W.J. Ashford (1879-1970) was a Dorset man, the son of a Blandford linen draper. He was an indefatigable collector of birds’ eggs, his entry in Hartert’s 1928 list of important collectors quoting his interest as “British breeding, self collected, mainly Dorset”. [Note that Hartert refers to W.J. Ashworth in error.) Something of a loner, Mr Ashford was gifted with great patience and much preferred to carry out field work on his own. He knew Francis Jourdain and was also in contact with Rev. Blathwayt, Edgar Chance and Gurney Brasnett, [may be helpful to say who these folk are] but he did not join the British Ornithologists’ Union or the main oological societies, nor did he subscribe to the Oologists’ Exchange & Mart. He did, however, contribute short notes to the Zoologist, The Field and British Birds. Ashford maintained a series of detailed notebooks covering a period of more than 60 years. His forays into the field were oologically motivated, taking him to the same places at the same time each year, and providing a detailed chronicle of breeding data. These ornithological observations have been of great value to historians, containing much valuable information on the changing status of the rarer breeding birds. After the First World War, Ashford moved from Blandford to Bournemouth. He did not own a car, being content to travel by bus or train into the countryside where he would spend the day searching for nests.
Albert Batley (3 February 1863-31 July 1914) of Christchurch had resigned from the Society in November 1913. Some ten months later the Society received a letter from his Executor stating that his widow wished to sell his egg collection. W. Parkinson Curtis was instructed to ascertain the value of the collection. In due course the Society bought the collection for £25. Thanks to the work of Keith Clements – BNSS Oology Curator, the collection has since been measured, catalogued and arranged in boxes for display, greatly enhancing its scientific and educational value to students.
Shirley Wyllys collection – In the entrance hall there is also a most important collection of wild birds’ eggs from 1963-1964 which were sent to Monks Wood Experimental Station, Abbots Ripton, Cambridge (formerly the Nature Conservancy) by naturalists, wardens of Reserves etc. for analysis of organic chlorine chemical deposits. Mostly addled eggs were found but research resulted in the banning of Aldrin and Dieldrin in agriculture. The population of birds of prey began to recover thereafter.
