George Bristowe of St Leonards
1870-1947
George Bristow of St Leonards. This man it is understood taught ET Booth the art of taxidermy and it is further understood stuffed some of the birds that now form part of the Booth Collection in Brighton. Bristowe, upon his death caused a stir when it was suggested that his claims for "first" sightings in the world of Ornithology were in fact frudulent.
In August 1962, the ornithological journal ‘British Birds’ published two articles devoted to the examination of one topic. The authors, Max Nicholson and James Ferguson-Lees, made clear their intention in the accompanying editorial. This was to prove, by statistical analysis and comparison of records, that many, if not all, of the rare birds recorded from the Hastings area, in the period 1890 – 1930, were the result of a deliberate deception. Within a short time of the publication of the articles, dramatic newspaper headlines were speaking of the ‘Hastings Rarities Fraud’, and, for some time afterwards, the issue assumed almost national importance.
As a result of this letter, Mr George Bristow, the taxidermist who prepared and mounted almost all of the specimens taken locally, wrote to Witherby offering to have the specimens examined in the flesh, by experts, before skinning them. A panel of experts, consisting of some of the most notable ornithologists of the day was duly appointed. The number of rarities declined after this, but it should be borne in mind that in 1916 the First World War was at its height, and everyone involved had other concerns.
The Hastings Rarities undoubtedly contained a number of perfectly good records. It is now almost impossible to disentangle fact from fiction, which means the only way forward is to remove all the material from the record
Upon Bristowe's death his own private collection of some 300 cases (data written on the reverse), was given to Bristowes family doctor. These cases then were passed down that family line until recently. The collection included birds of prey, Bitterns and rare species that were reported to have been shot on Romney Marsh. We now know where these cases are located. According to the son of the Doctor,who treated Bristowe until his death, the family maintained that his claims were true regarding "firsts".
Harrison, James H (1968) Bristow and the Hastings Rarities Affair Harrison
Black Lark Melanocorypha yeltoniensis. This was also a species involved in the ‘Hastings Rarities’ scandal, with a series of discredited records from the Kent/Sussex border between 1907 and 1915.
Today's Sussex
Undertaking the research into the Booth Museum, William Borrer and like demonstrates a view of the past we no longer see today. Peregrine Falcons today are making a come back into this region. It is understood that there are some 2/3 pais nesting in the West Sussex area. This should be applauded for the conservation work undertaken, but it is a joke in comparison to what was in Sussex in the 1850's.
Routinely Gyr Falcons, Merlins, Great Bustards, Hoopoes, Honey Buzzards, Golden Oriels, Spoonbills, Cattle Egrets, Montague's Harriers bred and frequented the area(s) around Sussex and Hampshire. Victorian Collecting did play a part in the eradication of some species in certain areas, but is as nothing compared with habitat loss, pesticides and insecticides used in modern agricultural practices today ans since the turn of the 19th Century. MOD sponsered shooting of Peregrine Falcons due to the fact that they hunted "Messenger Pigeons" during the First World War was far more devastating than egg collecting or shooting for taxidermy, by comparison.
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