February 2012 marked the 60th (Diamond) Anniversary of the formation of the Zebra Finch Society.
It was in February 1952 (believed to be 23rd of that month) that a meeting was called by a Coventry based fancier, Mr Alf Wilkins, to discuss the formation of a new Society devoted solely to the Zebra Finch. The meeting was held in the “Crown” hotel in Birmingham where it was decided that a new Society be formed, to be known as “The Zebra Finch Society”. This was the first Society devoted exclusively to the Zebra Finch in the world. Mr Wilkins was elected first Chairman. Sadly the last two known surviving members from 1952, Mr George Canon and Founder member Mr Ted Hounslow, both died last year, and thus both missed this historic milestone in the history of the ZFS.
(From original paintings in acrylics by Alan Coles)