Three silver teaspoons awarded as prizes during the 1930s, all won by Dr JN Pickard.

The three silver spoons

Dr J N Pickard (1903 – 1947), known as Jim, was a university academic and geneticist who bred and exhibited rabbits and mice. He won seven silver spoons during 1933 at shows held in Paisley, Chesterfield, Shirebrook, Heckmondwike, Mansfield, Cartmel and Glasgow.
He chose the name Carlops Stud after the village near Edinburgh with a family connection, and his advertisements in the NMC yearbooks claimed it was the most successful stud in Great Britain. All varieties were kept and many championships were registered, notably in Black, Chocolate and Dove Tans, Brokens, and selfs in Red, Blue and Silver. He was awarded the breed certificates for Chinchilla in 1933 and Silver Fox in 1936.
In March 1934 the NMC held the Spring Cup Show at St Albans, which attracted a world record entry of more than 1,100 exhibits. Dr Pickard won Best in Show, along with ten Specials including four cups and seven firsts at this record-breaking event.
He was a Vice-President and Judge of the NMC. He and his wife Janet moved to near Cambridge in the 1940s, and he died during the last polio outbreak after catching the disease at a conference.

Dr Pickard and Janet, taken on Janet’s graduation day 2nd July 1931

The spoons are all in the Old English bead pattern and bear Birmingham hallmarks for the years 1932, 1933 and 1934. Two of the spoons were made by Arthur Price & Company. The other spoon was made by Thomas Fattorini, a renowned maker of badges and sporting prizes, and they were kindly donated to the National Mouse Club by Dr Pickard’s granddaughter.