first of two marriages from the committee.
F. Warren was made an HLM at the 1988 A.G.M.
Subscriptions to be increased to £8 as from 1989. Members
accepted revised General and Patronage Rules. The B.S. award
of the Silver Bird went to Barbara Gray. D. T. Stephenson
resigned from the secretarial post in the summer to be
replaced by B. Scott. Frank Dodridge, past president (three
times) and chairman (for nine years), passed away. The
Committee proposed the production of a new Members Handbook
to be compiled by G. Al-Nasser. South Hampshire BS and
Southdowns BS were the joint winners at the Seminar with G.
Boyt winning BIS award. The seminar was attended by Dr. R.
Travnicek from the USA as one of the speakers. J. Siggins, a
past president, passed away.
1989 saw many changes and resignations.
Janice Foxton became the new secretary (the l7th), both G.
Fletcher and C. Bennett resigned from the patronage and
treasurer posts, each having held those positions for eleven
years. These were filled by Mr. & Mrs. B. Scott and B.
Pocock respectively. G. Al-Nasser stepped down from the
publicity post, which was taken over by S. Gage. F. Wright
resigned from the Committee. During the summer both the new
treasurer and publicity officer resigned from the Committee.
The treasurer's post being taken over by the chairman and
secretary until the 1990 A.G.M. Mrs. V. Tomlinson co-opted
to the committee to deal with the publicity. Four committee
members resigned during the year.
Major changes were implemented at both the
open and young stock shows with unqualified success: the
open show being reduced to a one day event while the young
stock show catered for breeder classes only. The Affiliated
Societies Delegates Meetings, popular in the past, were
reintroduced. Attendance was poor from the 81 Affiliated
Societies but many useful proposals were accepted. The
Beginners Day was widened to encompass novices as well. Alf
Ormerod, past chairman, passed away in the summer while
judging the Western Counties B&FBS area show and after
attending our Seminar as a speaker. Premier BA won the
Seminar Inter-Club Competition with Ernie Sigston winning
BIS.
The decade came to a close with a number of
vacancies on the committee. Andy Nash, the editor, announced
his retirement from the post but with no volunteers coming
forward. Ron Pearce was elected to be the president in 1990
with Dave & Sharon Lawrence the new subscription secretaries
and Peter Snashfold the new treasurer.
THE NINETIES
The new decade commenced with a drop in
membership to 929. A new Handbook, compiled by Ghalib
Al-Nasser, was issued to all members early in 1990 (the last
was issued in 1973 and compiled by Ron Bissell). Barbara
Gray retired from the committee at the A.G.M., which she
joined in 1960. A new sub-committee was formed "Future
Activities" headed by Ghalib Al-Nasser to organise the B.S.
Convention Team and our Golden Jubilee Year (the Committee
was formed again towards the end of the decade for the BS
Millennium Convention and our Diamond Jubilee celebrations).
Another Delegates Meeting was held in September. The
combined Seminar and Beginner/Novice Day, which was
organised for the end of September, had to be cancelled due
to lack of support.
A new 2-tier patronage affiliation scheme was
introduced with 91 societies affiliated to us. John Scoble
from Australia was engaged to judge at the young stock show
(the first and only overseas judge to be engaged so far at
this event). A new Membership Promotion Package was
introduced, as part of a Moving Forward scheme, to be
sent to the Affiliated Societies for newcomers to the fancy
and non-society members. The society introduced their own
Personalised Ring Numbers. The Society's Team present at the
B.S. 1990 Convention held at Scarborough was small (81 out
of possible 232). The Convention was a great success with
Ron Bissell as one of the speakers. Our success was limited
to one BOC for best crest (G. Al-Nasser) and best junior
(Allan Smith). Our society stand came fourth best. The first
of the amalgamated shows was organised by Sussex BS and
Surrey & Sussex BA and called the Southern Classic.
OUR GOLDEN JUBILEE
Future Activities committee were busy
organising the various events during this special year. Our
society hosted the B.S. Council meetings in May followed by
our own Golden Jubilee Convention (the last to be
organised by G. Al-Nasser). The Convention, attended by over
140 fanciers, was won by a junior, Alan Gell, with Premier
BA winning best team. Newly designed Golden Jubilee
Membership Certificates were issued to all members
(inscribed by Janice Foxton). The society invited 10 of
their past presidents to judge the area championship show.
G. Al-Nasser took over as publicity officer again during
this important year and became the open show organiser; the
show received an entry of 2060. He also launched, on behalf
of the B.S., his Joint Membership scheme visiting seven of
the ten area societies. Delegates' meeting was poorly
attended. The YSS received an entry of 680 for "breeder only
classes".
The YSS moved to Coulsdon in 1992 under Ron
Pearce's leadership. D & S Lawrence resigned from their
subscription secretaries' post in June due to their move
outside the area and Andy Nash took over the post. The B.S.
awarded their Silver Bird to Miss M. Kirkby-Mason from a
nomination by our society. A new Rule was passed at the AGM
to qualify for life membership after 40 years continuous
subscription membership and also the reduction of the size
of the committee from 16 to 10. A newly designed society
badge was introduced. A. Nash stepped down from the editor
post after seven years and Dave Bracher took over the post.
Successes at the B.S. club show in November
for the society, when they won the Premier Area Society Team
for the first time since its donation in 1977. Terry Tuxford,
one of our members, was the B.S. Trainee Judge of the Year.
A further win for our members was the newly donated trophy
for most C.C. gained throughout the show season, which was
won by Patsy & Bruce Harper with 44 C.C.
THE LAST BALLOT
Members were balloted in 1993 for the
election of the new reduced committee (the last so far) and
G. Al-Nasser topped the ballot again as he did in the
previous 1986 ballot. Dennis & Ruby Faulkner joined the
committee as the new treasurers after Peter Snashfold's
retirement from the post and Roy Powell was elected to the
committee and took over the vacant publicity officer's role.
Janice Foxton took over from Barbara Gray as secretary to
the Panel and Council of Judges. Three delegates meetings
were organised at venues in Coulsdon, Havant and Laindon but
poorly attended.
South Hants BS won the inter-club competition
at the seminar with Geoff Cook winning the BIS award. A
controversy arose at the open show as the award for best
young bird and best opposite sex in show, won by the novices
A.J. Stud, had to be withdrawn a few months later on
instructions from the B.S. This was due to the fact that the
late entry of the partnership was not printed in the
catalogue but only on the result sheets.
1994 saw a few changes; Brian & Karen Scott
became the first joint presidents and stepped down from the
post of joint patronage secretaries after 5 years; the post
was taken over by Phil Russell. Dave Bracher stepped down
from the chair after 8 years and Roy Powell was elected to
the post. Further amendments to Rules were discussed at the
AGM. Shirley Bracher stood down from the committee, which
she joined in 1981 as joint subscription secretary. The
Delegates Meeting was cancelled due to lack of support. The
society introduced 3 Journals per year. Essex International
show, the amalgamated show of North Essex BS, South Essex BS
& Premier BA was staged at Brentwood. Council of Judges
introduced a rule change to increase the Council to 6
members. 45 societies applied for affiliation patronage and
the attendance at the seminar dropped to fewer than 70.
Premier BA won the team competition at the seminar and Neil
Harvey won BIS. Ricky Watts took over as the patronage
secretary in October after many problems had been
experienced. The open show moved to a new venue; a school at
East Grinstead, and to a new Saturday date in July.
A Novice, Beginner & Junior Day was organised
during October in Dartford and the society won, for the
second time, the Premier Area Society Trophy at the B.S.
club show. Steve Robertson won the most C.C. trophy with 67
C.C. The Budgerigar Society took charge of the budgerigar
section at the National Exhibition and a budgie, owned by
our members from Reading, Alan & Val Newman, won the Supreme
Exhibit at the show with a Grey Green cock. This was only
the third time that a budgie had won this honour (previous
two occasions were by Harry Bryan in 1957 and 1972).
CHANGES AT THE TOP
A new secretary, Clive Chamberlain, took over
from Janice Foxton in April 1995 after 6 years and both Mick
Mapston and Ernie Sigston retired from the committee. Janice
Foxton became the president in February just to change her
name in April when she married the vice-chairman Ghalib
Al-Nasser (a marriage within the committee). G. Al-Nasser
took over the editorship after the resignation of D. Bracher
from the post and from the committee just prior to the AGM.
The Journal took on a new look (away from the printed glossy
production) through a photocopying process to cut down on
cost.
Karen Scott took a year's leave of absence
from the committee to raise a family. Harry Bryan, the great
man, died in April. G. Al-Nasser received the B.S. Silver
Bird. The YSS and the seminar were combined together and
Croydon BS won the competition with Graham Birks (Croydon
member) winning BIS.
B.S. '95 CONVENTION
The B.S. held their Convention in Scarborough
again with G. Al-Nasser on the organising committee as
Programme & Fund Raising Officer. The society's team being
an abysmal 12 in number and as expected ended up being last
in the competition. The open show moved to a new venue in
Crawley (Hawth Theatre) and received a drop in entry to
1740. Two past officers of the society passed away during
the year; Peter Jay (past secretary between 1979-83) and H.R.
(Skip) Chamberlain (past editor and show organiser during
the 60's). Ernie Sigston won the most C.C. with 74. The year
ended with the tragic death of Graham Birks and Bill Read
from Croydon in a car accident on their way home from the
B.S. club show. The year ended with a membership of 617.
Karen Scott rejoined the committee at the
1996 AGM as well as Dennis Faulkner who had previously sold
his stud. Carolyn Spalding became the new member on the
committee. G. Al-Nasser was elected by the B.S. to be the
Millennium Convention Co-ordinator. The society introduced
two new innovations. The first at the YSS, with the
introduction of the owner-bred previous year any age
classes, and the society's first specialist & rare variety
show held in September at Addlestone.
Bill Watson reached 50 years of unbroken
membership of the society (at the moment he is the only
one). The Southern Red-Eye Club was inaugurated in October
under Ricky Watts' leadership. Sigston & Payne won the
supreme award at the B.S. club show (the first since 1976
when Ormerod & Sadler won it last). The year ended on a high
note when the society won the NCA Best Budgerigar Club of
the Year and the £100 sponsored by Cage & Aviary Birds.
1997 saw other activities within the society
when we organised two Open Days in Southend and Chidham, and
launched another Membership Drive to recruit fanciers within
the area who were not members. Minor Rule alterations were
passed at the AGM followed by the issuing of a new Rule Book
with a List of Members to all members. Carolyn Spalding took
over the role of publicity and the B.S. announced that
Eastbourne was to be the venue for their World Millennium
Convention. Two major proposals were defeated at the
B.S. AGM; owner bred birds and the 2-year breeder classes.
One of our members, Ghalib Al-Nasser, became the secretary
of the WORLD BUDGERIGAR ORGANISATION.
The society ended the year on a high note
with further successes at the B.S. club show. Our society
won the Premier Area Society Trophy for the third time and
Roy Sturgess became the Trainee Judge of the Year.
Members approved further Rule changes at the
1998 AGM, the important rule being the introduction of the
President-Elect position voted on by members at the AGM.
Brian & Karen Scott took over the patronage secretaries'
role again after the retirement of Ricky Watts from that
post which he held for 3 years. The open show made changes
by judging the sections down to 10th place with
no patronage from affiliated societies and suffered a drop
in entry by 400. The survey conducted was not conclusive as
to the reasons why. Two of our members shared the top
honours at the B.S. club show; Doug Ball won BIS and best
any age while Frank Silva won best young bird and best
opposite sex in show.
The year saw the sad loss in October of Mick
Wheeler, a prominent member of the society's Council of
Judges, while on a holiday in South Africa. This was
followed in November by two further sad losses of past
officials of the society; Ron Bissell and Ron Denham. Clive
Chamberlain retired from his secretarial post at the end of
the year.
THE YEAR OF CHANGE
1999 saw many changes within the committee.
Andy Nash retired from the committee at the AGM after
serving it diligently since 1986 and Dennis & Ruby Faulkner
took over the post of subscription secretaries. Carolyn
Spalding replaced Ghalib Al-Nasser as editor after 4 years
and he joined Roy Powell as the publicity team. Brian Scott
became the new chairman after Roy Powell changed his hot
seat as chairman after 5 years and took over the secretarial
duties. Gerald Binks retired from the presidential role of
the Council of Judges that he had occupied since 1980 and
the Council elected Ghalib Al-Nasser to replace him. Mick
Mapston stood down from the Council of Judges as well which
he served initially as secretary from 1973 to 1980 and then
as council member ever since 1980.
The society's specialist & rare show moved
venue to Coulsdon and another Delegates Meeting was
organised for September. Many positive ideas came from that
meeting that the society is implementing. A new specialist
budgerigar club was formed in Chelmsford during the summer;
Mid Essex BS. The Judges Training Day hit an all time low
with only 3 fanciers attending; two of whom came from
Dublin. Further successes for our society and members at the
B.S. club show when the society won the Best Area Society
Stand competition and Frank Silva swept the board with
specials; BIS, best any age, best young bird and best young
bird opposite sex. The decade ended with society membership
at the low figure of 488.
THE NEW MILLENNIUM
The society started the new Millennium by
moving its AGM around the area; the first was in Odiham
assisted by Northdowns BS. The Journal had a new face lift
with a different society logo on the front cover and the
open show moved to another new venue; a school hall in
Crawley to cut down on cost. The age of the INTERNET
reached the society with the launch of our own website.
The Budgerigar Society organised their
successful WORLD MILLENNIUM CONVENTION at
Eastbourne in June attended by many fanciers from all
over the country including delegates from the WORLD
BUDGERIGAR ORGANISATION. And if history had to be
written, then it could not have been written better than to
say that the Convention Co-ordinator was a society member
(Ghalib Al-Nasser). The society won the Area Society
Inter-Club competition and one of our members from
Eastbourne (Gavin Carter) won the supreme award of BIS. Our
members won numerous awards including best opposite sex (D.
Ball), best champion (A. Stewart), best intermediate (A.
Wyness), best novice (G. Carter) and best beginner (M.
Norman). Challenge certificates were won by G. & J.
Al-Nasser (Spangle Blue & Yellowface), D. Ball (Dark Factor
Green & Dark Factor Blue), G. Carter (Green), M & P
Freemantle (Blue), R. Watts Grey Green & Opaline Grey
Green), A. Wyness (Opaline Green & Opaline Grey), T. Neil
(Opaline Blue), R. Aplin (Cinnamon Blue), J. Davis (Lutino &
Albino) and I. Fordam (AOC). WHAT A RECORD!
The B.S. introduced a new challenge
certificate for the Rare Varieties and appended the junior
classes into the main full classification. Our own
specialist and rare show had to be cancelled due the
national petrol crisis during that week. A new event in our
area organised by Roy Powell took shape; Millennium Festival
of Cage & Aviary Birds. And Andy Thorpe won the B.S. Trainee
Judge of the Year trophy.
OUR DIAMOND JUBILEE
The 2001 AGM moved to Chelmsford and further
amendments to Rules were passed. The membership stood at 433
at the end of last year and 4 committee members retired from
the council including Peter Snashfold who joined as
treasurer in 1990. Three members joined the committee
including Fred Wright (after his absence from 1989)
and Roy Powell was installed as our President
in this special year.
Our society hosted the B.S. meetings and the
AGM in May at Gatwick with a Dinner & Dance to celebrate our
Diamond Jubilee and one of our members, Ghalib
Al-Nasser, was installed B.S. President at the AGM; only the
seventh from our society. On the B.S. General Council we are
still well represented with three elected and two
representatives. Ghalib Al-Nasser sits on the Judges Panel &
Colour Standards Committee, Janice Al-Nasser sits on the
Club Show Committee and Fred Wright sits on the General
Purpose & Finance Committee. Both Brian & Karen Scott are
our society representatives with Ron Pearce also sit on the
Club Show Committee. And the results of the first proxy
voting by members on Rules were announced by the B.S.
chairman, Grant Findlay, at the AGM with an overwhelming
majority in favour of all the resolutions.
2001 is the year when we celebrate our
Diamond Jubilee by issuing this Handbook to
members with newly designed Diamond Jubilee Membership
Certificates (inscribed by Janice Al-Nasser). Our area show
moves yet again to another venue in East Grinstead and the
society had organised another successful Delegates Meeting
in May. The Judges Training Day is to be run every two years
from 2002.
Back in 1942, just a few months after the
formation of the society, a Canary man said to Mr. Dillon
(our founder member) that the L&SCBS would go up like a
rocket, and come down like a stick. Well the stick has
defied Newton's Law; it is still up there 60 years
later. To all members and friends of the L&SCBS may I say "SEE
THAT IT STAYS UP THERE" …
Ghalib Al-Nasser
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