CHICKENS OF
ORPINGTON
( Fowl things in Orpington )

William Cook and Family.

The breed of fowl was founded by William Cook. William Cook himself was born (1) in St Neots, Huntingdon, England in 1849 in 1863, at the age of 14 he started work as a coachman in Chislehurst, Kent but soon developed an interest in poultry on a neighbours farm.

 

In 1886 he is known (2) have been breeding chickens at Tower House, Orpington, Kent, with his wife Jane, this property eventually became the Presbytery of Holy Innocents R C Church in Sevenoaks Road. In 1890 William moved to Walden's Manor which he renamed as 'Orpington House', with his wife three sons and two daughters. The business of William Cook and Sons continued to grow and in this year he also opened London office at Queens Yard, 105 Borough London S E. By 1890 the farm at Orpington House was being run by his eldest child Elizabeth Jane. She was assisted by her brother and sister and she became as expert in poultry raising as her father.

 

In addition to the breeding of poultry he also spent a great deal of time in publishing the' Poultry Journal' Travelling, giving lectures and selling his 'Poultry Keeper's Account Book. He also made an intensive study of diseases in poultry sold medicines poultry food and fattening powder.

 

In1886 William Cook bred the first of many Orpington's, the BLACK(3), both a single comb and rose comb ( produced rather small eggs for it's size ) These birds where introduced into various Dairy shows and won much acclaim. In 1888 they were given their own classification. These birds where eventually exported to Australia where they did very well and in the course of time re-imported under the name of the import company Australorps Farms Ltd.(4)

 

There seems to be some doubt as to which bird came next but  it may have been the WHITE in either 1887 or 1889.  Definitely, the well known BUFF made its appearance at the 1894 Dairy Show, it was an instant success.(5) The rose combed variety appeared in 1891.

 

1897 saw the introduction of the introduction of the JUBILEE which was named after the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, she accepted a pen of these birds.(6) This year also saw William Cook's eldest son, William Henry, buy Elm Cottage (now Elmdene, 51 Derry Downs, St Mary Cray ) at a cost of £780 which he borrowed from his father, the conveyance took place on 30th June 1897

 

By 1900 a family argument appears to have developed, quite possibly over the non payment of the debt. There is a record of an indenture for  £260 at 5% on 4th May 1900 form Catherine Mary Cook wife of William Henry. It would appear that William Henry is trading as a poultry farmer in competition and acrimony with his fathers business.(7)

 

The SPANGLED made its appearance in 1990

 

In 1902 William Cook was awarded the Poultry Club medal, which was a great honour. His business thrived with poultry farms in both South Africa and the USA. He made visits two both countries although he was not a well man. In 1903 Mrs William Cook snr was visiting her son William Henry when there was a gas explosion and she was killed. This further soared relations between William Henry and the rest of the family.

 

1904 saw William return from America, he was unwell and went for a brief holiday to Skegness, he was taken ill on the day after his arrival and died from emphysema and                       He was buried with his wife in Star Lane Cemetery, St Mary Cray William Henry as not left anything in his fathers will, later that year he sold Elmdale, possibly to settle the estate and pay off the dept, in the transfer he describes his address as "The Model Poultry Farm, St Paul's Cray". This may well be the land now known as Grays Farm (8)The daughter carried on the business of William Cook and Sons at Orpington House having bought out the other brothers and sisters. She continued much of her fathers work and in 1907 produced the CUCKOO and the BLUE. In 1911 the RED was also introduced.

 

In the period of about 1900 to 1921 three varieties of duck were also developed, these were BUFF. BLUE and CHOCOLATE.

 

William Henry moved in 1911 to Tubbenden Lane where he ran a business called W H Cook Ltd., this continued until he retired in 1947, the land was then developed and became Maxwell Gardens. He had travelled extensively selling his birds all over the world. His sister Elizabeth Jane ( now Mrs R Wakeman Clarke ) continued to run William Cook and Sons until 1933 exporting birds all over the world, even using the new airlines.

 

In 1933 tragedy again struck the Cook family when Elizabeth Jane was knocked down and killed in Bromley High Street.

 

William Cook was dissatisfied with the methods of raising and breeding poultry which were often kept in poor infested condition. He pointed out that the 'old selfish breeders kept all the information to themselves, but that a new race of more generous men and women have stepped into their places. (9) "One condition, however , I found governed all the rest and that was, if poultry were to be made profitable only good birds must be kept. (P33)

 

He also considered the appearance of the bird and the colour of the egg. Some people believed that brown eggs were better, although there is absolutely no evidence for this. (10)

 

In his researches he considered stock from many parts of the world, such as Plymouth Rock which originated from China, but his mane consideration was for birds from France and America.(e.g. White Leghorns Pile Leghorns and Duck Wing Leghorns)  (P42/43)

 

After due consideration William Cook set about to produce the Orpington, which was to combine grand laying results with fine table qualities. He was also concerned about the amount of money spent on imports. In 1894 the amount of money spent on imports of eggs was £3 687 069 to foreign countries (Blue Book) and £3 786 329 worth of eggs to British Possessions making a total of £7 473 398 leaving the country. Also imports of poultry of £479 737 to foreign counties and £1 147 to British Possessions (P45) William considered, 'that as a nation, we are not very good as poultry keepers' and quotes various figures amongst  which are that in 1890 £1 270 092 worth of egg imported from France (P47). He states (P47) that 'the aim of good management ought to be to keep fowls for eggs and for killing'. He further states that his 'great ambition is to help my struggling fellow country man to reap the benefit of the large amount of money which are going out into the homes villages and towns of continental peoples. (P55)

 

After the BLACKS which he kept improving until 1896 came arguably the best but certainly at that time the most popular BUFF ORPINGTON, the symbol of ORPINGTON RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB, like its players the bird is big bodied, good laying bird, healthy, vigorous and active.

 

Description of the Birds

 

BLACK: William Cook wrote in the Fanciers Gazette that he crossed Minorcas. Plymouth Rock and Langshans to create the Black Orpington.

 

 

Black Minorca                     Black Plymouth Rock

 

 

 

 


Clean - legged Langshan                                                                        (11)

 

 

 

 

                 Black Orpington

They were first shown at the Crystal palace in 1886 and by 1889 had their own class, when William Cook won the cup for his pullet. They were good winter layers of brown eggs and excellent table birds. They where easy to breed and grew fast. Their show career resulted in their appearance being altered, they were chosen for plumage and lack of visible shanks, this resulted in them becoming lethargic and unfertile. The BLACK made something of a come back in the International Show winning the cup for the best female in 1969, the same year as the famous ORPINGTON RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB was founded.

 

WHITE:

They are smaller than the black and also have a different shape They never achieved the popularity of the blacks or the price. Mr E Campbell writing in the Feathered World Year Book "A white Orpington should posses only two colours, white and red. White feathers, white legs and feet; red comb.

They lay between 160 and 180 eggs per bird per year, they are brown or tinted.

BUFF: A bid like many of the others who are both good layers and table birds, it has also done very well in exhibitions. It's chief points are that it should be low in leg, have a broad and short back. The colour should be rich, soft, mellow shade of golden buff free from red, as even as possible from the tail. The legs should be pure white and free from feathers.

 

The male should weigh between 7 and 10 pounds and have an upright comb, the female will lay a yearly average of 167 eggs.

The Buff Orpington Club was founded in 1898 and helped to make  this bird very popular and in fact H M Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother is the Patron of the Club.

 

Gold Spangled Hamburgh                                                Buff Cochin

 

 


      

                                                                        Dark Dorking

 

 

Buff Cochin

 

 

 

                 Buff Orpington

 

BLUE:

Developed before the First World War which was a limiting factor preventing them becoming very popular. They appear to have been developed from selected breeding of Black, White and Cuckoo with a little Spangled. They are good table birds and good layers in the winter producing a brown egg.

 

 

 

 

Others:

Along the way a few other Orpington birds seem to have been developed, some like the Jubilee by William Cook himself and others quite possibly by his daughter. The record becomes a little patchy.

 

 

                          

Jubilee Hen                         Hen & Cock Cuckoo                     
                   

 

Hen & Cock Red                                  Spangled Cock                

                                               

      

                                                       

Cock and Hen Partridge                   Hen and Cock Ermine  

 

 

AUSTRALORP:

The Australorp  was developed from the BLACK which was exported to Australia by William Cook. The first Orpington's to leave England where a consignment of Blacks in 1890. They became very successful, for instance a hen named "Kismit Dot laid 342 eggs in fifty - one weeks in 1922/23 at the Papanui Test. When the Australorp was returned to England the Poultry Club refused to recognise it as a separate breed in 1923, claiming that it was a branch of Black. The Black became known as the Austral Orpington and finally the Australorp after the name of the company that exported it.

 

In Australia the Black was bred with the Australian Lanshans There was considerable disagreement amongst the states in Australia and it was not until 1949 that an Australian standard was adopted. It has proved to be a very good show bird having won many awards. It is generally a quiet bird.

 

 

 

 

 Bantams etc.. There has not been enough time to investigate these but most breeds of the Orpington Family have been bantamized. There was probably a great deal of work carried out in the United States of America but the Americans don't want to talk about it.

 

DUCKS:

William Cook did carry out work on ducks but little documentation would appear to be available. Writing in the 1910 A C Gilbert Hon. Secretary in the Feathered World describes the origin of the Blue and Buff Ducks.

 

" Buff Orpington ducks were made some twelve or fourteen years back, but not brought into prominence in England until 1908, when they were shown at several large shows, such as the Dairy and Crystal Palace, where classes were guaranteed for them by A C Gilbert, who also at the same time drew up standards for them and formed a club for them. In Australia they had previously made their reputation by winning two twelve months' laying competition in succession."

 

They were made to fill the demand for a first - class layer, and at the same time a nice sized table bird of fine quality and flavoured flesh. The start was made by mating Indian Runners to Aylesburys, Indian Runners to Cayugas."

 

"These different varieties previously to this mating up had been mated  and bred for three years for egg production alone, all laggards in this respect being noted and weeded out, so that when the pure stock was put together for the first crossing a line of good layers was included in all four breeds".

 

The descendants of these matings were then crossed back and fourth on to one another until, with time, care, and patience, the desired end was accomplished.

 

Contact: bishop@orpy.demon.co.uk