Читать книгу Lost Voices of the Edwardians: 1901–1910 in Their Own Words - Max Arthur, Max Arthur - Страница 166

We used to keep linnets, canaries and finches. There used to be a little pub opposite us in Canal Road called the Moulder's Arms that had competitions for the best singing birds, so we used to put our linnets and finches in little cages, and a black handkerchief over them, and take them over to the pub, where we'd hang up the cage with our name on it and they'd have the competition. When I was a youngster, I used to go on a bike to see my grandfather on a Sunday and he used to take me over to Hackney Marshes just beside the River Lea. He was a bird fancier, my grandfather. We used to set a trap. We put a linnet in a cage and put a trap next to it. We put food in the trap and attached a stick to the door and attached twine to the stick. We lay on the river bank and watched as all these linnets came down. They used to come down in droves. As soon as they got into the trap, we pulled the twine and the piece of wood came loose and the trap shut. We might catch two or three linnets at once. My grandfather used to sell them privately for two shillings or half a crown. The cock bird was the singer so he was more expensive.