Tony Norris
Encyclopedia
Cuthbert Antony Norris (9 January 1917 in Cradley, Worcestershire
- 25 February 2005 in Worcester
) was a notable British
ornithologist
.
President from 1961-64 and was awarded their Bernard Tucker Medal
in 1959.
He was a member of the RSPB
's council in the 1950s and 1960s, chairing its finance and general purposes committee. During that time, he persuaded the organisation to move from London to its current headquarters at The Lodge, Sandy
, Bedfordshire
. Using his own money to facilitate the transaction he was, for one day, owner of the Lodge.
He was Secretary and Chairman of the West Midland Bird Club from 1953–1975 and its president from 1975-1999.
He was a personal friend of Peter Scott
and assisted him in setting up the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
.
He was the instigator of the Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory
.
He was the youngest member of the British Ornithologists' Union
.
n Nerine
lilies, for which he was awarded an RHS
gold medal.
He was an accomplished archer
.
, and they had two daughters.
Cradley, Worcestershire
Cradley is a village in the "Black Country" of Dudley, near Halesowen and the banks of the river Stour. It is unofficially known locally as Colley Gate, however Colley Gate is the name of the short road in the centre of Cradley...
- 25 February 2005 in Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
) was a notable British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
ornithologist
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
.
Ornithology
He was BTOBritish Trust for Ornithology
The British Trust for Ornithology is an organisation founded in 1932 for the study of birds in the British Isles.-Activities:The BTO carries out research into the lives of birds, chiefly by conducting population and breeding surveys and by bird ringing, largely carried out by a large number of...
President from 1961-64 and was awarded their Bernard Tucker Medal
Bernard Tucker Medal
The Bernard Tucker Medal is awarded by the British Trust for Ornithology for services to ornithology. It is named in memory of Bernard Tucker, their first Secretary. It has been awarded since 1954, usually annually although there are some years when no medals were awarded.- 20th Century :*1954...
in 1959.
He was a member of the RSPB
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Bird Notes and News was first published in April 1903.The title changed to 'Bird Notes' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year . Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years...
's council in the 1950s and 1960s, chairing its finance and general purposes committee. During that time, he persuaded the organisation to move from London to its current headquarters at The Lodge, Sandy
Sandy, Bedfordshire
Sandy is a small market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is between Cambridge and Bedford, and on the A1 road from London to Edinburgh. The area is dominated by a range of hills known as the Sand Hills. The River Ivel runs through Sandy. The dedication of the Anglican church is to...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
. Using his own money to facilitate the transaction he was, for one day, owner of the Lodge.
He was Secretary and Chairman of the West Midland Bird Club from 1953–1975 and its president from 1975-1999.
He was a personal friend of Peter Scott
Peter Scott
Sir Peter Markham Scott, CH, CBE, DSC and Bar, MID, FRS, FZS, was a British ornithologist, conservationist, painter, naval officer and sportsman....
and assisted him in setting up the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is a wildfowl and wetland conservation charity in the United Kingdom. Its patron is Queen Elizabeth II.It was founded in 1946 by the ornithologist and artist Sir Peter Scott, initially as the Severn Wildfowl Trust...
.
He was the instigator of the Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory
Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory
Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory is a bird observatory on Bardsey Island, off the Welsh coast.It was founded in 1953 by a group of ornithologists from the West Midland Bird Club , the West Wales Field Society, and local people.Bardsey is the only fully accredited bird observatory in Wales. It is...
.
He was the youngest member of the British Ornithologists' Union
British Ornithologists' Union
The British Ornithologists' Union aims to encourage the study of birds in Britain, Europe and elsewhere, in order to understand their biology and to aid their conservation....
.
Other activities
He ran a garden nursery and specialised in growing South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n Nerine
Nerine
Nerine is a genus of plants belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae Native to South Africa, there are about 30 different species in the genus. Nerine have been widely cultivated and much hybridized and are now spread world wide....
lilies, for which he was awarded an RHS
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
gold medal.
He was an accomplished archer
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
.
Family life
In 1940, he married Cicely Hurcomb, daughter of Lord HurcombCyril Hurcomb
Cyril William Hurcomb, 1st Baron Hurcomb GCB, KBE was a British civil servant.-Career:Hurcomb was head of the Ministry of War Transport, and the first chairman of the British Transport Commission between 1948 and 1953. He was also a keen ornithologist and conservationist, and played a key role in...
, and they had two daughters.