| Author |
Winston Churchill's 104-year-old parrot is still alive and cursing |
axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Londinium
PM, WWW
|
SHE WAS at Winston Churchill's side during Britain's darkest hour. And now Charlie the parrot is 104 years old...and still cursing the Nazis.
Her favourite sayings were "F*** Hitler" and "F*** the Nazis". And even today, 39 years after the great man's death, she can still be coaxed into repeating them with that unmistakable Churchillian inflection.
Many an admiral or peer of the realm was shocked by the tirade from the bird's cage during crisis meetings with the PM.
But it always brought a smile to the war leader's face.
Churchill bought Charlie - giving him a boy's name despite the fact she was female - in 1937.
She took pride of place in a bizarre menagerie of pets including lambs, pigs, cattle, swans and, at one point, a leopard.
He immediately began to teach her to swear - particularly in company - and she is keeping up the tradition today.
The blue and gold macaw is believed to be Britain's oldest bird.
The title was previously thought to belong to 80-year-old Cokky the cockatoo.
But it can be proved Charlie is at least 104 and was born in the 19th century.
Peter Oram bought her for his pet shop after Churchill died in 1965. But he was forced to move her into his home after she kept swearing at children.
For the last 12 years, she has lived at Mr Oram's garden centre in Reigate, Surrey.
Centre worker Sylvia Martin said: "If truth be told, Charlie is looking a little scruffy but she is very popular with the public. We are all very attached to her."
James Humes, an expert on the late PM, said: "Churchill may no longer be with us but that spirit and those words of defiance and resolve continue."
[addsig] |
|
|
scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: UK
PM, WWW
|
@axxxr
Is thats tory true? I didn't realise parrots lived so long. Being a great fan of Churchill that story was rather interesting.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC |
BobaFett
Joined: Jan 06, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Kamino (wish it would be Lund)
PM, WWW
|
Guess the bird reached this age with smoking cigares and drinking whiskey ;-)
This message was posted from a T68i |
scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: UK
PM, WWW
|
@boba
Churchill didn't do too badly himself. 
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC |
BobaFett
Joined: Jan 06, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Kamino (wish it would be Lund)
PM, WWW
|
@scotty can the birdy make the V sign aswell?
This message was posted from a T68i |
absinthebri
Joined: Feb 11, 2004
Posts: 476
From: London, UK
PM |
The parrot story is true. Did you know Churchill was a published anti-Semite?
This message was posted from a T68i |
scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: UK
PM, WWW
|
@boba
Now that would be a trick to show off! 
@absin
Which publication are you reffering to?
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC |
batesie
Joined: Feb 13, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: London, UK
PM |
quality! squark. i had no idea. squark. i had no idea (whistle)
This message was posted from a P900 |
axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Londinium
PM, WWW
|
Quote:
|
On 2004-11-10 00:01:03, scotsboyuk wrote:
@axxxr
Is thats tory true? I didn't realise parrots lived so long. Being a great fan of Churchill that story was rather interesting.
|
|
Don't know exactly how true this story is...but i presume it is fairly true because it is quoted from the daily mirror website.
[addsig] |
scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: UK
PM, WWW
|
@axxxr
I just didn't realise parrots lived as long as humans do, quite an age!
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC |
batesie
Joined: Feb 13, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: London, UK
PM |
same here!
This message was posted from a P900 |
axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Londinium
PM, WWW
|
Quote:
|
On 2004-11-10 00:19:14, scotsboyuk wrote:
@axxxr
I just didn't realise parrots lived as long as humans do, quite an age!
|
|
I was quite surprised at that myself as i thought only tortoises lived that long!...Well u learn something new everyday.
[addsig] |
Miss UK
Joined: Jan 11, 2003
Posts: > 500
PM |
those birds are gorgeous, very expensive to own aswell! I plan to have 1 when im old.. Ive always like birds :-)
This message was posted from a T630 |
axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Londinium
PM, WWW
|
Quote:
|
On 2004-11-10 01:37:46, miss uk wrote:
those birds are gorgeous, very expensive to own aswell! I plan to have 1 when im old.. Ive always like birds 
|
|
Yeh i like birds too! ....So how old are you now if you dont mind me asking?
[addsig] |
Miss UK
Joined: Jan 11, 2003
Posts: > 500
PM |
Im 26 got awhile ennit :-p ive kept pigeons, and a goose previousley!
This message was posted from a T630 |
|
|
Posted: 2004-11-09 23:57
