Victorian pigeon fancier is named and acclaimed (From Haringey Independent)

Victorian pigeon fancier is named and acclaimed

8:30am Sunday 14th September 2008 in Feature Focus

A man who helped popularise pigeon fancying in Victorian times has been commemorated with a green plaque.

William Bernhardt Tegetmeier, 1816 to 1912, organised the first ever pigeon race from Alexandra Palace and was Secretary of the Philoperisteron Society, a pigeon keeping club.

As well as his work with the birds, Mr Tegetmeier was a founder of the Savage Club, which today describes itself as one of the leading bohemian gentlemen’s clubs in London, and he was a regular correspondent with Charles Darwin.

Mr Tegetmeier discovered how bees create hexagon-shaped cells in their hives, which added weight to Darwin’s theory of evolution.

The plaque was unveiled at Mr Tegetmeier’s former home, at 101 St James’s Lane, Muswell Hill, on Friday.

A letter from broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough was read out at the unveiling.

Green plaques acknowledge Haringey’s historians and were the brainchild of John Hajdu, chairman of Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association.