William Price Green – a Hampshire bird photographer from the 1920s
In the 1920s there were very few bird photographers in the UK. The cost of equipment was prohibitive to most people, and the effects of the First World War were still being felt. However, some professional photographers such as Eric Hosking took bird photographs in their spare time. They were few, but most joined the Zoological Photographic Club, which had been founded in 1899.
One of those early photographers, and a member of that club, was William Price Green (1876-1941). William lived all his life in Hampshire and worked as a land agent on the Cranbury Park Estate near Otterbourne. He lived on the estate in what was possibly tied housing. He took photographs of birds at the nest nearby also on trips to the New Forest, and we believe most of these were taken around the 1920s when he would have been in his 40s or 50s.
We were absolutely delighted when his grandson, Nicholas Green, asked if HOS would be willing to add an album of William’s photographs to our archives. We have agreed to do this, but in addition, HOS member, Steve Laycock has kindly scanned in all the original photographs, and we are pleased to present some examples here along with William’s notes. Of course, today there are important restrictions on photographing many of the species at the nest, but in the 1920s you could do what you liked. We are pleased that a wide audience can appreciate this work, which was of exceptional quality for the 1920s.
To see a larger version of a photo, click on the thumbnail image below.
