Bilco

Hi Vic, No, the details are as I have stated Vic. I have just (this minute) phoned Roy Bishop, now 79-y-o (a year older than me) and he confirms to the letter what I have written. He says the name Rawson does not ring any bells. Brian Thornton wrote short stories, and when he died of a massive heart attack in Nov 1966, I stepped into his shoes and took over the column he used to write ("Hampshire Highlights" and renamed it "Bilco's Bulletin". Stan Bishop asked me in 1967 if I could write a Xmas Ghost Story, and "The Grey Ghost of Rome" was the first of many. It was actually written in my office in the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, and the name of the principal character (Nick Cox) was the name of my RCT Driver, I told he I'd make him famous, LOL. Brian never wrote "Old Hand" articles either. I do know that a person named Rawson was a friend of Stan Bishop's, but to my and Roy Bishop's knowledge (and I have been with the firm over 40 years now) he never wrote articles. The article on Hempseed is, I believe, incorporated in the book "Secrets of a Racing Ace" by SWE BISHOP. Cheers, Bill.

LOL. You'ld be surprised at some of the things I get up to sometimes ! Cheers, Bill.

With a rueful smile, I have to advise (some of you) that S.O.S. - or "Songbird Survival" as it is now known, was founded by: Keith Pulman (Agricultural Show Organiser) John Pugh (Welsh Hill Farmer) Kirsty McLeod (Scottish Estate Secretary) Wendy Donald Snowy Jeffs (Retired Exec Imperial Tobaccos) Bill Cowell (Retired) Edmund Marriage Gavin Morris (Farmland drainage consultant) Peter Bryant (RPRA) Three other Pigeon Fanciers, names forgotten . . . and we founded the first Board of Directors when our gathering became an official Charity. At the £20,000 in funds stage, (about 3 years later) we all leaned back and let a bunch of monied, titled and Farming folk take over. It is now a nicely run, professional institution. Fanciers literally founded half of it, all stemming from a letter in the Daily Telegraph written by Snowy Jeffs. Cheers, Bill.

THE first, and original "Old Hand" was Major J. Neilson Hutton . He was succeeded by C.J. Cranthorne and SWE Bishop in turn, even Bob Archer down in Cornwall had a shot at writing some articles. SWE Bishop shouldered the burden from about late '50's onwards, and wrote regularly until late 80's. I still have a stack of his MSS that he never published. SWEB retired and handed over to me when I returned from retirement in Portugal (due to my late wife's ill health). I wrote the material under the "OH" title until 1994, and on being made redundant with a three weeks pay packet by the RPRA in December that year, refused to write any further for the "Gazette". Instead I started writing "Old Hand" articles for the Pictorial under Rick Osman, but ceased when the RPRA's then President R.Carlton signed a Writ against me for "Infringement of Copyright" since the magazine's copyright had been sold to the RPRA. I contested the case, having registered the name "Old Hand" as the recognised Trade Mark for Roy Bishop's business, "Old Hand Supplies", still in business today in Paignton, Devon. The RPRA withdrew from the case and paid my legal costs, along with their own which were considerably more than mine ! The late Steve Spinks of Blackpool wrote a few articles and Q/A pages but did not keep at it very long. The 6 "OH" books were revised in late 80's/early 90's jointly by Roy Bishop and myself. RIP "Old Hand". Bill.

Hi Wiley, Send me a book of 1st Class stamps (6) and I will send you J. Wormald's 66 page book "The Origin of the English Racing Pigeon" (100 years old) if you'ld like it. "Bilco" 15, Munday's Mead, Wincanton, Somerset. BA9 9HL.

nutverlal. Where do you live? Can you get hold of Suanovil ? (France etc). Dose one level teaspoon to 2 litres of water for five days.

mO - you suggest that Salmonella favours an alkali environment ? It flourishes between pH of 4 and 8, but if you alkalise the environment to pH of over 8, to 9, 10 or even 11, the salmonella will die rapidly. All slurry tank treatments now used on farms where slurry has to be disposed of on the land, add Carbonates to the tanks (alkali) which renders the tank content inert within 24 hours.

It is now generally accepted and acknowledged, that Bird ‘Flu (H5N1) is NOT primarily spread by migrating birds. A very few cases were linked to this source of distribution, and both the Poultry Industry and National Tourism, the major sufferers in any ensuing panic, were quick to pounce on migratory birds as the danger. It wasn’t. The danger came from the Poultry Industry’s own distribution network of chicks, carcases, the spread of manure on fields, sale of contaminated faeces to animal feed manufacturers, etc. Wild birds themselves were the victims of biosecurity lapses within the Industry’s many outlets, and fearful of the backlash from the consumer public if the truth were known, the blame was cast on them rather than let the truth be known. Migratory birds do not migrate east to west, but the trading route that follows the old “Silk Road” from China to the west, took the infection to Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, Laos, Japan, Turkey, India, Egypt, Nigeria, and Hungary, etc, to a tiny degree. Right along the commercial poultry sales routes. The backyard poultry production sources were less risky in terms of infection than the closed “biosecure” commercial poultry farms who all had contact with each other. The “isolated” outbreaks associated with wild bird passage proved to be carried by aircraft instead, in the boxes, wrappings, hands and feet of handlers, and in the chicks and poultry themselves. DEFRA now knows this, so we should look to see the draconian restrictions of 2006 lifted, or at least very much eased in the immediate future. Cheers,

Best thing you can do is to get in touch with David Parsons (Vet) and book on to one of his Microscope teaching courses (£30). He is usually full, but give it a try. Not only does he teach, and teach well, but shows you what, where and how to look properly. And he gives you photos, plus spare spatulas, cotton buds, slides in addition. You'll be surprised at who could be sitting beside you on the bench. Cheers, Bill.

Miniatures ? And here was I, hoping that history might repeat itself ! Jings !! Ach well, ah'll jist hing aboot in case . . . . . Bill.

And what did I tell you after Britain won the first International Dax race? However, I DO think we can win an International from Tarbes, or Montauban, or even Pau, with an early lib. The French central massif is a formidable obstacle for les Belges, and they well know it. Cheers, Bill.

Not bad, but you should have seen the NNA's at Haslar in 1962, Corrrrrrrr !

Mazola is Corn Oil and thus rich in carbohydrates. Ground Nut Oil is rich in B Complex vitamins and fat, excellent when rearing YBs, also has nice flavour.

Regions only confirm suspension, or not. If procedures have not been followed the suspension will be cancelled and the Club reprimanded. Don't be scared of the title "Region" - they are a bunch of lads who have a sense of justice, and who give up their own time to ensure it is followed.

What Region are you in ?

And a Happy New Year to you too Fifer. Slainte. 12 years ago Pigeonscout? In Ireland? You say overleaf "There was a man here . . ." so you obviously live in Ireland then? Ah well, pity we can't check on the small print. I'd have been interested. Gangster. Your SAE is on its way back, filled. Where you live I have many very satisfied customers, unusual you don't know about it. Try asking, like a gentleman, instead of demanding like a gangster - LOL. Happy New Year all.

Hi Tammy (Post 36). The ingredients of Xerek ARE on the package. "Mixed Carbonates". The exact percentages are not disclosed. Oddly enough, almost the same percentages of an almost identical mixture is now used in the USA Dairy Industry to cancel out Salmonellosis and E.Coli in slurry tanks, before it is used as a field dressing, to prevent infection getting into the water table, and it works 100%. If and when you get it in your loft, phone me, or send an SAE and I will send you a trial pack. That should convince you. Same goes for Gangster. Just follow the instructions. I'd be VERY interested to discover the fellow was who was apparently fined £15K, where and when. Info anyone? Cheers, Bill.

Hi Fifer, Thanks, am feeling great. Not long back from Madeira, had some sunshine, sauna, jacuzzi, swimming etc to keep me busy, met some German fanciers and we had a ball. kicking 80-y-o now and getting younger by the minute, LOL. I see Iain is still full of gall, wonder if a new year would bring him a dose of curiousity, enough to try something new instead of sitting sneering at it? On past history perhaps no, classic case of a closed mind. C'est la vie eh? Wish you a guid new year Archie, all the best. Cheers, Bill.

Now that Jeremy, is for me to know and you to find out ! And I never tell . . .

Belay my last. Just blown next week's pension and booked a hotel room for the night plus 8 days parking ! Thanks anyway, it might have been a lovely friendship ! Regards, and happy Christmas all.

Haven't been introduced, and don't know her address ! LOL.

Nope. Still hopeful, pity Colin Puddephat has gone.

Thanks Paul, and may I wish a very happy Christmastide and New Year to all 'Pigeon people' wherever you are.

I have never seen a wild bird with the snots. Fresh air is free, and nice big louvres top rear and bottom front in any loft will ensure your birds get plenty of it. Treatments if you do get it? One teaspoon of Tiamutin 12.5% in the drinker daily for five days, or a level teaspoon of Erythromycin Soluble ditto. Suanovil (from Vet Chemists in France) is excellent, it is Solubilised Spiramycin (We used to call it Rovamycin when we were allowed to buy it here), and one level teaspoon in a 2 litre drinker will have wattles sparkling white in no time, repeat two days later.

Good thinking VH. Thanks.