Photographs Pigeons In Trafalgar Square

Chronicle (Levin), 9 October 1948, Page 4

Photographs Pigeons In Trafalgar Square

If you ever visit London it is a 100 to 1 your first photograph will be taken feeding the pigeons at Trafalgar Square beneath the one good eye of Nelson standing on his 140 ft. column. That is if Bert Dove still has his petrol allbwance. Every day, a 14 h.p. car stops at the Square and photographer Bert Dove and his assistant, Bob Mackey, unload two £100 miniature cameras to snap people feeding the pigeons; a 60 lb. bag of peas to entice the pigeons; and a suitcase of envelopes, sampls photographs, money bag and unclaimed orders. In the House of Oommons Mr. Victor Collins, asked: "On what groun'ds 'has an itinerant photographer, who arrives every morning at Trafalgar Square in a large car, been granted supplementary petrol?" While the Minister of Fuel (Mr. Hugh Gaitskell) looked iip the answer, Bert supplied it. "I'm a legltimate business man, and I am entitled to petrol for my work," he said. "I get three coupons a week to carry the equipment .and take out my mother, whq is paralysed. "Those pigeons are my livelihood. Visitors from all over the world want their pictures taken feeding them with ^elsonJs lions in t'he background- I earn dollars for Britain. I have been here for six years, and ppQgle cqme tp ihe. In summer I employ five assistants."