It was only while we were clearing his beloved home in Bloxham that it really struck the three of us what a remarkable person our father was – most people would have been happy to excel in one area of interest – our father it would seem excelled in many interests.
\nHe was truly a son of Bloxham born in Seal Cottage at the end of Kings Road – he attended Bloxham C of E School and even in those early days showed promise in two of his great loves, ornithology and botany. On leaving school he went to be trained as a handicraft teacher in the upstairs room at the Joiners Arms. However, not being satisfied with this he was offered a place at Saltley College in Birmingham where he had the opportunity of following his first love – advanced biology as well as his handicraft.
\nIn 1949 he applied for and was appointed head of Bloxham Primary School where he spent 13 happy and successful years. Initially this was a 5-15 school, but as soon as the Windmill School opened it became a Primary 5-11 School only. (No Secretary, no telephone and segregated play ground – one for boys, one for girls and Elsan toi-lets!)So successful that after a General Inspection he was ‘Head Hunted’ for a lectureship in a teacher training college in Berkshire. During this time he had a secondment to do an MSc at Durham. He worked for his dissertation on soil erosion on the Fame Islands and the research he started continues to this day. One of his lecturers was David Bellamy – and the foundation of a lifelong friendship was formed. In 1972 he joined David Bellamy as the civilian ornithologist on the Joint Services expedition to the Chagos Archipelago a coral atoll just south of the equator in the Indian Ocean. As part of the training for the expedition he had to go down to Dartmouth for a survival course. As part of this, he had to jump off the deck of a ship -relying on his life jacket until being fished out. This might seem very tame for today’s cliff jumper – but Dad couldn’t swim – in fact he rarely, if ever, took his shoes off on the beach. The first Joint Services Expedition was closely followed by a second expedition to Danger Island where not only did he cover the ornithology but also the entomology and found a moth new to science (Strictoptera hironsii) – affectionately known as Monty’s moth!
\nAfter Dad took early retirement he became guest lecturer for a specialist travel company and made a host of new friends.
\nHe was cabinet maker, a calligrapher, draughtsman; and an illustrator. He illustrated a book on plant galls. He wrote a number of books including some of the first science textbooks to have coloured illustrations. In the Blandford Rural Studies Series he wrote- Insect Life of Farm and Garden.
\nHe was a great microscopist. He had published designs for special lamps to focus light for dissecting microscopes – he published many photomicrographs – he just loved making slides and photographing them. His photographs thrilled many as he was a well known lecturer on the local circuitoften giving talks to raise money for local causes.
\nHe was an accomplished entomologist and had an impressive collection of moths and butterflies which I’m going to do my best to maintain; he was a keen ornithologist and bird ringer. He was a founder member of the Banbury Ornithological Society. – I remember joining him on the initial trip to Malta to train the Maltese how to ring and release birds in the hope that this would replace their passion for shooting and stuffing them. This was the start of a still flourishing conservation movement on Malta.
\nHe was passionate about islands and visited the majority of those round the British coast – even doing a three week stint as a warden on St Kilda a group of islands 41 miles off the west coast of Scotland.
\nHe was a keen gardener as those who visited Betula House in its heyday will testify – he was especially keen on alpines and had a very good rock garden. He was also a great family man – we hear so much today about children not having a male role model – we most certainly did – how thankful Graham, Anne and I are for the time our parents devoted to us and the skills we have learnt from them. Dad’s achievements and success were made possible because behind every good man there is an even better woman! Mum’s support enabled him to commute weekly to Berkshire whilst a lecturer at Easthampsted Park and latterly to travel all over the world.
\nHis Christian commitment was illustrated by his care and concern for others and in his wisdom. He served St Mary’s Church in one capacity or another continuously for over 75 years. During this period he was secretary, treasurer, church warden -he served on the PCC and Deanery Synod and served at the Altar and assisted with the chalice until in his late 80’s. I’m sure many of you will have individual memories – his knowledge of village and villagers was encyclopaedic – he was a great story teller of these times.
\nHaving just made it to 2009 he could look back on 2008 as one of joy – two grand children married and the birth of a great granddaughter together with the celebration of 65 years of marriage. John Hirons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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