CLUB NEWS
From the Autumn 2018 newsletter:
Derbyshire County Show on 24th June 2018 held at Locko Park Spondon DE7 4PQ
Harold and Brenda Baker did the Redcap Club proud at the show. Our entries had pride of place and there were large Redcap posters behind the main entrance desk. Sadly there was only three members exhibiting.
Overall there was a good variety of poultry entered and an amazing number of egg entries. The venue for the show was excellent with hot sunny weather.
The judges for the whole show were Redcap Club members Andrew Wetters and Peter Ward who stoically made their way through the large number of entries despite the sweltering conditions.
SHOW RESULTS
Poultry Club of Great Britain held on 2nd and 3rd December 2017 at Telford International Centre
Judge – Ewan Jones
Cock – 1st E. S. Hancock
Hen – 1st E. S. Hancock 2nd C. F. Taylor
Cockerel – 1st D. P. Melland (Best of Breed) 2nd E. S. Hancock
Pullet – 1st E. S. Hancock 2nd D. P. Melland
Bantam Male/Female 1st D. P. Melland (Best opposite size) 2nd C. F. Taylor 3rd C. F. Taylor
National Federation of Poultry Clubs held on 16th and 17th December 2017 at the County Showground Stafford
Judge – Howard Carson
Cock – 1st E. S. Hancock (Best of Breed)
Hen – 1st E. S. Hancock 2nd D.P. Melland
Cockerel – 1st E. S. Hancock 2nd D.P. Melland
Pullet – 1st E. S. Hancock 2nd D. Melland 3rd D.P. Melland
Bantam Male – 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Opposite Size)
2nd C. F. Taylor 3rd D.P. Melland
Bantam Female – 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd C. F. Taylor 3rd D.P. Melland
High Peak Poultry Club - The Derbyshire Championship Poultry Show (also incorporating the Derbyshire Redcap Club Show)
held on 3rd February 2018 at Bakewell Agricultural Centre
Judge – Mark Carson
Cock – 1st E. S. Hancock (Best of Breed) 2nd E. S. Hancock 3rd H. Oven
Hen – 1st C. F. Taylor (Best Opposite Sex) 2nd C.F. Taylor 3rd E. S. Hancock
Cockerel – 1st E. S. Hancock 2nd A. Morrison 3rd D. P. Melland
Pullet – 1st E. S. Hancock 2nd F. Parker 3rd A. Morrison
Bantam Cock – 1st C.F. Taylor (Best Bantam) 2nd E. S. Hancock 3rd D. P. Melland
Bantam Hen – 1st C.F. Taylor 2nd D. P. Melland 3rd D. P. Melland
One Large Egg – 1st E.S. Hancock
3 Bantam Eggs – 1st C.F. Taylor
1 Bantam Egg – 1st C. F. Taylor 2nd A.F. Wetters
DIARY DATES
Derbyshire County Show - 23rd June 2019 - held at The Showground, Borrowash Road, Elvaston, Derby DE72 3EP https://derbyshirecountyshow.org.uk
Redcap Club AGM The George Hotel, Alport Lane, Youlgrave, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1UW – 15th October 2019 at 7.30pm
Poultry Club of Great Britain Show - 30th November and 1st December 2019 - held at Telford International Centre, St Quentin Gate, Telford TF3 4JH
National Federation of Poultry Clubs Show - 21st and 22nd December 2019 - held at The County Showground, Stafford, ST18 0BD
High Peak Poultry Club’s Derbyshire Championship Poultry Show (Club Show) - 1st February 2020 – held at The Bakewell Agricultural Centre, Bakewell, Derbyshire. DE45 1EH
FROM THE ARCHIVES:
Redcap Story of Yesteryear by Audrey
In October 1995 I had a phone call, asking if I could take my Redcaps to work on a film set at Haddon Hall. "Jayne Eyre" was being directed by Franco Zefferelli, with William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsborg starring. I quite thought it was a wind-up, so said I would consider the offer. However, Wayne rang back in an hour and I agreed to go. I took a cockerel and six hens. We were on call for three weeks and actually worked for seven days. I took three geese as well. We had to be on Haddon Hall car park at 8am and on arrival had enormous bacon butties and mugs of coffee.
Lunches were delicious. We all ate together - Zefferelli, the stars and the poultry lady. On the first day Zeff. said he wanted the chickens there and pointed and the geese there. I said "of course", then frantically threw corn and they miraculously went to their places. I was reluctant to go inside for lunch and leave the Redcaps in the grounds but Wayne assured me they would be fine. When we came out the Head Gardener was threatening all sorts of things if someone didn't get them out of his garden as soil and plants were flying in all directions.
Catching them to go home was quite a problem. One afternoon they went into a stable that had been dressed to be filmed. I went to catch them an hour later and we were in real trouble, straw and hay was everywhere. They behaved well for filming until Jane was running away. She was waiting for the stagecoach and they were gathered round eating corn. Jane went into the stagecoach, William came running. I got them all back round again because next William had to gallop through on a horse. Redcaps and geese took off and they were all circling round above us. Zefferelli said it was too dangerous for the stars - the birds flying! I eventually found the Redcaps and put them into the trailer, but one goose was missing, last seen heading for Darley Dale.
William Hurt was living at Darley Dale and came to tell me he had seen the goose down by the river. Wayne, some helpers and I drove down towards Darley Dale. We could see the goose, so parked and ran across the field. We couldn't catch her. When we arrived back at the cars, a policeman on a motorbike was waiting with parking tickets. Wayne tried to explain we were trying to catch a very valuable bird. The exchanges got very heated, I could see a police cell looming fast. However later, a very contrite letter got me off the hook.
Three weeks later six of us went along and we caught her. Magnus, who played rugby for the county; grabbed her as she was trying to take off. The world premiere of the film was at Matlock Redcaps appeared briefly twice in the film but on the video they had been cut out altogether. It was a wonderful experience.
FOOTNOTE: Sadly Audrey Dawson passed away on the 22nd October 2018. She was a stalwart member of the club for many years. She will be remembered as presenting the club with the 'Audrey Dawson Rosebowl' awarded annually for the 'Best Redcap' at the Poultry Club of Great Britain show (PCGB - Telford).
(Last updated 16 Mar 2019)