The Life and Times of Arthur Patterson

1857: Born 19th October

1861: Mother dies of TB.

1861: Father marries again.

1872: Becomes a pupil teacher at school on 5 shillings a week.

1875-1890: Spends time lay preaching in Methodist chapels.

1878: Starts first nature notebook.

1878: First writing published in newspaper.

1879: Has jobs as a postman and then a pedlar in tea.

1880: Marries Alice Paston.

1882-1884: Has jobs as a showman, zookeeper and warehouseman.

1889: Bird Protection Society formed.

1891: First contribution to local naturalists publications.

1892: Goes on tour with the (dead) Roqual Whale.

1892: Starts work as a school attendance officer.

1895: Gives up shooting.

1896: Starts writing under name ‘John Knowlittle’.

1906: Duchess of Bedford puts his name forward as an associate member of the Linnean Society.

1916: Youngest son Gerald killed in World War I.

1926: Retires from school attendance officer job.

1927: Alice his wife dies. “The saddest event of my life."

1929: Publishes Wildfowlers and Poachers to good reviews in The Times and The Observer.

1930: Publishes ‘Though Broadland by Sail and Motor’.

1935: Elected an associate member of the Linnean Society.

1935: Dies 27th October.