Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Winston Churchill's parrot is still alive and continues to this day to cuss Hitler out.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/content_objectid=13832640_method=full_siteid=50143_headline=-F----THE-NAZIS--SAYS-CHURCHILL-S-PARROT-name_page.html ^

Posted on 01/19/2004 2:53:59 PM PST by FredWolfe

F*** THE NAZIS, SAYS CHURCHILL'S PARROT

Jan 19 2004

EXCLUSIVE

By Bill Borrows

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."

Charlie's story is in this month's Jack Magazine, on sale Thursday

(Excerpt) Read more at mirror.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: budgie; charlietheparrot; churchill; parrot; unitedkingdom; winstonchurchill
I never knew birds could live that long. If that link doesnt work, try these:

[url]http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&edition=us&q=F***+THE+NAZIS%2C+SAYS+CHURCHILL%27S+PARROT+&btnG=Search+News[/url]

[url]http://www.megastar.co.uk/meganews/news/2004/01/19/sMEG01MTA3NDUxMDU0ODU.html[/url]

1 posted on 01/19/2004 2:54:00 PM PST by FredWolfe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: FredWolfe
I herby predict at least four or five variations of that old "I thought you might be my kid" joke to hit this thread.
2 posted on 01/19/2004 2:55:58 PM PST by ErnBatavia (Some days you're the windshield; some days you're the bug)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FredWolfe
Might give more hope to Kerry.
3 posted on 01/19/2004 2:57:25 PM PST by ex-snook (Where is the patriotism in the war on American jobs?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ErnBatavia
I'd like to hear that one.
4 posted on 01/19/2004 3:02:15 PM PST by skeptoid
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: FredWolfe
"He immediately began to teach her to swear-particularly incompany-and she is keeping up the tradition to this day."

Winston Churchill-what a character. Wow- the bird is 104, that's amazing. Great story-BUMP.

5 posted on 01/19/2004 3:40:26 PM PST by fly_so_free (Never underestimate the treachery of the democrat party-Save USA-Vote a Democrat out of office)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FredWolfe
Best story I've seen in quite a while - great find!
6 posted on 01/19/2004 4:00:56 PM PST by ellery
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FredWolfe
"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."

Quick! . . . ask the bird what Winston REALLY said and thought of Chamberlain . . .

7 posted on 01/19/2004 4:02:07 PM PST by BluSky (“Don’t make me come down there.”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FredWolfe
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1061085/posts
8 posted on 01/19/2004 4:04:06 PM PST by theophilusscribe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FredWolfe
Getting a parrot is a long term relationship. They outlast most people (learned this on Animal Planet).
9 posted on 01/19/2004 4:06:39 PM PST by meowmeow
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FredWolfe
BUMP
10 posted on 01/19/2004 5:01:35 PM PST by fly_so_free (Never underestimate the treachery of the democrat party-Save USA-Vote a Democrat out of office)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson