The King of Rome facts for kids
The preserved bird in Derby Museum
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| Species | Columba livia f. domestica |
|---|---|
| Breed | Racing pigeon |
| Sex | Cock |
| Born | Derby, England |
| Resting place | Derby Museum and Art Gallery |
| Known for |
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| Owner | Charlie Hudson |
| Appearance | Blue Cock |
| Named after | Rome-England bird race |
The King of Rome was a very special racing pigeon. This amazing bird won a super long race in 1913. It flew all the way from Rome, in Italy, to England! That's a distance of 1,001-mile (1,611 km)! A musician named Dave Sudbury even wrote a famous song about this brave pigeon. The song was later recorded by the singer June Tabor.
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Meet the King of Rome Pigeon
The King of Rome was a type of pigeon called a blue cock. It was a racing pigeon, which means it was specially trained to fly long distances very fast. This particular bird had a unique ring on its leg. The ring had a special number: NU1907DY168.
Who Owned the King of Rome?
The King of Rome was owned and bred by a man named Charlie Hudson. He was born in the early 1870s and lived in Derby, England. His house was at 56 Brook Street, but it's not there anymore. Charlie Hudson loved pigeon racing. He started racing pigeons in 1904. At the time of the big race, he was the president and treasurer of the Derby Town Flying Club. He also wrote articles about pigeon racing for the local newspaper, the Derby Evening Telegraph.
What Happened to the Pigeon?
After the King of Rome passed away, Charlie Hudson gave its body to the Derby Museum and Art Gallery. The museum carefully preserved the pigeon by stuffing its skin. This means they made it look like it was still alive. The preserved bird is known as "accession number DBYMU.1946/48" at the museum. It has been shown in Derby and other places, like Walsall Museum and Wollaton Hall in Nottingham. As of August 2011, the King of Rome is back on display at the Derby Museum.
The Famous Song About the Pigeon
| "The King of Rome" | |
|---|---|
| Song by June Tabor | |
| from the album Aqaba | |
| Language | English |
| Released | 1988 |
| Genre | Folk |
| Label | Topic |
| Composer(s) | Dave Sudbury |
| Producer(s) | Andrew Cronshaw |
Dave Sudbury wrote a song called The King of Rome. The song tells the story of the pigeon and its owner, Charlie Hudson. It talks about how dangerous pigeon races could be. The song mentions a big storm during the race, saying, "A thousand birds were swept away and never seen again." This shows how brave the King of Rome was to finish the race.
Who Recorded the Song?
The famous folk singer June Tabor heard Dave Sudbury sing his song at a competition. This was in the late 1980s. She was a judge at the competition, and even though Sudbury came in fourth place, she loved his song. June Tabor later recorded The King of Rome for her album called Aqaba, which came out in 1988.
Another musician, Brian McNeill, was also a finalist at that competition. He thought Sudbury's song was the best. McNeill later sang the song himself. You can hear his live recording on his album Live and Kicking, which he made in 2000 with Iain MacKintosh. The band Half Man Half Biscuit also played the song, but they never put it on one of their official albums.
The Book About the Song
The words from Dave Sudbury's song have also been turned into a book. This book has 32 pages and features beautiful drawings by an artist named Hans Saefkow.
See also
In Spanish: El rey de Roma para niños
