Pickles the Dog

 

Pickles
Pickles the dog.  Some might know whom Pickles was.  A collier dog who was born 1962 and dying 1967

However, Pickles made an entry in the history books.  So, what did Pickles do?

The 1966 World Cup were held at England, the previous champions were held in Chile, Brazil.  Four months to the kick off on the 11th July 1966, the Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen. 

The Jules Rimet Trophy, was the first World Cup, being used been the 1930 to 1970.  The trophy was gold plated sterling silver with lapis lazuli and depicted Nike, the Greek goddess of Victory. Originally the trophy was named Victory, but it was renamed Jules Rimet Trophy, honouring the FIFA president Jules Rimet.   



Jules Rimet
French born Jules Rimet, who was the 3rd President of FIFA and serving from 1921 to 1954.

The trophy was stolen on 20th March 1966, after it had been on display in a public glass cabinet  during the Stanley Gibbons “Sport with Stamps”, a rare stamp exhibition held at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster.  The thief, who evaded the round security, stole and ran off the with trophy, which was thought have been worth a lot less than the stamps at 3 million pounds.

The following day, Joe Mears, chairman of Chelsea F.C. and The Football Association received a telephone call from a man calling himself “Jackson”,  stating that the package would be left at Stamford Bridge the following day.  The following day, there was a note, with a demand of £15,000  and lining from the top of the trophy.  The note was given to the police, they made arrest and man “Jackson”, whose real name was Edward Betchley.  He informed the police that he was the middleman and was working for a man called “The Pole”.  “The Pole” was never identified but Betchley was convicted for 2 years imprisonment.

Seven days later, 27th March, from the theft, the rest of the trophy was found.  Pickles, who out for a walk with his owner, David Corbett.  Pickles, who found the trophy lying by the front wheel of a neighbour’s car, Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood.

Queen Elizabeth II presenting the Jules Rimet trophy
to the England World Cup captain Bobby Moore, 1966
When England won the trophy, Pickles was invited to celebration banquet afterwards.  Corbett was awarded £5,000.

Pickles went on to in the 1966 film, “The Spy with a Cold Nose”, alongside Eric Sykes and June Whitfield. He was also named the “Dog of the Year”

The following year, Pickles, was sadly killed by strangulation by his choke chain, which was caught on a nearby tree after chasing a cat.

2018, a blue plaque was installed near the woodland where the trophy was found, this later removed to a doorway of a local flats.

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