Home | Site MapTom Auchterlonie
of
St.Andrews
Tom Auchterlonie, well known as a maker of golf clubs was also the breeder largely responsible for saving the Scotch Fancy Canary from extinction.
The Scotch Fancy, once the most popular exhibtion canary in the UK, went into a period of constant decline in the years following the 1st World War.
By the outbreak of the 2nd World War its survival was becoming precarious. Due to the difficulties of obtaining bird seed during that period many breeders of all varieties had to dispose of their birds or restrict their breeding. As a consequence of this and the decline in their popularity very few Scotch Fancies survived the war years.
Fortunately many of those birds were in the hands of Mr.Auchterlonie a fancier who had a lifetime interest in the variety. There were of course other breeders who had a hand in keeping the breed alive in those days but for very many years it seemed as though he was the only breeder keeping the breed from extinction.
My first contact with Mr.Auchterlonie was when he was in his late 70's. By his early 80's he was finding it increasingly difficult to continue their breeding and was keen to hand them over to someone interested in keeping the breed alive. So it was that I journeyed to St.Andrews to take home the few Scotch Fancies still survivng. It is from those birds and their descendants that most, if not all, of today's Scotch Fancies are descended.
It is now more than 40 years since Tom Auchterlonie passed away but he will always be recognised as the breeder mainly responsible for saving the Scotch Fancy from extinction and will always be remembered by those of us with a fondness for that famous bird o'circle, the Scotch Fancy Canary - Glasgow's Famous Canary
Wil.Cummings
