August 2000 Latest

Obituaries Charles Grahame des Forges (1913-2000) rahame des Forges died national ornithology. on the status of breeding birds in on 3rd March 2000, just Grahame’s first involvement Sussex, although he had no share G a few weeks short of his in bird recording was in 1947, in his colleague’s egg-collecting 87th birthday. He was born in when he edited ‘Birds in Sussex’, activities. Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on part of the South-Eastern Bird The following year, 1948, saw 30th March 1913, but it was in Report for Kent, Surrey, Sussex the first separate Sussex Bird Norfolk that he developed a love and Hampshire, edited by Ralph Report, edited and published, at of waders and considerable skill Whitlock, which had been pub- his own expense, by Grahame. In in photographing them. A solic- lished annually since 1934. 1949, Denzil Harber formally itor by profession, he moved to Grahame announced his involve- joined Grahame as co-editor, and Sussex in 1936 when he joined ment with typical modesty: ‘In in 1956 took over as sole editor, the legal department of the then compiling the following report, bringing to an end nine years of Brighton Corporation. the assistance of Mr J. A.Walpole- editing by Grahame that estab- It was in Sussex ornithology Bond in reading the draft and lished the report as an authorita- that he was to make his mark, for criticising it, and Mr D. D. tive, professional and punctual he was a pioneer when county Harber’s help in checking all the publication. ornithology was in its infancy. material, eliminating errors and In 1960, Grahame turned his His foresight ensured that it in other ways, is gratefully attention to the wider natural moved forward in a structured acknowledged. The final respon- history of Sussex when he way, with the recording systems sibility is, however, mine.’ Over chaired a meeting in Brighton and formal organisation neces- the years, he spent a lot of time that resulted in the formation of sary to harness the enthusiasm in the field with John Walpole- the then Sussex Naturalists’Trust and industry of the growing Bond, a remarkable ornithologist, in the following year. Grahame band of amateurs caught up in renowned nest-finder and egg- was the Trust’s first Chairman, the post-war interest in birds. He collector, and author of the and subsequently its Honorary was one of those who were three-volume A History of Secretary for seven years. Also at laying the solid foundations that Sussex Birds (1938). Grahame this time, the Sussex Ornitholog- underpin much of what we now acquired a great deal of informa- ical Society (SOS) was being take for granted in local and tion from that outstanding man established, and at its inaugural John Trowell John 226. Grahame des Forges (right) with friends and colleagues in the Sussex Ornithological Society in the 1980s. Left to right: Mike Shrubb,Tony Prater, John Newnham,Tony Marr and GdF 402 © British Birds 93: 402-404, August 2000 Obituaries meeting, in Brighton in February On the wider national stage, good lawyer, and anyone seeking 1962, Grahame was elected as a Grahame was the first BTO his advice would be rewarded founder member of its Council, Regional Representative for with a thoughtful and helpful on which he served for many Sussex; served as a Council reply,very much to the point, but years.That year also saw the pub- member of the RSPB; and was at often with an unexpected slant lication of the indefatigable des one time a member of the or angle on the problem. He was Forges & Harber team’s compila- Research Group of the Interna- unassuming and masked his tion, A Guide to the Birds of tional Waterfowl Research learning with a ready sense of Sussex, which the SOS used as Bureau. humour. His passing marks the the basis for its future work. Grahame was a tall and end of an era. Grahame was President of the imposing figure, and could SOS from 1979 until 1989, and in appear languid and aloof, but this Tony Marr 1997 he became the Society’s belied his energy and warm, first Honorary Life Vice-Presi- friendly personality. He had the dent. enquiring and original mind of a Ronald Mathias Lockley (1903-2000) lthough I had been thor- the movements of the Manx Skokholm, Grassholm and oughly immersed in his Shearwater at sea during the Skomer on board two Royal A island books for almost a breeding season’. Navy destroyers. That same year, decade, it was not until 1960, At Whitchurch, at the western together with Julian Huxley, shortly after being appointed by edge of Cardiff, he spent count- Ronald helped to make a film on the West Wales Field Society as less boyhood hours on his first Grassholm – The Private Life Warden of Skomer, that I first island, Moorhen Island, in a of the Gannet – which was met Ronald Lockley. He was, at swamp adjacent to the Glamor- awarded an Oscar as the best the time, Chairman and Hon. ganshire Canal, as described in documentary film of the year. Chief Warden of the Society, The Way to an Island (1941). In His seabird studies ranged having been one of its main 1922, he moved to a 4-ha small- along the whole western architects and first Secretary at holding at St Mellon’s on the seaboard of Europe, from the its formation in 1938. My wife opposite side of the city, where a Vestmann Islands to Madeira, and I, eager to prepare for our tiny island that he created is still many of his early journeys being arrival on Skomer a few weeks visible. recalled in I Know an Island hence, found this first meeting a Small wonder that Ronald (1938). Wartime exigencies trifle disappointing. Ronald, or then sought a real island. In enforced his departure from Mr Lockley as he was to us then, 1927, he took the lease of Skokholm in 1940, but in 1946 proved to be a frustratingly taci- Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, for 21 he was the driving force behind turn and somewhat remote years. Encouraged by Harry With- the reopening of Skokholm Bird figure, the only words of wisdom erby,then Editor of British Birds, Observatory, with John Fursdon imparted being that we would he began to study and ring the as Warden. In that year, with his need a good milking goat and island’s seabirds, especially the brother-in-law, John Buxton, he that driftwood would provide all Manx Shearwater Puffinus pioneered the establishment, the fuel required. Indeed, he was puffinus, the subject of his first sadly for one year only, of a Field often a man of few words, in monograph, Shearwaters (1942). Centre on Skomer, lovingly retold contrast to his literary output, The study of bird migration in Island of Skomer (1950). He which was formidable by any through ringing fascinated him, was largely instrumental in the standards, with almost 60 books and in 1933 he built the first acquisition of Grassholm by the published, commencing with ‘Heligoland trap’ on the island RSPB in 1948, and was its Hon. Dream Island (1930), and at and established the first Bird Warden for many years. Perhaps least three others in various Observatory in Britain. Some his greatest post-war achieve- stages of preparation as he measure of Ronald’s contribution ment, however, was that of entered his ninth decade. In addi- during those first years may be inspiring the successful purchase tion, there were countless gained from the fact that the of Skomer, and its subsequent popular articles, especially in The ‘Long Excursion’ of the 1934 declaration as a National Nature Countryman during 1931-43, International Ornithological Con- Reserve in 1959. and scientific papers, many in gress, held in Oxford, was to the Ronald helped to pioneer the British Birds, including the sup- Pembrokeshire islands: the dele- Pembrokeshire Coast National plement published in 1953, ‘On gates were transported to Park and its impressive footpath, British Birds 93: 402-404, August 2000 403 Obituaries Watership Down (1972). Eventually, Ronald left Pem- brokeshire, where the establishment of oil refineries on the shores of Milford Haven, so close to his beloved islands and to Orielton, had caused him much hurt. At Farway, near Colyton, Devon, he constructed a fine lake, complete with island. Later, having moved to New Zealand to be close to his daughter, Ann, and her family, he was as active in conservation matters as he had been in his native Wales, opposing developments which threatened wildlife habitats, founding the Miranda Naturalists’ Trust, and helping to establish New Zealand’s first Bird Observa- tory, on the Firth of Thames, as well as continuing to write a stream of articles and books. Artists whose works have graced his books down the years include Noel Cusa, Robert Gillmor and Charles Tunnicliffe, while Eric Hosking provided all the photographs for Seabirds of the World (1983). In recognition of his singular contributions to nature conservation and the study of wildlife, Ronald received an honorary MSc, presented by Western Telegraph Western HRH The Prince of Wales at Aberystwyth in 1977, while in 227. Ronald Lockley at Martinshaven, en route to Skokholm, on 9th 1993 the British Ornithologists’ July 1983. Union awarded him its Union Medal. a story told in Pembrokeshire one in Wales, had fallen into Ronald was married three (1957). His work in marking disuse, Ronald recommenced the times: first to Doris Shellard, who Grey Seals Halichoerus grypus wildfowl-ringing which had been died in 1989, their daughter Ann demanded a combination of carried out there before the war.

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