Alf Darbyshire

Fanciers who always associate William Chadwick with the famous trio, 7, 11, and 11A, little know that on seeing them for the first time, he flatly refused to have anything to do with them.  Alf Darbyshire tells his story this way.  Hansenne, by arrangement, sent a batch of five week old squeakers, which had a rough crossing over the channel.  When they eventually arrived on this side, they looked a very sorry lot indeed.  Darbyshire had, however, informed his friends that these birds would be on view and for sale on a certain day.  With the rough crossing and other delays, he had to pen them immediately on arrival. 


When Chadwick saw them, he was very indignant at having made a long journey from Blackburn to see what he termed "such trash."  After a great deal of persuasion from Darbyshire, however, and not before he told the latter that "they will do neither thee nor Hansenne and good" Chadwick agreed to take the above three birds for, if they remember correctly, around ten guiness.  Later, he brought together fifteen hen from H.J. Longton of Earlstown.  Thus were bought together four birds destined to produce more winners than any other quartet of birds ever to come out of Belgium.

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