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LOOKS BACK IN TIME UPON SOME VERY SPECIAL BRITISH PIGEON FANCIERS

The late ROBERT STODDART
OF CARRON,
FALKIRK, SCOTLAND.

A few months ago, when doing a loft report, I came across pigeons which descended from the loft of Stoddart of Falkirk. You may think that there was nothing special about that, but you would be wrong in your interpretation: for the pigeons that I found were a wee bit special to say the least. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration if I said that they were 'Dream Pigeons' and two of them were, without doubt , CHAMPIONS, in the truest sense of the word! They were bred in very different parts of England, and each was capable of dominating their respective Classic Long Distance races and organisations.

I refer, of course, to Vic Robinson's superb hen 'Mademoiselle' 6946, bred during 1950 and winner of 45th, 2nd & 1st English National from Pau, a distance of 527 miles and Rutter Brothers 'magnificent Thousand Pound Hen', bred during 1952 and rung NEHU.52.X.23331. This hen scored six times in succession from Bourges (560 miles) against anything between entries of 5,000 up to 7,000 pigeons in each race and winning 4th, 9th, 9th, 16th, 71st and 171st Up North Combine. In 1954 the combine winner recorded 821 yards per minute and she was 4th, 1955 - 782 y.p.m and she was 71st; 1956 the velocity was 1245 y.p.m. and she was 9th, 1957 saw the winner doing 1209 y.p.m. but she slipped up being only 171st Open; 1958 - the winner made 1042 y.p.m. and she claimed 16th Open; her last race at this distance was during 1959 when the winner made 1366 y.p.m and she came up again for 16th Open. Add 7th Open Lille (343 miles), 13,267 birds; 143rd Open Lille 10,975 birds, 2nd Club, 7th Federation Peterborough (150 miles), 1st Club, Welwyn (200 miles), 4th Club and 4th Federation Ashford (268 miles), and one begins to see why I started to wonder about the common factor, i.e. Robert Stoddart of Falkirk.

Now the two hens specified, were outstanding and one must agree upon that, but they also/ both had had many outstanding relatives in their home lofts; and I mean 'outstanding' in every sense of the word. Both Vic Robinson and Rutter Brothers had a loft full of 'cracks' (Ace) pigeons. This set my subconscious going, as is my wont; out came the old records, off went a few telephone calls and letters, and my regular hours reading in bed was spent tracing and piecing together the life story of Rabbie.

My first reactions to this man are ones of sheer amazement. It is said that fact is stranger than fiction and in this case you the reader will find it so! My facts are based upon eyewitness reports of people who lived near him and his family, in the town of Falkirk, and also by men who have now long departed from this earthly scene. Before we think about pigeons, I must look at the man - for this man was extraordinary in my eyes.

The Prisoner of Falkirk

I have always believed in FATE and in my opinion our destiny is made at the moment of conception, the abilities or lack of them are set and we live our lives to a pre determined pattern dictated by that mass of grey matter beneath our scalp. Some people are given immense talent, others brilliant health and vigour, whilst the less fortunate can lack both of these virtues.. Robert (Rabbie) Stoddart wasn't blessed with health and suffered from a very rare skin disease, he was allergic to sunlight and from a very early age had to protect his body from its effect. After a great amount of experimenting, the Doctor had him bandaged from head to foot and confined to a darkened bedroom. This pigeon fancier spent virtually the whole of his adult life incarcerated in this manner, a total prisoner within his own home. I have sat and tried to imagine just what it must have been like for him, but cannot find words to describe how tortured this man must have been.'The Prisoner of Zenda' and the 'Man in the Iron Mask' were films that I saw as a boy and which could send chills up ones spine with no bother at all. However I am not talking about fiction, I am relating the story of a real live man whose whole life was centred upon the skies and open air through his great love of racing pigeons.

To withstand this sort of life, he must have had a will of steel. Being one of a family of seven brothers and one sister must have helped him. He also had one or two very good friends who visited him regularly and helped with the pigeons. Willie Patterson was his main ally with the loft, but Rabbie was the real 'genius' with the pigeons and you have my word on that. Having analysed his long run of success at the very highest level and looked at the capability of his pigeons in other people's hands, I have wondered how good he would have been if he could have lived a normal life like the majority of people.

Can you think how well you would race pigeons if you were never able to leave the house again and somebody else had to clean out the loft, change the water, feed train and exercise the birds, ring the babies, fill the nest pans, and do all of the many little tasks that a fancier's life consists of then - have every pigeon brought to your bedroom for inspection and to have the skill to know whether they were in the right condition to race or not, just by handling them in the dark? This he did for many years and his judgement was such that he won everything in front of him for well over 30 years.
If I had to vote for the most talented pigeon fancier who has ever lived - this would be my MAN!

I have read about and studied them all, one of my main interests is the history of the pigeon fancy - you name him and I will bet that I can tell you something about him and his pigeons, but on the basis of my investigations I swear that, I have never come across a better fancier than this man - Robert Stoddart In 1929 he was getting his good hen 'Little Lady' ready for Rennes; she was brought to him a few days prior to basketting for the race. Rabbie handled her and pronounced that the hen was too big and heavy, she was given a six- days- old youngster, trained hard and sent to Nevers the week after Rennes, winning this 700 miles event by a clear 50 yards per minute, setting the record for this 700 miles race into Scotland. To the student of pedigree it will be of interest to note that this Scottish 700 miles record setter, was a descendent of the earlier English 800 miles record holder - I refer to Sheldon of Jarrow's great hen 'Mealy Mirande', of the 1909 era, of whom more will be revealed later. During 1930 a daughter of 'Little Lady' was 3rd Open Scottish National Flying Club Rennes and was followed in by 4066, 'Thomasina' and 'Dauntless'. They won £230 -00d in that one race, which was 'big money' at that time, when the average working man was working 50 hours per week for between £1-00d and £2-00d per week wages.. The year following his good Red Cock, 'Steady Boy' came home to win 4th Open Rennes. F. W. Marriot, writing at that time said of the Stoddart pigeons that these were the type of pigeons from which the champions of the future would come. How prophetic this statement turned out to be when we look back with the benefit of hindsight. I give the details of that three years period just to emphasise my point on this man, 1st Central Combine Nevers (700 miles) 1929; 3rd Open Rennes 1930; 4th Open Rennes 1930; and none of the fancy aids and medicines such as are known today. No antibiotics, no worming treatments or specialised conditioners, it was all done the the hard way naturally and with only a small team of pigeons to work with, which proves to me that all of the 'trumpet blowing' about today's 'Aces' and Pigeons isn't as accurate as some would have us believe it to be!