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more on Controversy rages over Churchill parrot story! <EOF>
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 16:07:45 -0500
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2430458 pa<http://news.scotsman.com/javascript:void(0);>print <http://news.scotsman.com/javascript:void(0);>
[] Tue 20 Jan 2004 12:19pm (UK) Mystery Deepens over 'Churchill's Parrot' By John Bingham, PA NewsThe mystery of whether a foul-mouthed 104-year-old parrot really was wartime prime minister Winston Churchills feathered friend deepened today as experts threw doubt on the claims.
Charlie, a blue and yellow macaw thought by his owner to be the oldest bird in Britain, has long since retired from public life and is living out his days in a garden centre in Reigate, Surrey.
His owner, Peter Oram, claims his father-in-law Percy Dabner sold Charlie to the future war leader at his Croydon pet shop in 1937 and later took the bird back after Sir Winstons death in 1965.
He says Charlie may have picked up his repertoire of swear words from the wartime leader, who was voted the Greatest Briton in a BBC poll last year.
But the Churchill family has questioned the story and experts doubt whether or not the former prime minister, ever owned a parrot.
Staff at Chartwell, Churchills country home in Kent now run by the National Trust, have conducted painstaking search of records and photographs without finding evidence that he even owned a parrot.
Judith Seaward, marketing manager at Chartwell, said: We really looked and looked and know he had a budgerigar and all sorts of other animals.
He loved animals, he had dogs, cats, pigs but theres no record of a parrot.We have searched what weve got here and spoken to members of the family who I really would have thought would have known.
We do have an insight into the personal side, the more domestic side, and cant find any record of a parrot.
Sylvia Martin, nursery manager at Heathfield Nurseries, where Charlie is spending his retirement, defended his claim to wartime valour.
She said: He definitely did belong to Churchill.My boss Peter Orams father-in-law sold the parrot to Churchill and when he died they were asked to go back to Chartwell and collect the birds and brought them away.
He had him from 1937 to 1965. When he died they were asked to go and collect some birds and Charlie was one of them.
Charlie then spent time at the familys Croydon pet shop before retiring to Mr Orams nursery in Reigate.
Mrs Martin added: He did used to swear but since hes come to us hes a lot more educated.
He doesnt swear I havent heard him swear but Peter says he swears, his vocabulary isnt very extensive.
Mr Orams son Mark, who still runs Dabners pet shop in Croydon, testified to Charlies foul mouth.
Its mostly Whats my name? Whats your name? hell say Mark, hell say Peter, but he certainly does swear, he knows several swear words.
Mr Oram junior would not be drawn on whether the parrot once belonged to Churchill, saying he was not old enough to remember his grandfather.
My dad had him before I was born. Weve had him ever since I can remember, he said.
Whether or not Charlie really did play a part in the war effort, his Dunkirk spirit is not in doubt.
Mr Oram said: A long time ago we had a break-in at the Croydon shop, they broke all the fish tanks and were trying to kill all the animals.
They plucked him and stabbed him. He was in the vets and at home for about a year.
Literally, he was lying on the floor when they came in, I was very young at the time. Obviously he was in quite a state and we had him home for quite a long time before he went back to the shop.
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- more on Controversy rages over Churchill parrot story! <EOF> Dave Farber (Jan 21)