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List of Audio or Video Files available to accompany this Article: Click on a filename or thumbnail image to load the Audio or Video into the Player.
01:14:15
Audio/Video Article Number 112. This sub-section contains an article contributed by Tom & Gisèle Wall.
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Tom Pritchard Interview. Click on a photo for a popup window showing larger photo.
Interview with Tom Pritchard (1932-2023)
THIS RECORDING AND SLIDESHOW IS AVAILABLE ON OUR NEW WEBSITE CLICK ON THE POPUP OVERLAY TO VISIT SITE
The interview was recorded on 25th October 2015 at his home in Bangor, by Tom and Gisèle Wall. It lasts 1 hour 14 minutes. At the time of the interview, Tom and Gisèle were working on books about Rostherne Mere which they self-published in 2019: Rostherne Mere. Aspects of a wetland nature reserve and Rostherne Mere. Birds of mere and margin. Tom was Warden of the NNR from 1976 to 1985.
Tom Pritchard was Regional Officer for the Midlands when the NNR was acquired and the interview was aimed at securing information relevant to the acquisition and establishment of the NNR which was declared in 1961. Tom Pritchard was Regional Officer for the Midlands from 1957-1966, he then became Deputy Director Wales and later Director.
He talks about the acquisition of the NNR, the appointment of Philip Oswald as the first Warden along with Jack Osborne, and the building of the architect-designed Observatory overlooking the Mere.
The interview covers a lot of ground not relevant to Rostherne Mere. Topics include the acquisition of the Nature Conservancy's office for the Midlands (later just West Midlands) at Attingham Park, Shrewsbury. Successes at defending SSSIs at public enquiries, including the diversion of the M6 to avoid Coleshill Bog SSSI. Frustrating the Central Electricity Generating Board through the successful defence of their plans in respect to SSSIs which led to what became a fruitful relationship with Arthur Hawkins who was to become Chairman of the CEGB. Out of this came a field studies facility for local schools at Rugeley Power Station and a gathering of senior staff from the CEGB and senior conservationists at Attingham Park and later, when he was working in Wales, the financing by CEGB of a civic facility at Llanberis in N Wales related to CEGB's major pumped-storage hydroelectric scheme. This part of the interview provides insights into Tom's ability to take advantage of situations and to work productively with others with different agendas.
The interview then reverts to Rostherne Mere and Tom Pritchard's time as Midlands Regional Officer, with reference to NC's connections with universities and the establishment of the Mires Research Group and the Meres Research Group and an international peatland inventory set up by him and David Bellamy, linking to the International Biological Programme and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Also, what Tom refers to as David Bellamy's first TV Programme which was filmed at Chartley Moss NNR, including bog snorkelling.
Parts of the interview relating to Tom's early years with the Nature Conservancy (1957-59), to the appointment of Philip Oswald and to the
establishment of the Midlands Region Office at Attingham Park, have been transcribed and were published in The 49 Club Newsletter, 2023.
The full interview is now available here on the Club's website as a playable audio file with a video slideshow accompaniment. Many of the photos used in the video slideshow are also available in the corresponding sub-section in the Gallery page of this website.
The website, audio and slideshow content has been edited and produced by Ken and Carolyn Taylor from original text, audio files and photos supplied by Tom and Gisèle Wall.
