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CLUB
HISTORY
Bernard Williams , the
last organiser & Show Manager
of the National Exhibition decided that the time was right to start a new British specialist club in the midlands and sent letters to all local British bird keepers in the area Inviting them to an inaugural meeting which was held on the15th February 1987. This was attended by approximately 20 British bird fanciers and it was agreed to form a guiding committee with Gwyn Jones as Chairman and Bernard Williams as Secretary/Treasurer, thus the club was formed to be known as Staffordshire BB & MC. It was agreed that someone well known in the British bird fancy be asked to become our first President, at the March meeting it was agreed to ask Raith Malkin to be President, he was very pleased to be asked and accepted Unfortunately Raith passed away after 5 years ,very successful years , Gwyn Jones one of the last remaining members of the inaugural committee is the present President.
The first open show was held in January 1988 with 350 birds being benched, which gave us a lot of encouragement for future shows . The club had China Vases made to be decorated and used as trophies to be given away at future shows .The vases to be inscribed with the date of the show and to show the Category of the award .Each award was to be a one-off. In 1991, the club broke new ground by staging the first All-Greenfinch and their Mules& Hybrids show with some success .
In the year 2000 the club was lucky enough to hold the first All British show of the New Millennium which attracted 860 entries .A special feature was the new shape China Vases which could never be repeated ,were to be given as awards ,every exhibitor was given a commemorative China ash-tray to remind them of the wonderful day .The following year,2001 was always going to be difficult to follow the success of 2000 however we saw a record number of softbills ,with 110 exhibits being benched. It was a remarkable sight ,the finest show of softbills for the last 20 years
The club carries on from strength to strength but sadly the number of Juniors and newcomers continue to fall .and we wonder what the future holds ? . |
