Orpingtons, the founding of a stately breed

# Written after much research and consultation with other breeders of high standing within the exhibition world, also Judges who specialise in the breed

As the breed was developed in England there is significant content from that country as well as an amount from here in Australia. Written with license as to the knowledge of the author only.

A bit of background

In the nineteenth century William Cook decided to keep chickens. He rose to prominence as an enterprising poultry developer of the day. He became a prolific journalist in poultry matters. He was a lecturer, adviser and consultant. He took in students, sold appliances, medicines, poultry foods, fattening powders and published the “Poultry Keepers Account Book”, the most complete of its kind at the time, and it sold for one shilling (5 pence).

The name, William Cook, became famous and has gone down in history for his development of the Orpington. 
The Orpington breed was named for the town he, and his family, lived in. William, and later his family, became immortalised in the poultry world and the breed has given pleasure to many over the years with the release of each colour.

In 1880 William Cook started breeding together various types/breeds to produce a black fowl ‘of handsome appearance and a good winter layer’. (as quoted by the man himself)
By 1886 these black fowl had made their appearance at the three big Dairy, Crystal Palace and Birmingham shows in England.

Two years after this a separate classification was given for the Black Orpington.  The classification was granted at the 1888 Dairy Show at Islington where there were 14 cockerels and 19 pullets in the two classes.

The Orpington Club (British) was formed in 1887 and promotion of the breed advanced at a great rate. However it was not until 1900 that the black really started to look like a distinct kind. Joseph Partington and a few of his friends are credited with transforming the Black Orpington, by increasing the body bulk and feather to the standard we are used to seeing today. They incorporated the Cochin to help achieve the 'modern look', with these new profusely feathered birds becoming the ‘show’ Orpington.

A quantity of these Black Orpingtons were taken to Australia. Originally they were launched as a utility fowl and ‘the breed’ prospered well in that form in this country.

A small number of Australian families developed these early Orpingtons into the now world famous Australian breed believed to be first know as Australian Orpington. Then a number of birds were sent to England under this new breeds briefer name, adopted from the import company, Australorp Farms Ltd.

However, in 1937, one Australian family acquired some of the Black Orpingtons from England and have maintained and exhibited the line ever since as an excellent example of this magnificent breed. This line has also been integrated into some later imported lines with great success.

Not long after the introduction of the single comb the Rose Comb Black variety was debuted in 1888 in England. With origins similar to the blade comb, it is presumed that either the Plymouth Rock or Langshan threw some Rose Combed progeny. The Rose Comb variety is not currently recognised in Australia. 

The second distinct variety to appear is the Buff Orpington. Believed to be produced to meet the at the time high demand for Buff plumaged fowl. Original work first commenced on the Buff in 1886 with the first public appearance at the 1894 Dairy Show (England). The Buff instantly captured and has since held the imagination of the public even more than the Black. For a great number of years the Buff was both one of the most often exhibited fowl and considered the most popular heavy breed for utility purposes. Since the winner of the class of 56 pullets was awarded the Silver Medal at the 1899 Dairy Show (England), the Buff Orpington has been consistently exhibited around England (and most other countries).  This is mainly because of the support of the Buff Orpington Club (UK), founded in 1898, The Club has given continuous service since its inception. The Rose Combed Buff variety appeared in England in 1891.

The Buff Orpington was the favoured breed/colour of the late H M Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. The first of these Royal birds was presented to The Queen Mother in 1977 and Mr Arthur Hammond Browne became ‘Stud Master’ at Sandringham. A farm in North Yorkshire was the base for Her Majesty’s exhibition birds and Mr Will Burdett became ‘The Keeper of the Royal Buff Orpingtons’. The Buff has been the most popular colour in Australia for many years in both std size and bantam. The exceptional colouring and red eyes contributing to a regal look play a part in this popularity.


The first White Orpingtons to appear in 1892-93 had Rose Combs. Very few of these birds were exhibited making it very difficult to trace them in those early days. They reappeared in 1912. Now only questions remain regards those early three varieties of Rose Combed Orpingtons. All of the specialist UK Clubs retained the Rose Comb in their Standards. 100 years on, the British Black Standard still lists the Rose Comb variety.
The consistent White Orpington is the single comb that debuted in 1899. The developer, Godfrey Shaw, named them ‘Albions’. Orpington fanciers claimed the White as they resembled in most details an ideal White Orpington. A White Orpington Club was formed in England, but no set details are traceable. The White is barely out of development in Australia but is quickly becoming as popular as the other colours available, with good numbers of excellent birds being exhibited.

The Diamond Jubilee Orpington owes its name to the Diamond Jubilee year of Queen Victoria, this being the date of its first public appearance (1897). For a time there were ‘in vogue’ as a farmers fowl with its red ground colour and its black and white markings. The debut of a similar coloured Sussex fowl reduced the Jubilee's popularity. The Variety Orpington Club adopted the Diamond Jubilee in 1903 until the Jubilee Orpington Club was formed in 1908. 
To the authors’ knowledge they are not being re-created in Australia at this time.

The Spangled Orpington was first mentioned in 1900. And believed to be 1902 before it was first exhibited. Until 1905 little was known about the colour being almost exclusively retained by the one family. At the Variety Orpington Club’s first show, held in conjunction with the Grand International at Sheffield in 1904, there were 14 entries in two classes all from the same owner. At the second show, at Alexandra Palace in 1905, there were 13 entries but only one other than from William Cook and sons. The Spangled with its green sheen and pure white spangles is often said to be the most striking. It has not enjoyed the popularity it deserves, only recently being recreated in Australia. It is finally enjoying a surge in numbers and well deserved popularity.

The Cuckoo Orpington was developed by Elizabeth Clarke (daughter of William Cook) and it is believed her brother W H Cook may have helped with the development, although this has not been established. The Cuckoo made its debut at the Dairy Show of 1908 where 17 birds were exhibited. These birds were not so much an exhibition variety, but a duel purpose type. They were mainly for meat and good egg laying. It was thought the Cuckoo did not survive the First World War. However, a strain is now believed to have either survived or the colour re-created in England as there is a line of these birds that were brought to Australia from England in 1947 (along with a few Blacks). They are being maintained and exhibited regularly on the East Coast of Australia. The colour is fast becoming one of the more popular ones and the largest exhibition so far in Australia was at the 2010 National Orpington Show where the Blue and Slate Cuckoo variations of the colour were also on display. Several other colours in the Cuckoo exist in Australia and overseas, most are exhibited regularly or were recently debuted.

The Blue Orpington was slow to acquire popularity as the blue colour in poultry was not often seen until 1910 onwards. Once the fine lacing and striking ground colour of the Andalusian was adopted the colour became well established within the English fancy. In 1912, at the show of the Cuckoo and Blue Orpington Club held at Crystal Palace, for the second time in succession, a Blue won the trophy for Best Orpington over a Buff. Beating the old established Blacks and Whites, as well as the Jubilee Spangled and Red. In the 1920’s and 1930’s Blues really 'came into their own'. At the Blue Orpington Club’s specialist promotion Club Shows, 80 plus entries were frequently benched. The Blue holds a special place in the hearts of most Australian Orpington Breeders whether they own the colour or not as the size of the bird always draws the eye. There is usually a number on display around the country and often they are considered for the highest prizes at the shows they attend,

The Red Orpington variety was claimed by W Holmes Hunt and appeared in 1910/1912. Early Reds were seen at the Crystal Palace in 1911. A specialist breed club was formed in 1912. It had two well established rival breeds to contend with:- the Red Sussex and the Rhode Island Red. Red Orpingtons were first seen at the 12th German National Show held at Nuremberg in 1908. Two separate breeders are re-creating the colour in Australia with good success, the first were shown at the 2010 National Orpington Show to 
rave reviews.

A more recently recognised colour in the Orpington is the Chocolate. Believed to be exported from Australia to England by one 
Dr Clive Carefoot in 1994. The colour exists in both std size and bantam and is fast becoming a popular colour due to its uniqueness. The colour was first seen from an all Black mating in Australia and is believed to be a sex linked recessive gene. 
At the date of this article only one family in Australia has birds (large size) of this colour and Blacks that carry this gene.
(*updated) as of 2015 a number of the large Chocolate and Chocolate Cuckoo have been supplied to others in Australia.

The (Australian) Crele was debuted at the 2010 National Orpington Show where three distinct colour variations were exhibited, 
being the Gold, Silver and Blue. At the 2011 National Show a Gold Crele cockerel took centre stage for size and type.

Many other colours exist in the breed both overseas and here in Australia, including, Lavender, Lavender Cuckoo,
Buff Cuckoo, Blue Cuckoo, Chocolate Cuckoo, Partridge (Gold, Silver, Blue), Gold Barred Buff (Australia only at this time), Columbian (as per Sussex), Buff Columbian, Birchen and many more.
These (including the Crele) have to be exhibited in Australia under AORC at this point.

The Bantam Orpington:-

John Burdett bantamised the Black in 1929 and debuted some of his 'work' at the 1936 Dairy Show. The White bantam appeared in 1946 and debuted at the Dairy Show in 1950.The Blue bantam was first exhibited at Bradford in 1953. Development of the bantams sped up with the formation of the Orpington Bantam Club in 1950. Classes from then onwards are always at the big shows. By 1952 the bantam standard was accepted by the Poultry Club. The Orpington Bantam Club also produced its first year book in 1952 and held the first club show with all four colours being exhibited.

The decline of various Orpington Clubs resulted in the amalgamation in 1975 of the Large Fowl and Bantams under one administration called The Orpington Club (UK), so named after the very first club.

The Orpingtons will always be regarded as special due to their utility attributes and also for their gentleness and beauty. When Australian metropolitan councils virtually ‘banned’ owning poultry (predominantly roosters) in the early 1960s the numbers of Orpingtons (and all other breeds) was seriously depleted. And until the early 1990s the numbers of birds decreased to the point the breed had to be considered as ‘endangered’.
But - - - -

Thanks to a few breeders from the central west of NSW and some in SA and WA the breed has continued and survived as a ‘rare breed’.

The Orpington Club of Australia was formed in 1985 and promotes and supports the breed. In 1988 a Show was held in Wellington NSW with 310 Orpingtons on display.

World Record Orpington Shows:-
the 2010 National, with 238 birds on display comprising 191 Standard and 47 Bantam; this included various developmental colours in both sizes.
And the 2011 National, with 373 birds exhibited. Making this show the record holder (at time of inserting the 2010 and 2011 Show information here) for any single country holding a National Orpington Show


# although some of this article results from research, in this format / wording it is an original work and subject to copyright laws of Australia