American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus: an historic first for Essex
local paper confirming all its history, but unfortunately, with such a limited circulation, it did not
reach more official ornithological circles.
We also checked the text for Bittern: "There are four specimens in the case before us, one of which
is from Guist Fen, Norfolk, purchased by the late Mr GS. Gibson at the Barlow sale, one from
Norfolk, and, presented by Mr. Joseph Clarke, one from Wenden, presented by Mr S. Salmon and
the other from Burgh, in 1855 and purchased at Stevenson's sale at Norwich in 1887. "
The four descriptions are based on Christy (1883) and detail the donor and the origin of the specimens.
The third specimen must be the W. Davis bird that was shot by Stephen Salmon, number (#956) in
the Valuations section (B).
Accession Register of articles for the Saffron Walden Museum from the year 1832 to 1880 or 1881
compiled by GN. Maynard (1897)
This Accession Register for the period 1832-1880/81 was not compiled by GN. Maynard until
1897, 62 years after the Museum's opening in 1835, and two years after the death of Joseph Clarke.
Beneath the header on page 1 in hand-written text is: "COMPILED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES
PRINCIPALLY THROUGH THE LATE MR JOSEPH CLARKE - BY LABELS AND OTHER
MEMORANDUMS, LETTERS, &e, &c, THE ORIGINAL REGISTER - IF IT EXISTED - BEING
LOST "After completion of his accession register in 1897, GN. Maynard then cross-referenced the
donations by specimen and donor. The donor card index system is a modern 20th century system. It
is the index at the back of this Accession Register that is 19th century and which he used to annotate
other documents. He is therefore thought to have erroneously entered "207B?" against Tuck's
specimen.
There is no reference to any Bittern specimen donated by a committee member or member of the
Saffron Walden Natural History Society, but there is reference to the donation by Mr Wm Davis of
Radwinter, who on 10th Oct 1833 presented birds in cases (Nos 64-188) on loan and a Black Hare.
This is the only Davis or Davies in the donor/specimen index, so he must have donated specimen
#956 in the Valuations (B).
Research on William Travers/Travis
Jacqueline Cooper, Secretary of the Saffron Walden Archive Society, advised me to review all the
Audley End House archive material deposited by the Braybrooke family at the Essex Record Office
(ERO) in Chelmsford. The hand-written 1826 monthly chits for a random yearly example (D/Dby/
A84/1-12) and the Monthly General Accounts (D/Dby/A230-233) clearly showed William Travis
was a full time, weekly-paid employee of Lord Braybrooke taking care of the Menagerie from at
least January 1820 to February 1871. No other taxidermist is listed for Saffron Walden in the equivalent
of "Yellow Pages" eg Pigot & co. (1823, 1832 and 1839) and Kelly (1845). This suggests that Jabez
Gibson had negotiated privately with William Travers to mount the 1826 Bittern specimen for his
collection, before donating it to the Saffron Walden Natural History Society for the Museum.
Examination of the Poor Rate Books (1820), held in the Saffron Walden Library, confirmed that
William Travis lived at Audley End House. The 1841 census showed he was still living there
(Jacqueline Cooper and Terry Norrington pers. comm.).
Lord Braybrooke referred to William Travis, yet the Museum literature consistently referred to
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 19 (2002)
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