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Post by bobw on Dec 10, 2013 11:24:28 GMT -8
Indeed, I much preferred to deal with Chris Sampson when I visited Saruman 'Museum' than Mr. Smart. Adam. Yeah, Chris was a great guy to deal with. We still keep in touch to this day. Bob
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Post by johnnyboy on Dec 10, 2013 11:29:59 GMT -8
This is the very specimen, it had no antennae, I added them from a damaged O. priamus when I got home. Johnny
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Post by nomad on Dec 11, 2013 12:29:58 GMT -8
Watkins and Doncaster's advertisement in the Entomologist 1910. Also advertising here was the butterfly farmer L.W. Newman with his new invention, the Zinc and corrugated cork lined relaxing box.
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Post by nomad on Dec 11, 2013 12:51:33 GMT -8
A William Watkins advertisement in the Entomologist for 1880, the year after he moved his business from Eastbourne to 36 The Strand, London.
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Post by nomad on Dec 11, 2013 13:48:26 GMT -8
In 1956, the year I was born, Richard Ford main customers were private collectors, including a legion of schoolboys hoping to add to their collection, which can be seen in the fine B/W Photograph above. In that year Richard Ford was interviewed for the Guardian newspaper. The reporter wrote that Ford " fears the old trade in insects and the equipment for catching them is slowly dwindling, Natural History is apparently facing some fierce competiton as a hobby for schoolboys, model jet aeroplanes and a whole hoard of toy's from the world of spacemen are proving formidable rivals to the lure of the bloom of diaphanous wing, the breathless chase of the net." " The day's are growing less when boy's write to Watkins and Doncaster letters like this : Dear Sirs- I have decided to become a naturalist. Please send me a chrysalis of the Privet Hawk Moth. Love Peter."
That schoolboy who wrote that letter to Watkins and Doncaster, was the famous naturalist ' Peter Scott ' the son of the legendary Antarctic explorer Captain Scott!
I guess, Richard Ford would be very surprised today that this ' science hobby ' has been replaced, not by toys such as model aeroplanes, but by social and visual aids, such as the iphone and the ipad.
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Post by nomad on Dec 17, 2013 22:28:00 GMT -8
Amy, from Watkins and Doncaster has kindly read the thread, and mentioned she greatly enjoyed it, I would like to thank her for her kind comments. She mentioned that Robin her father was the son of Richard Ford and does look very young for his age. She recalls her grandfather at his home on the Isle of Wight sending her as a very young girl into the garden to collect Ladybirds for him, but they were not allowed to enter his study without his presence. Peter.
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Post by yellowjacket77 on Sept 17, 2020 10:58:28 GMT -8
I used to go there in the late 70's and buy specimens from old collections. There were some real bargains available. When I was in the UK in 2006 I went down there and also found some interesting specimens. I am sure that the man who looked after me was called Robin. I suppose he must have been Richard's son, or maybe grandson, because he didn't seem as old as your article would suggest. Adam. Richard Ford was my grandfather. His son and my uncle is Robin. Some great stories about grandpa on here.
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