Gilbert Dempster Fisher (1906–1985) was a Scottish broadcaster, writer and naturalist who achieved prominence on BBC Scottish Radio as a naturalist under the persona of 'the Hut Man'.
Gilbert D. Fisher was born on 18 August 1906 at Bishopton, Renfrewshire. His father was William Duncan Fisher, an accountant, and his mother Mary McEwan Dempster. In 1940, he married Ella Veitch Shaw in Edinburgh and they had a son named Jeremy. He died on 11 July 1985 at his home at North Berwick, East Lothian.[1]
Careeredit
After school Fisher entered the business world and after ten years in business he retired to devote himself to nature studies.[1] He was elected member of the British Ornithologists' Union in 1936.[2] Around that year, he settled down in a hut in the moors north of the village of Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire. He published The Hut Man's Book in 1938, and it was re-published as a Puffin Story Book in 1950. During the 1939–45 war, he apparently joined the Royal Air Force. According to the London Gazette, on 11 September 1941, he was promoted from Acting Flying Officer to Flying Officer on probation.[3] His radio broadcasts under the persona of the Hut Man began on the BBC Home Service in Scotland on Monday 12 January 1948 at 5.25pm. The programme on Children's Hour was called 'Hut-Country Walks' and it featured two children exploring the Hut Country with the Hut Man.[4] It was later called 'Exploring the Hut Country' and was broadcast every month or so. This 'Hut Country' programme was very popular and he used his celebrity status to pioneer nature studies in Scottish schools.[1] The last 'Exploring the Hut Country' programme was broadcast on 19 June 1956 at 5pm.[4] Fisher's broadcast career ended in 1956 when he was appointed director-secretary of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. He was effectively in charge of Edinburgh Zoo until he retired in 1971.[1]
Publicationsedit
A Number of Things: Verses for children. Drawn and decorated by E. V. Shaw. Edinburgh & London: Moray Press, 1935.[5]
The Hut Man's Book, Illustrated by E. V. Shaw, (1) Hardback – Edinburgh & London: W. & R. Chambers, 1938. (2) Paperback – Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1950 (Puffin Story Book, no. 58.)
Adventure in the Hut Country, Illustrated by E. V. Shaw, Edinburgh: W. & R. Chambers, 1939
Hut Country Days. Scraperboard drawings by James Lucas. London: Sylvan Press, 1948.
Your Nature Book. London: Sylvan Press: London, 1949.
Exploring the Hut Country. Edinburgh & London: W. & R. Chambers, 1952
Children's Book of British Birds , Edinburgh & London: W. & R. Chambers, 1952.
The Teacher's Book of Nature Study. With three lessons on the sea-shore written and illustrated by John Smyth. Edinburgh & London: W. & R. Chambers, 1958
Guide to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's Park at Edinburgh. Edinburgh: Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, 195?
^ abRadio Times: Journal of the BBC, Scottish Edition. Wembley, Middlesex: British Broadcasting Corporation, 9 January 1948, p.10, and 15 June 1956, p24.
gilbert, dempster, fisher, 1906, 1985, scottish, broadcaster, writer, naturalist, achieved, prominence, scottish, radio, naturalist, under, persona, born, 1906, august, 1906bishopton, renfrewshire, scotlanddied11, july, 1985, 1985, aged, north, berwick, east, . Gilbert Dempster Fisher 1906 1985 was a Scottish broadcaster writer and naturalist who achieved prominence on BBC Scottish Radio as a naturalist under the persona of the Hut Man Gilbert Dempster FisherBorn 1906 08 18 18 August 1906Bishopton Renfrewshire ScotlandDied11 July 1985 1985 07 11 aged 78 North Berwick East Lothian UKPen nameG D FisherOccupationWriter naturalist broadcaster administratorNationalityScottishGenreNon fiction natural history poetry ornithologySpouseElla Veitch ShawChildrenone son Contents 1 Life 2 Career 3 Publications 4 ReferencesLife editGilbert D Fisher was born on 18 August 1906 at Bishopton Renfrewshire His father was William Duncan Fisher an accountant and his mother Mary McEwan Dempster In 1940 he married Ella Veitch Shaw in Edinburgh and they had a son named Jeremy He died on 11 July 1985 at his home at North Berwick East Lothian 1 Career editAfter school Fisher entered the business world and after ten years in business he retired to devote himself to nature studies 1 He was elected member of the British Ornithologists Union in 1936 2 Around that year he settled down in a hut in the moors north of the village of Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire He published The Hut Man s Book in 1938 and it was re published as a Puffin Story Book in 1950 During the 1939 45 war he apparently joined the Royal Air Force According to the London Gazette on 11 September 1941 he was promoted from Acting Flying Officer to Flying Officer on probation 3 His radio broadcasts under the persona of the Hut Man began on the BBC Home Service in Scotland on Monday 12 January 1948 at 5 25pm The programme on Children s Hour was called Hut Country Walks and it featured two children exploring the Hut Country with the Hut Man 4 It was later called Exploring the Hut Country and was broadcast every month or so This Hut Country programme was very popular and he used his celebrity status to pioneer nature studies in Scottish schools 1 The last Exploring the Hut Country programme was broadcast on 19 June 1956 at 5pm 4 Fisher s broadcast career ended in 1956 when he was appointed director secretary of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland He was effectively in charge of Edinburgh Zoo until he retired in 1971 1 Publications editA Number of Things Verses for children Drawn and decorated by E V Shaw Edinburgh amp London Moray Press 1935 5 The Hut Man s Book Illustrated by E V Shaw 1 Hardback Edinburgh amp London W amp R Chambers 1938 2 Paperback Harmondsworth Penguin Books 1950 Puffin Story Book no 58 Adventure in the Hut Country Illustrated by E V Shaw Edinburgh W amp R Chambers 1939 Hut Country Days Scraperboard drawings by James Lucas London Sylvan Press 1948 Your Nature Book London Sylvan Press London 1949 Exploring the Hut Country Edinburgh amp London W amp R Chambers 1952 Children s Book of British Birds Edinburgh amp London W amp R Chambers 1952 The Teacher s Book of Nature Study With three lessons on the sea shore written and illustrated by John Smyth Edinburgh amp London W amp R Chambers 1958 Guide to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland s Park at Edinburgh Edinburgh Royal Zoological Society of Scotland 195 References edit a b c d Obituary in the Scotsman 15 July 1985 Report of the Annual Meeting of the B O U 1936 1 Letters Extracts etc 425 Ibis Volume 78 Issue 2 http onlinelibrary wiley com doi 10 1111 j 1474 919X 1936 tb03395 x pdf THE LONDON GAZETTE 12 September 1941 p 5308 Gilbert Dempster FISHER 101155 11 September 1941 http www london gazette co uk issues 35273 pages 5308 page pdf a b Radio Times Journal of the BBC Scottish Edition Wembley Middlesex British Broadcasting Corporation 9 January 1948 p 10 and 15 June 1956 p24 As listed in British Library Catalogue http www bl uk Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gilbert Dempster Fisher amp oldid 1184493471, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
