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An Introduction |
| First ever Master breeder in Horseman Pouter and founder member of national Horsemen Pouter Club. Hello there, my name D'olier is French Huguenot descent with no known French connection yet. Born in Glasgow 1943 I began my life in pigeons at the early age of 6/7 from huts on top of Bomb Shelters or Waste Bin Shelters at the back of the house in the Possilpark district of North Glasgow. My uncles flew the doos in Springburn (also North Glasgow) from the 1930's to the late 50's (I was a nuisance). My first real dookit was built in our back garden in the Milton area. Also north side for 8 years I flew, captured and lost many horsemen from the many cabins(Dookits) in the large housing scheme above Possilpark. |  | ||
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| My next move was when I married at 20 years old and bought our first room/kitchen in a top flat, three storey old tenement building, there in Ayr Street, Springburn I flew the doos from window boxes (not seen much of now). | Click on the certificate for a bigger picture | ||
| The 60's were my best flying days, and my wife Jessie also helped. While I would work she would capture many a bird for me. We had a system - birds were penned up in the hall cupboard and flew from the window box at the back window. I only kept 3 or 4 pairs in those days - enough to handle while working. After 4 years we moved to a new house in Barlornocks Infamous 30 storey Red Road Flats (North side again). | |||
 Click for a larger Image | Any house I had would need to have the potential facilities for a cabin. I lived 2 up in the 30 floor block of flats and facing the block was a vast area of waste ground owned by the railway authorities - perfect for cabins (of which there were many including mine) Barmulloch, Blackhill and Robroyston were all in a 5 mile radius so it was no problem finding Horseman in those schemes' skies , providing you had the right Pouters (Hikers or Goers) that fly long distances (4-5 miles) as well as a good Bean Boy (someone who looked after your birds while you worked). The wife was made redundant after Springburn and the kids were her full time job. Due to work commitments in the early 70's I set up my own Construction Company and became successful enough to get out of the Red Road after 7 years. I moved to Kirkintilloch outside Glasgow where I started breeding with 4/5 pairs from the loft in my back garden. | ||
After a couple of years in Kirkintilloch I was tempted (business-wise) up north to the Highlands and Inverness where there was no competition for pigeon flying and plenty of room for breeding seriously , initially for mates back in Glasgow. Then in 1979-80 I started breeding to a standard, joining the N.P.A and showing my birds under the wing of the Variety Pigeon Club. In 1990 I got a club together with boys like Kevin Sparkes, Andy Nisbet, Evan Murray, Stewart and Graeme Boyd, David Kay and a few others. I then proceeded in taking the Horseman out of the variety Pigeon Club to form the National Horseman Pouter Club and then set out a new updated Standard agreed by original committee. The rest is History. Yours in Sport Jimmy D'olier | |||