REGARDING the pigeon fancier flyers who arranged an event (June 28-29) to celebrate the centenary of their society, but were snookered by treacherous weather conditions, the birds being released at Nantes, France.

It was a similar situation in 1897 when the members of Blackburn Flying Club sent 160 birds to be tossed at Jersey on Saturday June 26.

But, as the weather was unfit, they were not released until 5.35am on the Monday morning.

Over the distance of 316 miles, the highest velocity achieved was 1,262 yards per minute despite the unfavourable weather. However, a pigeon owned by a Mr Bottomly, of Audley Range, arrived home at 10.49am on Wednesday morning, having been tossed at Marennes at 4am on Tuesday morning, further south than Nantes, as it competed in the West Lancashire Federation open race - a distance of 554 miles.

Its position in the race is uncertain, but it certainly achieved a record for Blackburn.

The fancy pigeon competition held in April that year by the Blackburn and District Poultry, Pigeon, Rabbit and Cat Society at the Darwen and County Arms yard in Darwen Street, was also spoiled by wretched weather conditions when it rained all day.

Meanwhile, the linnet singing contest at the Good Samaritan Inn in Greaves Street, proceeded without hitch, with several copper kettles offered as prizes.

J A MARSDEN, Scarborough Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.