The King of Rome

This article is about the pigeon. For the Roman magistrate, see King of Rome.
The King of Rome

The preserved bird in Derby Museum
Species Columba livia f. domestica
Breed Racing pigeon
Sex Cock
Born Derby, England
Resting place Derby Museum and Art Gallery
Known for
  • Long-distance race winner
  • Subject of song
Owner Charlie Hudson
Appearance Blue Cock
Named after Rome-England bird race

The King of Rome was a successful racing pigeon, winning a 1,001-mile (1,611 km) race from Rome, Italy to England, in 1913. It was the subject of a song and book, both by Dave Sudbury, and a radio play. The song's best-known version was recorded by June Tabor.[1]

The bird

The King of Rome was a racing pigeon that won a 1,001-mile (1,611 km) race from Rome, Italy to England, in 1913. The bird, a blue cock,[2] ring number NU1907DY168,[3] was owned[1] and bred[2] by Charlie Hudson (born early 1870s, died 13 March 1958 aged 84[3]), of 56 Brook Street, Derby (now demolished, 52°55′35″N 1°29′08″W / 52.9265°N 1.4855°W / 52.9265; -1.4855), who was reported as having started pigeon racing in 1904.[1] At the time of the race, he was president and treasurer of Derby Town Flying Club.[1] He also wrote on pigeon-racing matters for the Derby Evening Telegraph.[4] On the bird's death he presented its body to Derby Museum and Art Gallery where its taxidermied skin is preserved with accession number DBYMU.1946/48. As of 2011, it is on display,[5] and has previously been exhibited on loan elsewhere, including Walsall Museum and Wollaton Hall in Nottingham.[4]

The race report

"Mr C. H. Hudson, of Derby, is to be congratulated on having notified an arrival in Rome race Tuesday last. The bird has proved itself capable of great endurances and of suffering much fatigue, and possessing wonderful staying power to make its way back from Rome to Derby. Up till Tuesday evening out of the 1200 birds sent by Belgian fanciers, 62 birds had been notified. The percentage as a rule that get back of birds sent to Rome by Belgian fanciers works out on average at 7 per cent, so that there are hopes yet that there will be some more English birds home. At any rate, the distance has been accomplished eclipsing all past long-distance records in the United Kingdom. When it was sent to Rome it was rung as NU1907DY168."[2]

The song

Sudbury with his subject, in 2012. The exhibit label includes a QRpedia QR code.
"The King of Rome"
Song by June Tabor from the album Aqaba
Released 1988 (1988)
Genre Folk
Label Topic
Composer(s) Dave Sudbury
Language English
Producer(s) Andrew Cronshaw

The King of Rome and its owner were the subject of a song and book by Dave Sudbury (born Derby, 1943[6]). It tells how:

On the day of the big race a storm blew in

A thousand birds were swept away and never seen again[5]

indicating the dangers related to the bird's races.

The song was most notably recorded by June Tabor.[1] After hearing Sudbury perform the song at the Northern Arts Council's 'Songsearch' contest[6] in the late 1980s, where she was a judge[6] (he came fourth[7]), Tabor recorded it for her 1988 album Aqaba. Brian McNeill, another finalist at the event, has said:

"The King of Rome" was head and shoulders above every other song sung on the night, and should have won.[7]

McNeill has subsequently performed the song, and a live recording is available on his 2000 album with Iain MacKintosh, Live and Kicking.[7]

American folksinger Vance Gilbert recorded it for his 1994 album Edgewise and Canadian folk musician Garnet Rogers recorded it for his album Small Victories (1990) and again on his live album Summer Lightning (2004). The band Half Man Half Biscuit also recorded a version of the song for a BBC radio session, though it remains unreleased.[8] At the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2012, The Unthanks performed the song, with accompaniment from the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band. It appears on the 2012 album The Unthanks with Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band.

The book

Sudbury's lyrics have been reproduced as a 32-page book, with illustrations by Hans Saefkow.[9]

Radio drama

A radio drama The King of Rome[10] was written in 2013 by Anthony Atkin and Allison Glossop to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the bird's win. A recording is available online.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Museum plea on pigeon". Derby Evening Telegraph. 2001-09-25.
  2. 1 2 3 "Rome Race". The Racing Pigeon: 139. 1913-08-02.
  3. 1 2 Savage, Andy. "The King of Rome - Charles Hudsons famous Pigeon from the West end of Derby.". Derby Photos. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  4. 1 2 "Legend of the stuffed superstar". Derby Evening Telegraph. 1996-12-09.
  5. 1 2 "Natural History treasure - The King of Rome". Derby City Council. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  6. 1 2 3 "Interview: Dave Sudbury – The King of Rome". Folk Radio UK. 2012-04-27. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 Sleeve notes, Iain MacKintosh & Brian McNeill, Live and Kicking, 2000
  8. ↑ "HMHB: Unreleased Tracks from Radio Sessions". Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  9. ↑ Sudbury, Dave; Saefkow, Hans (2010). The King of Rome. Simply Read Books. ISBN 978-1-894965-94-1.
  10. 1 2 "The King of Rome". Cornucopia Radio. Retrieved 2014-05-19.

Media

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