Our History
The spirit of cooperation within the Gloster Fancy has deep historical roots. One of the most significant milestones in that history took place on April 28, 1968, when representatives from several specialist Gloster societies gathered in Oxford for what would become the first Gloster Convention.
Reporting in the May 1968 issue of Cage & Aviary Birds, writer G. R. Wolfendale described the meeting as a major step forward for the fancy. Seven clubs were represented, each sending two delegates to participate in discussions about the future direction of the breed. Among the societies represented were the International Gloster BA, Midland GFA, Western GFCC, Gloster FCC, Southern GFCC, South Midland & Eastern Counties GCA, and East Anglian GFCC.
During the meeting, R. Flopkins was elected chairman and a number of motions were presented and discussed in detail. Those adopted were to be taken back to the respective societies for further consideration. The defining theme of the gathering was cooperation, and it was unanimously agreed that the Convention would become an annual event. The next meeting was scheduled to take place in Oxford on April 27, 1969.
From that moment forward, the Gloster Convention became an important annual forum for discussion and collaboration among specialist breeders and societies. For more than four decades, it provided a platform where ideas could be exchanged, issues debated, and the development of the Gloster Fancy guided through collective experience and shared enthusiasm.
The photograph accompanying the original report captures many of the respected figures involved in those early years of cooperation. Among those pictured are Lou Manchester, Ron Hopkins, Jeff Heart, Jack Stretton, Roy Gregory, Gordon Adamson, Cliff Harris, Brian Moon, Morice Powell, Ray Yeowell, Nev Thomas, John Thornton, Charlie Flood, Ron Morby, Harold Prater, and Jeff Crunkhorn, along with another participant whose name is unfortunately uncertain.
In that historic image, two figures remain closely connected to the Gloster Fancy today. On the far left stands our current Chairman, Nick Barrett, while second from the right is Jeff Crunchorn, who continues to contribute his knowledge and experience as a valued member of today’s Council. Their presence in that photograph provides a remarkable link between the cooperative efforts of the past and the leadership guiding the breed today.
Despite its long and important history, the Gloster Convention sadly came to an end in April 2009. On that occasion no members attended the Annual General Meeting, leaving the late Mr. Fred Osborne and his wife waiting alone in an empty hall. It was a deeply disappointing moment for the fancy and marked the final chapter in the life of the Convention.
Yet from that difficult moment emerged a renewed determination to preserve the spirit of cooperation that had defined the Convention since its beginning. Later in 2009, a group of dedicated representatives, led by Nick Barrett, came together to establish what has evolved into today’s Gloster Fancy Canary Council International (GFCCI).
The creation of the Council ensured that the Gloster Fancy would continue to benefit from organised collaboration and leadership. In recent years the Council itself has continued to evolve, most notably through the Extraordinary General Meeting held in Leicester. The commitment and vision of the twenty-two members present at that meeting helped strengthen the structure of the Council and ensured that the organisation could move forward with renewed stability and purpose.
Thanks to those efforts, the Gloster Fancy has avoided a repeat of the circumstances that brought about the demise of the Gloster Convention in 2009. Instead, the Council continues to build upon the principles that first inspired the Convention in 1968 — cooperation, dialogue, and shared responsibility for the future of the breed.
Today, through the work of the GFCCI, the Gloster Fancy continues to benefit from the dedication of breeders, judges, and enthusiasts who remain committed to safeguarding the heritage and ongoing development of one of the most beloved breeds in the canary world.