AUTHOR FOUND RSPB LESS THAN HELPFUL AS SHE CARRIED OUT RESEARCH FOR HER BOOK ON CRUEL PLUMAGE TRADE OF YESTERYEAR

Author Tessa Boase - determined

THE archives at the RSPB's HQ were described as "a mess" by author Tessa Boase in her fascinating talk at Birdfair on the research which ultimately led to publication of her enthralling book - Mrs Pankhurst’s Purple Feather.

While investigating the cruel trade in wild feathers during Victorian times and later, Tessa was unimpressed by the Sandy-based bird charity's response  to her requests for access to information.

As she sought to pursue her investigations, the relationship soured.

"I was not allowed back for thee years," she revealed in response to a question from an audience member.

But the doggedness of Tessa, a former Fleet Street journalist, paid off and her book was probably instrumental in shaming the male-dominated RSPB into making full acknowledgement that it was predominantly women, not men, who were at the forefront of much of the early legislation that has helped protect birds from slaughter.

Since publication of the book, friction between author and the charity (which she described as "a fortress") has eased, and they seem to smoking from the same peace pipe. 

She is disappointed that the RSPB  "only seems to communicate by Twitter these days", but she was pleased to receive a tweet from conservation director Martin Harper confirming  that a portrait of her bird protection hero, Etta Lemon, had  been retrieved from the dusty vaults and now takes pride of place on a wall in one of the HQ meeting rooms. 

Tessa described how feathers from birds not just native species but all over the world (egrets were in particular demand) were once imported on a huge scale to factories in East London where they were processed for ladies' hats as  part of an industry which came to be known as "murderous millinery".

            

The feathers of little egrets were particularly highly prized

Said the author: "It was horrible work and poorly paid, almost entirely carried out by women, some of whom sought to eke out their livelihood through prostitution."

Etta Lemon - in her lifetime nicknamed 'the dragon' (by men) - is now buried in St Mary's churchyard in Reigate, Surrey.

The author concluded by likening the single-mindedness (and facial characteristics) of Etta to a contemporary  female champion of environmental causes - the Swedish teenager, Greta Thunberg. 

At the Birdfair talk, one audience member enthused: "I've read Purple Feather  - it's fantastic. It reads like a Dickens novel, only better!"

                                  

Better than a Dickens' novel? Tessa's book

The book's subtitle is Fashion, Fury and Feminism - Women’s Fight for Change.

It is not known if the RSPB's archives have been reorganised and become more readily accessible since the author carried out her research. 

* More reports from Birdfair to follow