FOREWORD

This is the history of the famous Orpington Fowl from its introduction by William Cook in 1886 and other dates for different varieties, up to the present time. It covers
all the stages, the triumphs and difficulties. Therefore, in many respects, it represents the history of the Poultry Fancy and poultry farming because William Cook was the inventor of poultry farming in the sense that he produced the birds which were profitable, and made them available all over the world. Moreover, many of the leading poultry farmers bred Orpingtons and showed them at major shows, thus spreading the word on the excellent merits of the birds. The old advertisements reproduced are a story in themselves.

The two authors have collectively more than 100 years experience in poultry.

Will Burdett could well be regarded as the modern "Mr Orpington" having spent a lifetime in breeding and showing the breed and its varieties. He is a Panel A judge of the Poultry Club with regular commitments and also judges abroad. His father, also a leading breeder, introduced Orpington bantams, and Will has continued improving them. He has been the President of the Poultry Club and is currently Chairman of The Orpington Club and The Buff Orpington Club. He is also the Keeper of Poultry (Buff Orpingtons) for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, who has won many prizes with her birds. He has won all the top honours for his birds including Championships and Best in the National Show on two occasions. On top of all this he has worked tirelessly to improve exhibition poultry developments.

Dr Joseph Batty started his working life in rural activities—gardening, farming and poultry, but then went in other directions, although he had bantams from the age of 5 and has continued ever since, keeping many breeds and winning many prizes at shows. For more than 25 years he has been conducting research and writing books on poultry and these are now quite numerous, including Lewis Wright's Poultry, Concise Poultry Colour Guide, Bantams & Small Poultry, The Silkie Fowl, The Rosecomb Bantam, Sussex & Dorking Fowls, Artificial Incubation & Rearing, The Rosecomb Bantam, Domesticated Ducks & Geese, Poultry Ailments, Understanding Old English Game (he is a Past President of the Old English Game Club), and Old English Game Bantams. He is Chairman of the World Bantam & Poultry Society and is dedicated to bringing back the old, standard breeds to replace the hybrids now used in poultry farming and to establish a National Poultry Centre and Museum for educational purposes at all levels. In this connection he gives advice on a voluntary basis and, although he judges occasionally, this is not on a regular basis because of his other poultry commitments. He has had wide experience in higher education, reaching Professor level.

In deciding the content of the book the authors have steered a middle road and included all important topics which directly affect Orpingtons. Technical matters on subjects like lighting, control of incubators and man management have been omitted because these are available in general books and, in any case, there was ample material to fill what has turned out to be a large book.

Will Burdett Joseph Batty