LANCASHIRE - Key Persons

A.W. Boyd was on the first executive committee, in 1914. H, with T. A. Coward, Charles Oldham and others, discovered the potential of Altrincham sewage farm; "Sinderland" they called it. Later, in my own day, Freckleton sewage farm came into prominence with Harry Shorrock outstanding as an observer there. Seawatching superceded it with P. A. Lassey as a pioneer. N. F. Ellison ("Nomad" of the BBC) was the nearest thing we had to a celebrity. He never quite achieved the following of his predecessor "Romany", but I remember enjoying his Children's Hour programmes on the radio at home. He was an excellent all-round naturalist. When he became old and found it difficult to get to our AGMs, he always sent a donation, an example that I follow now. The Nelson entomologist, Allan Brindle, was a good friend. When our meetings were in Manchester, he would give me a lift back to Burnley in his little Reliant car. When I began the annual East Lancashire Butterfly Report in 1993, I drew heavily on his previous records. It pleases me that a present member of the Society, Peter Hornby, is co-editor of the same report today, sponsored by the Nelson Naturalists' Society of which no doubt Alan would have been a member. I have two very special memories. The first was the day of our AGM in March 1947 at the Fermlea Social Institute at Altrincham. On my way there, I spotted two Waxwings on a berry tree in a suburban garden. I mentioned it when I arrived and I believe our meeting was over in record time! Boyd, Dr Stuart Smith and John Southern were among those who went to see the birds. I think they were a ‘first' for Boyd. John Southern was about my age and went on to be proprietor of the Thorburn Gallery at Dobwalls in Cornwall.