He was born on 24 August 1921, the youngest of three brothers,[2] in London,[1] where his father was head gardener at the private gardens in Ladbroke Square.[1]
He then worked for the BBC, initially as a wildlife sound recordist,[2] before making more than 7,000 radio broadcasts and hundreds of television appearances.[1][2] He was a passionate believer in bringing natural history to a wider audience, and was a resident naturalist at the BBC. He is credited with starting the Countryside radio programme in 1952. The theme tune used for the programme was Rivers of the North of England by Lambert Williamson.[6] As a guest on Desert Island Discs in 1976, one of his eight choices was a recording of a blackbird he had made near his London home.[2] He narrated the 1972 BBC LP "A Year's Journey" (catalogue number RED135M), which was subtitled "Wildlife recordings from the BBC TV Series for schools".
In 1980 he and his wife Thelma (who was Section Officer Thelma Jackson, WAAF,[7] when they married) retired to South Witham, near Grantham, Lincolnshire.[2] He died on 1 March 2009. Thelma had died in 2001.[1] They had a daughter and a son, Amanda and David,[3] and four granddaughters.[2]
Bibliographyedit
Simms was a prolific writer of over twenty books and numerous articles.
—— (1952). Bird Migrants. Some aspects and observations. Cleaver-Hume Press.
—— (1957). Voices of the Wild. Putnam.
—— (1969). Witherby's Sound-Guide to British Birds (2 ed.). Witherby. (With Myles North)
^'The Man Who Devised the BBC's Countryside Programme', Grantham Journal, 26 February 1982, p. 21
^"Eric Simms". The Daily Telegraph. London. 22 March 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
January 01, 1970
eric, simms, ornithologist, eric, arthur, simms, august, 1921, march, 2009, english, ornithologist, naturalist, writer, sound, recordist, broadcaster, conservationist, well, decorated, wartime, bomber, command, pilot, bomb, aimer, eric, arthur, simmsdfcborn, 1. Eric Arthur Simms DFC 24 August 1921 1 March 2009 1 2 was an English ornithologist naturalist writer sound recordist broadcaster and conservationist 1 2 as well as a decorated wartime Bomber Command pilot bomb aimer Eric Arthur SimmsDFCBorn 1921 08 24 24 August 1921London EnglandDied1 March 2009 2009 03 01 aged 87 NationalityEnglishEducationLatymer Upper SchoolAlma materMerton College OxfordOccupationsOrnithologist Naturalist Writer Teacher Sound recordist Broadcaster Conservationist RAF pilot bomb aimer He was born on 24 August 1921 the youngest of three brothers 2 in London 1 where his father was head gardener at the private gardens in Ladbroke Square 1 He won a scholarship to Latymer Upper School 1 and in 1939 began to read history at Merton College Oxford 1 3 where he also took up bird ringing 1 and joined the University Air Squadron and without completing his studies was sent for aircrew training in Canada and the United States in 1941 He was called up joining the Royal Air Force in 1941 1 and by 1943 was a Leading Aircraftman and was then commissioned as a pilot officer on probation in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 19 March 1943 4 serving as a bomb aimer and second pilot in Lancaster bombers 1 in which he flew 27 raids over Germany 1 On 14 November 1944 he was awarded Distinguished Flying Cross 3 5 the citation praising his skill and determination which have been an inspiration to the crews with which he flies and a complete disregard for danger in the face of the heaviest enemy defences 2 After demobilisation he worked as a teacher in Warwickshire 1 and served on the research committee of the West Midland Bird Club 1 He then worked for the BBC initially as a wildlife sound recordist 2 before making more than 7 000 radio broadcasts and hundreds of television appearances 1 2 He was a passionate believer in bringing natural history to a wider audience and was a resident naturalist at the BBC He is credited with starting the Countryside radio programme in 1952 The theme tune used for the programme was Rivers of the North of England by Lambert Williamson 6 As a guest on Desert Island Discs in 1976 one of his eight choices was a recording of a blackbird he had made near his London home 2 He narrated the 1972 BBC LP A Year s Journey catalogue number RED135M which was subtitled Wildlife recordings from the BBC TV Series for schools Simms also appeared in Sir John Betjeman s 1973 TV documentary Metro land 2 about the Metropolitan Railway line running northwest out of London He was featured birdwatching in Gladstone Park near to his home in Dollis Hill In 1980 he and his wife Thelma who was Section Officer Thelma Jackson WAAF 7 when they married retired to South Witham near Grantham Lincolnshire 2 He died on 1 March 2009 Thelma had died in 2001 1 They had a daughter and a son Amanda and David 3 and four granddaughters 2 Bibliography editSimms was a prolific writer of over twenty books and numerous articles 1952 Bird Migrants Some aspects and observations Cleaver Hume Press 1957 Voices of the Wild Putnam 1969 Witherby s Sound Guide to British Birds 2 ed Witherby With Myles North 1971 Woodland Birds Collins ISBN 0 00 213259 1 New Naturalist series no 52 1974 Wild Life in the Royal Parks HMSO ISBN 0 11 670573 6 1975 Birds of Town and Suburb Collins ISBN 0 00 219126 1 1976 Birds of the Air The Autobiography of a Naturalist and Broadcaster Hutchinson ISBN 0 09 126070 1 1976 The Public Life of the Street Pigeon Hutchinson ISBN 0 09 133150 1 1978 British Thrushes Collins ISBN 0 00 219670 0 New Naturalist series no 63 1979 Birds of Town and Village RSPB 1979 A Natural History of Britain and Ireland Dent ISBN 0 460 04372 2 1979 Wild Life Sounds and Their Recordings Paul Elek ISBN 0 236 40134 3 1982 Natural History of Birds Weidenfeld amp Nicolson 1983 A Natural History of British Birds Dent ISBN 0 460 04469 9 1985 British Warblers Collins ISBN 0 00 219404 X New Naturalist series no 71 1989 The Song Thrush Shire Publications ISBN 0 7478 0023 5 1992 British Larks Pipits and Wagtails Collins ISBN 0 00 219870 3 New Naturalist series no 78 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Eric Simms naturalist ornithologist author and conservationist The Times London 21 March 2009 Retrieved 28 March 2009 a b c d e f g h i j Moss Stephen 23 March 2009 Obituary Eric Simms The Guardian Retrieved 28 March 2009 a b c Levens R G C ed 1964 Merton College Register 1900 1964 Oxford Basil Blackwell p 309 No 36017 The London Gazette Supplement 14 May 1943 pp 2202 2205 No 36793 The London Gazette Supplement 10 November 1944 p 5207 The Man Who Devised the BBC s Countryside Programme Grantham Journal 26 February 1982 p 21 Eric Simms The Daily Telegraph London 22 March 2009 Retrieved 26 March 2009 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eric Simms ornithologist amp oldid 1179649275, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
