The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-08 00:00:00

THE PIGEONS OF GUILDHALL

At a committee of aldermen, held at Guildhall,
Alderman Wilson having represented that Mr. Temple,
the hall-keeper, had given directions to some of the
persons in waiting upon the several committees to de-
stroy the pigeons which have been sheltered in the-nooks
and crannies of the building for many years, and have
of late become exceedingly numerous, that officer was
called before the aldermen to account for having issued
an order so much at variance with the taste of the cor-
poration.

The Hall-keeper said the inhabitants of King-street,
in the immediate vicinity of Guildhall, had often .
com-
plained -of the nuisance occasioned by the pigeons, a
nuisance of which none but those who were subjected to
their frequent visits could form an adequate opinion.
The dresses of several ladies who happened to sit under
the elevations on which they perched themselves in
swarms, had suffered more or less from the birds, and
the familiarity with which they were treated by the
people all round actually caused them to fly in at win-
downs and down chimneys to the great annoyance of
families. (Laughter.)
Alderman Wilson—l should wish to hear some in-
stances in which the poor pigeons have given such mortal
offence. (Hear, hear.) Sir James Shaw, our old
chamberlain, with whose kindness of heart we are all
acquainted, took great delight in supplying them with
food, considering that it was essential to the character
of Guildhall for hospitality that such harmless tenants
should receive a little of the bounty of the corporation.
The Hall-keeper said that about three or four years
ago the splendid dress of a lady who sat at the Lord
Mayor's dinner in the hall was completely destroyed by
the unceremonious conduct of some of the pigeons above
her head. (Laughter.) Two years ago, when his ser-
vant girl went into one of the bedrooms she was hor-
rified by a noise in the chimney, and immediately after-
wards down tumbled a quantity of soot, and a pigeon
in the midst of it. But that was not the only disagree.
able consequence of the unwelcome visit, for the bird in
its fright fluttered not only against the walls of the
room, but against the curtains of the bed, and did a
great deal of damage, very much to the annoyance of
his wife, and the terror of his children. (Laughter.)
Alderman Lawrence--How much soot came down
upon that occasion ?
The Hall-Keeper—The room was covered with it.
Alderman Lawrence—lt seems, then, that the pigeon
saved you the expense of employing a chimney-sweeper.
It is quite evident, from the quantity of soot which ac-
companied the bird in its visit to your bedroom, that
you don't lay out much money in can ying out that por-
tion of our sanitary regulations. (Laughter.)
The Hall-Keeper—The passages to my house are con-
stantly covered with dirt from the multitude of pigeons.
They were endurable when there were no more than 15
or 16 of them about the building, but the number has
increased to 70 or 80. and I am sure I would be obliged
to any one who would kill them.
• Alderman Humphery—No, no ! I would recommend
you Mr. Hall-keeper, to turn what you seem to be so
disgusted with to advantage, by setting up a guano shop
and selling it as manure. (Laughter.)
Alderman Cubitt said—At Venice pigeons were so
much respected that they were maintained at the public
expense, and nobody was permitted to molest them.
He could not see why the Guildhall pigeons, which had,
as it were, become part and parcel of the corporation
should be disturbed, except, indeed, it was intended to
make pies of them for the use of the corporation. (Great
laughter).
Alderman Humphrey said, he thought the hall-keeper
could give the committee a very fair idea of the flavour
of the birds as he had so great an anxiety to put them
to death.
Alderman Wilson—We will certainly not allow a
wholesale destruction of the pigeons, which are objects
of interest in the neighbourhood, and had been all of
them born under and upon the roof of the building.
After some further conversation, in the course of
which it was admitted that it would' be very proper to
dispense with the presence of the pigeons at the dinner
of the 9th of November, the hall-keeper succeeded so
far in substantiating his complaint as to obtain from
the committee their consent to decrease the number of
the offenders to about a moiety. It was agreed that the
argument of the injury to the ladies' dresses, not to say
a word about the beards and bald heads of the ambassa-
dors, and the wigs of the bishops and judges and ser-
jeants learned in the law, was fatal to the cause of the
birds, which are said from their chattering and cooing
to take delight in the mischief they dropped upon the
magnificence below.
Alderman Wilson advised the hall-keeper to employ
some of the pigeons he was about to banish to scour all
his chimneys before they departed.