FRANS PUTTERIE (October 1880 – May 1958)

FRANS PUTTERIE (October 1880 – May 1958)
With the 2017 racing season completed, breeding done and Christmas and the New Year upon us, let us enjoy some trivia that has had a huge influence on pigeon racing in South Africa. Let us reflect on the month of October.
The month of October is quite an important month in the history of Frans Putterie and therefore I think it is fitting to record a few details of the important role that he played in the development of Pigeon Racing in South Africa.
Adrianus Franciscus Putterie was born on the 28th October 1880 in Antwerp Belgium. He was a twin and from a family of 8 children. In October 1939 Frans Putterie and his wife Louise moved from Kimberley to Johannesburg and stayed in a flat in Jeppe Street Johannesburg. At that time Jack Waddington offered to look after the birds. Frans Putterie’s first round of babies was hatched in October 1940 so at today’s date that would be 77 years ago. Frans Putterie later rented a house in Abbotswold Road in Saxonwold Johannesburg and the Putterie birds were bred in all earnest. In 1941 he joined the Northern Districts Club. In 1942 he started to race in the same club where he made an indelible stamp on the future of pigeon racing in South Africa, the following results speak for themselves:
The first time he raced in the TRPF, he participated in a total of 14 races. From 100 miles on the first race to 500 miles which was the Hutchinson Championship Race.
Out of the 14 races, he scored in the CLUB 12 firsts, 7 seconds, 3 thirds and 2 fourths. and in the FEDERATION 4 firsts, 6 seconds and 2 fourths.
From the above results, the writing was on the wall, there was a Putterie explosion, and quickly a few prominent fanciers clicked on and managed to buy birds. These fanciers to mention a few were, C. Kerstens also a Belgium friend of Frans Putterie, Lew Holbert, Fred Parsons, George Sole, Monty van den Burg, Shiny van Rensburg, Andrew van Jaarsveld, Dave Sterling, Chris Scott, Jack Laidlaw, Dave Feldman, W. Zachau, Ted O’Connor, Sonny Kippen ( his nickname , Bow Tie ). Later on, there were many top fanciers who invested in the Putterie birds, to mention a few, A.G. Lamb, Cliff Walter, Maurice Adler, Ronnie Lobley, Ronnie Croxford, Koot Le Grange, Silas Willas, Bob Bower, Dr Kritzinger and Willie van der Skyf. Maurice Adler and Mike Rissi were schoolboys when they became big fans of the Putteries and Maurice Adler became one of Frans Putterie’s loft assistants, then staying at 52 Urania Street, Observatory. Gigi and Raymond Gaddin helped as schoolboys, clean the lofts and were rewarded with a few eggs and babies. As history has taught us the Putterie Pigeons have been the cornerstone of hundreds of pigeon lofts throughout South Africa and are still popular today.
 
What can be seen in the collage of pictures:
Frans Putterie (Urania Street, Observatory).
The Lady Dudley Cock TRPF 475-43. “the Star Of Our Show“. (475 was finally put to rest in Sonny Kippen’s loft at age 21 by Bill Morkel, with a lot of wet eyes around.)
The Original Ring Cards Of the first Original Imported birds, the “Old Putteries “, 12 birds were imported.
The Ring Of the 6509008/37, known as the “Boer” in the Putterie story.
Frans Putterie Medal award as National Champion “Scaldis” Club of the Noordebond and also the “Verbroedering “Club.