EVERYONE knows about Neville Chamberlain.
He is the
slightly-built man standing at an aerodrome, simultaneously waving a piece of
paper in his hand and proclaiming something about peace in our time.
That is the image most people have of Chamberlain - surely
one of the most ill-regarded prime ministers of the past 100 years.
Ever since 1939, his apparent readiness to 'appease' the
territorial aggression of Hitler has been roundly condemned as spineless and
shameful.
The extent to which that unkind perspective is justified is
entirely another matter.In any case, a single episode in his political career should
not be allowed to obliterate all other considerations of Chamberlain - a
decent, shy and misunderstood man who, in his 71 years, made an enormous contribution
across a wide spectrum of human activity.
Before entering politics, he was a sisal farmer in The
Bahamas, then a successful businessman at an engineering works in his native Birmingham.
Less well known is that he was also a skilful angler, entomologist
. . . and birdwatcher.
He kept diligent records of the birds (including red-backed
shrike and hawfinch) he saw both in and around his home city,
during his time as a pupil at Rugby School
and on holidays, both home and overseas.
In the Bahamas,
he is credited with finding a new species, the Bahaman oriole.
Even as Prime Minister, he found time to ‘escape’ from 10
Downing Street in order to track the species (including
scaup and common sandpiper) in nearby St James’ Park.
 |
| Blackcap - Chamberlain's favourite bird |
His favourite bird was the blackcap
He learnt the craft of taxidermy, and some of the birds he
stuffed while in The Bahamas are held at the Natural
History Museum's
collection at Tring in Hertfordshire.
*Photo of Bahaman oriole: Mxmerce via Wikimedia Commons
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