More About the Flying Shuffle
(Internet Published) Jun 2000
When Sheffield, in the county of Yorkshire England was the Mecca of Tippler
flying, the attitudes of the men involved are of Tippler historical
interest. A city, with a population of about a half million. Between 1850 &
1950 an ugly city. A dirty industrial city. "The steel town" and the smoke
and air pollution was terrible. A hundred men flew tipplers, within the city
limits.
Often, one would see adverts for sales with the exclusion that "no birds
would be sold locally." The reasons were that such pigeons sold locally
could return to their original loft at a most inconvenient time and cause a
disqualification. Otherwise a man may not wish to be competing with his own
birds.
Nevertheless, the exchange of Tipplers took place between the best tippler
men of Sheffield. For example, a kit that had failed or defected in one area
of Sheffield could often be rehabilitated or re-located in another district
of Sheffield and flown with remarkable success. Such relocated Tipplers
after initial recovery and settling would, so often, develop a style of
flying that was never seen in the original location.
Such re-located kits would fly between the air spaces of their present loft,
their original loft and a distance of, often 1 mile to 5 miles.
Examples, a kit relocated by me from Ken Brown 1958 were regularly seen over
the loft of Ken Brown a distance of 5 miles, but once rehabilitated at my
loft, they never dropped at Ken's loft. In 1995 a kit given to Richard
Cottrill by Brian White were regularly seen over the loft of Brian White "IN
CONTEST" a distance of 4 miles.
The sky between two locations creates a style of flying that would seldom
occur with kits settled at one location. Usually Tipplers drift in several
directions. In 1917 a case came before the tribunal. A shuttle kit was
reported to have been dropping at its original location at Ranskill Road,
Tinsley, Sheffield at regular intervals there to take a little water and
seed. The timer was a certain Mr. Jack Thompson also a distinguished
Tipplerman who indeed never suspected misdemeanour. The case would never
have come to light but for the notice of an 80-year old woman who had sized
up the situation and seen fit to inform against the transgression. Such was
the general public interest and involvement in those distant days. The
tribunal of five men was supervised by Mr. Ben Stamp--overall president of 4
local clubs. A giant man, said to have diabolical strength--proclaimed that
the offender was guilty and must be cast from the sport.
Then spake our respected Ben Stamp. He rose, looked all around at the
meeting and said, "This here situation is a disgrace, it is no fault of our
learned friend Mr. Thompson that this here deameanor took place. This here
caper was planned. As an example to all men who have similar ideas, we
proclaim that the offender be banned from our sport." And the assembly
unanimously shouted "Aye Aye".
Such was the order in those days. Today we have apathy of the most
despicable of vices. It would not have done for Ben Stamp.