BRC Affiliated well supported local club with regular entries in excess of 150 rabbits. COLCHESTER & DISTRICT FUR & FANCY RABBIT CLUB
The club was first affiliated to the British Rabbit Council in 1943 but was probably formed unofficially before the second world to enable breeders to get their rabbit food in bulk through the rationing system
The idea for shows gradually grew when rabbit bree
ders began comparing their stock with their neighbor and others in the area and eventually to have shows. These were first held in the Recreation Hotel and as the support grew it moved to the old Co-Op hall in Old Heath then for many years in the old tin hall of St Stevens church in Canterbury Road. The most prominent breeds of the time were the Old English ,Dutch, Beverens and Blue rex and Havana Rex all these breeds were kept not only for their beauty but they all made good meat rabbits ,an important food item in those days . Some of the rex varieties were also used for their fur, indeed one of the original members wives had a coat and gloves made from her husbands Blue Rex which she wore for many years and it was still in good condition some years after she passed away, sadly the food side and the fur use has gone by the wayside. Rabbit meat being mainly imported from China. In its prime the club regularly had 250 rabbits at their shows, and when you consider that between Woodbridge who had a thriving club, there was Felixstowe and Ipswich who combined their club with poultry and also Hadleigh who also had pigeons and cage birds in a combined show with rabbits and guinea pigs , Clacton, Colchester, Maldon, Hatfield Peveral and Chelmsford who all regularly attracted entries of close to or over 100 rabbits, sadly only Colchester, Chelmsford and the Central Suffolk which was reformed 5yrs ago remain and thrive, with an influx of younger officials in the 70’s the club has enjoyed a revival to its present popularity the present secretary having been in the job for 40years . We now hold shows at Layer de la Haye Village Hall, Colchester, Essex, CO2 0EH where we have an average of 150 rabbits with entries coming from all over the UK and lots of the newer breeds from the continent on show, something they didn’t have in the old days when there was only one lop eared breed now there are 11 different lop breeds . We have shows in March ,July (the Tendring Hundred Show) which is our flagship show, plus a show in November with classes for pet rabbits as well as all the pedigree breeds and are always ready to welcome rabbit keepers of any sort ,to our shows and answer any of their questions . The first registration of the club to the BRC that I can find is 1943 Ihave been a member since the early 60,s with a break when my children were small ,the club has had many venues around Colchester from a small room in the back of the local pub to a tin hut plus various halls culminating as the club grew to the magnificent venue we have now . It does cost us a lot of money but if the support we have always had continues we are confident that we can stay at this hall and look forward to seeing you all in the future
