Solway Federation Dumfries Part 2

[sapper756]

Dumfries Part2
Another superb fancier who competed into Dumfries was Alex Maxwell. Alex was reared in Dalbeattie and joined the local Club in 1937 as a schoolboy. In 1940, he enlisted for National Service and was for a time stationed at R.A.F. Kinloss where he worked as an Air Frame Mechanic on operational aircraft. Whilst in North East Scotland he met his good lady and married in 1942. He was demobbed in 1945 and residing at Forres immediately re-started in the Fancy, competing in Elgin Club. One prominent Elgin fancier of the time was Sandy Mutch and he and Alex became close friends. Although several experienced local fanciers kept fancy pigeons, there was no Club in Forres; nevertheless, younger fanciers were emerging in the community who kept racing pigeons and in time a Club was formed with Alex being appointed Secretary. Whilst he participated with the Club, he chose to send his primary pigeons with Elgin as the new Club comprised inexperienced fanciers and he didn’t want to discourage them. Whilst resident at Forres, he worked as a joiner but being from a farming background, moved to Huntly in 1949 to manage a farm. He took pigeons with him to his new address but after several months, decided to part with them due to time constraints. He subsequently moved once more to Bucksburn where he took up a position with the North of Scotland College of Agriculture and at the new address raced in the local Club for several years, winning more than his share. When he resided at Bucksburn, he was one of the instigators in the formation of the Bucksburn Northern Fed. along with Bert McKenzie and George Gillan. He then relocated to Fife to manage a smallholding near Dunfermline and on moving residence, took three pairs of pigeons with him, which were initially housed in the farm steading. In time up went a loft and he joined Rosyth Club. Again he was one of the top fanciers, in one season timing the only bird of the day from Selby, the longest YB race and winning the YB Average. The Club disbanded with the former members joining Dunfermline Club and once again Alex was one of the leading prize winners. Dunfermline Club competed with West Fife Fed., in one season he was runner-up for the Fed. Average and the following season won the Averages. West Fife Fed. then disbanded with Dunfermline Club arranging to be convoyed by Charlie Graham’s Fed. across the Forth. My understanding is that the Club was not part of the Fed. and when Charlie prepared his Fed. result he listed Fife pigeons separately. On two occasions Alex had birds record velocities to head the entire result. In 1964 he and Mrs. Maxwell were on the move once more returning to the South of Scotland to manage a farm at Beeswing, midway between Dalbeattie and Dumfries. He took several pigeons with him to his new address but was initially unable to race them as he was outwith the
radius of a Club. In 1967, however, the members of Dumfries Flying Club opened their radius to enable him to join and whilst he was flying to a disadvantageous loft location, he soon made his mark. During his first season in the Club he twice timed the first arrival into Dumfries but was beaten on overfly. During his first season also he was 2nd West Section 8th Open Solway Federation from the Fed. Open race from Avranches. He subsequently moved into Dumfries and the success story continued, year after year. I must say also that whilst resident in Dumfries he chose on several occasions to part with his pigeons and move to Australia, to be near a family member but the call of home always brought him back to Dumfries. Each time he returned he would literally ‘gather up’ a handful of pigeons and within months was back again winning out of turn. He was without question a truly superb pigeon fancier.
Alex Maxwell and loft