Already I am thinking have I got the right title as they are more of an obsession. It all started as an 11 year old whilst out doing my paper round a fellow paper boy invited me to look at his pigeons. I was hooked. As I peered through the wire of the coop (later to be known as a loft ) there sat these funny coloured birds looking back at me. He asked me if I wanted to hold them and from that day I have always been fascinated by them.

Home I ran “Dad, Dad! Can I have some pigeons”. On and on I asked constantly that seemed for weeks and finally my Dad relented. I am one of eight children so money was always tight but true to his word my Dad built me a loft. Four old doors nailed together with a bit of wire netting and a door. I can’t remember if I bought 4 from my friend or he gave them to me. They were a breed called tipplers and they would fly for hours and very high. I would sit there for ever just watching them fly.

Now on my paper round I would pass proper pigeon lofts that had racing pigeons. When I saw these I wanted some. As my passion increased my Dad had given me part of his workshop/shed at the bottom of the garden and built me a lovely aviary on the front. My first proper racing pigeons were strays that other pigeon fanciers didn’t want. I would seek out other pigeon men in my home town of Barking and stand out in the street in awe of these racing pigeons flying round. My paper round money would pay for their feed. In todays money 75p for themorning round 371/2 p for the evening round and that included collecting the paper money on a Sunday morning.Until next time, John