Right to Reply: Kevin Watson
By Charlie • August 22, 2006 • No comments yetOn June 01 this year I posted a ‘comment’ piece on the death of Colin Watson, who was allegedly an obsessional egg-collector and had recently died falling from a tree in a Yorkshire wood (UK’s notorious egger dies in fall). I had never met Colin Watson, of course, but in my piece I tried to be as balanced as I could, and rather than just rejoice in Mr Watson’s death (which had been the reaction of a number of correspondents on various internet fora) I had made - I hoped - an effort to look more widely at the whole event and reflected on the fact that - while I would never condone it - many people of Mr Watson’s generation had begun their interest in ‘birding’ by egg-collecting…
To my total surprise I later recieved several emails from Mr Watson’s son Kevin, giving - understandably - a rather different interpretation of his father’s life and actions. I mailed Kevin Watson back and asked if he had intended me to post one of his mails as a “Right to Reply”: he replied that he had, and the following is one of the (unedited) mails sent to me.
“Sometimes I Guess people should maybe stop look and listen, but not always to the media who cant even arrive at the right date of Birth for my father or myself in that question!!!
- Colin Watson was a published writer In many Wildlife/Bird weekly magazines, commissioned as a book critic by the “Cage & Avery”.
- Produced several TV programme in the 90’s on Red Kite also the Diversity of Bird life on nature reserves.
- Commissioned to carry out studies on Corn Buntings and how farming methods effected their breeding season, to the point of changes in cropping in Northern England, also assisted in investigation on DDT pesticide in Peregrine Falcons eggs.
Also the Fact is never really stated out loud that the magistrate conviction were defend in Crown Court in Front of a QUALIFIED JUDGE not some uneducated Magistrate with no real concept of law !! (RSPB conjecture does not constitute guilt)
All The charges were all dropped and My father award all costs. (York Crown Court 1986 if you would like to check the records)
My father Colin Watson loved every aspect of nature and hadn’t actively collect a Egg since the changes in the “Wildlife & countryside act of 1985″
He has 3 sons and a husband of 45 years also 5 grandchildren who he adored, in all my 43 years I never heard my father swear, utter a word in anger or speak ill of anyone! (that’s a measure of greatness in a evil word).
As for education he was a outstanding writer, who spoke and wrote perfect Latin and several other languages. Maybe if the RSPB had been civil with my father in the early years they could have tapped a knowledge far greater than anyone who they employed in their ranks.
Over 500 people attended my father funeral from many countries and many stood up to pay tributes to a true kind, gentle and loving man.
The monthly and weekly publication he wrote for published glowing obituaries of the man he really was.
Anyone who truly knows my Father has said “this world is a sadder place without him”.
I love and respect nature in every way, I contribute monies to many charities and trust in respect of Bird and wildlife this is all due to my Father!
I personally went on to be Head of Micro Biology of a very large blue chip Company with a beautiful son & loving wife, all this I owe to the finest man I have ever know throughout my worldly travels.
I was blessed to called “COLIN WATSON” my father.
Kindest Regards
Kevin Watson”
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