The King of Rome was a successful
racing pigeon
Pigeon racing is the sport of releasing specially trained homing pigeons, which then return to their homes over a carefully measured distance. The time it takes the animal to cover the specified distance is measured and the bird's rate of trave ...
, winning a race from
Rome, Italy, to England, in 1913. Bred and trained in England, it was owned by Charlie Hudson of
Derby. It set a new long-distance record for a racing pigeon of England.
The King of Rome is the subject of a 1988 song and a 2010 children's book, both by
Dave Sudbury Dave may refer to:
Film, television, and theater
* ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver
* ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film
* Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
. The best-known of the several recordings of the song is by
June Tabor. In 2013 a radio play by Anthony Atkin and Allison Glossop was broadcast to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the pigeon's record-breaking flight.
The bird
The King of Rome was a
racing pigeon
Pigeon racing is the sport of releasing specially trained homing pigeons, which then return to their homes over a carefully measured distance. The time it takes the animal to cover the specified distance is measured and the bird's rate of trave ...
that in 1913 won a race from
Rome, Italy to England. The bird, a blue cock,
ring number NU1907DY168,
was owned,
bred and trained by
Charlie Hudson (born early 1870s, died 13 March 1958, aged 84
), of 56 Brook Street,
Derby (now demolished, ). He reportedly started pigeon racing in 1904.
At the time of the race, he was president and treasurer of Derby Town Flying Club.
He also wrote on pigeon-racing matters for the ''
Derby Evening Telegraph''.
On the bird's death, Hudson presented its body to
Derby Museum and Art Gallery
Derby Museum and Art Gallery is a museum and art gallery in Derby, England. It was established in 1879, along with Derby Central Library, in a new building designed by Richard Knill Freeman and given to Derby by Michael Thomas Bass. The collect ...
, where its
taxidermied
Taxidermy is the art of preserving an animal's body via mounting (over an armature) or stuffing, for the purpose of display or study. Animals are often, but not always, portrayed in a lifelike state. The word ''taxidermy'' describes the proc ...
skin is preserved (accession number DBYMU.1946/48). As of 2012, it is on display there.
The preserved pigeon has previously been exhibited on loan elsewhere, including
Walsall Museum
Walsall Museum was a small, local history museum located in the centre of Walsall in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands. The holdings of Walsall Museum ranged from seventeenth-century firemarks to twenty-first century posters. There was al ...
and
Wollaton Hall in Nottingham.
The race report
The 2 August 1913 edition of ''
The Racing Pigeon
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' reported:
Representation in other media
Dave Sudbury Dave may refer to:
Film, television, and theater
* ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver
* ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film
* Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
(born Derby, 1943) wrote a song in the 1980s about the King of Rome and its owner, Charlie Hudson.
It tells how:
indicating the dangers related to the pigeons' races.
The song was most notably recorded by
June Tabor in 1988.
She had heard Sudbury perform the song at the Northern Arts Council's 'Songsearch' contest
in the late 1980s, where she was a judge.
Hudson came in fourth.
[Sleeve notes, ]Iain MacKintosh
Iain MacKintosh (20 July 1932 – 28 August 2006, Glasgow, Scotland) was a Scottish singer and songwriter.
Early life
MacKintosh' father was from the Outer Hebrides, a watchmaker and goldsmith who owned a pawnshop in Glasgow; his mother came ...
& Brian McNeill
Brian McNeill (born 6 April 1950, Falkirk, Scotland) is a Scottish folk multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and musical director. He was a founding member of Battlefield Band which combined traditional Celtic melodies and new m ...
, ''Live and Kicking'', 2000 Brian McNeill
Brian McNeill (born 6 April 1950, Falkirk, Scotland) is a Scottish folk multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and musical director. He was a founding member of Battlefield Band which combined traditional Celtic melodies and new m ...
, 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."
Tabor then recorded it for her 1988 album ''
Aqaba''. McNeill also has performed the song. He made a live recording included on his 2000 album with
Iain MacKintosh
Iain MacKintosh (20 July 1932 – 28 August 2006, Glasgow, Scotland) was a Scottish singer and songwriter.
Early life
MacKintosh' father was from the Outer Hebrides, a watchmaker and goldsmith who owned a pawnshop in Glasgow; his mother came ...
, ''Live and Kicking''.
American folksinger
Vance Gilbert
Vance Gilbert (born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States) is an American folk singer-songwriter. He started as a jazz singer, switched to folk music, became a regular on the open mike circuit in Boston and toured with Shawn Colvin. He h ...
recorded the song 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
Half Man Half Biscuit are an English rock band, formed in 1984 in Birkenhead, Merseyside. Known for their satirical, sardonic, and sometimes surreal songs, the band comprises lead singer and guitarist Nigel Blackwell, bassist and singer Neil Cr ...
also recorded a version of the song for a BBC radio session, though it remains unreleased.
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 Unthanks with Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band'', the sixth album by English folk group the Unthanks, was released on 30 July 2012. Its extended title is: ''Diversions, Vol. 2: The Unthanks with Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band''. Reco ...
''.
Sudbury's song was also published as a 32-page children's book (2010), with illustrations by Hans Saefkow.
Anthony Atkin and Allison Glossop wrote a radio drama, ''The King of Rome'' (2013), to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the bird's win.
The production starred Wayne Russell as Charlie Hudson, and a recording is available online.
Tributes
On 29 October 2022 a plaque was unveiled inside the Maypole Inn, Brook Street, Derby, in tribute to Charles Hudson, The King of Rome and Dave Sudbury, after a campaign initiated by historian and former teacher Kalwinder Singh Dhindsa.
See also
*
List of individual birds
References
External links
Natural History treasure – The King of RomeThe King of RomeInterview: Dave Sudbury – "The King of Rome" Folk Radio
Media
*
*
*, broadcast live at 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
Anthony Atkin and Allison Glossop – The King of Rome– Radio Drama
{{DEFAULTSORT:King Of Rome
Collections of Derby Museum and Art Gallery
Pigeon racing
English folk songs
Individual domesticated pigeons
1913 in Europe
Individual animals in sport
Individual animals in England