Philip John Stead 1930-2005

Every one connected with ornithology in the Northern Counties and Hertfordshire will be enormously saddened to learn of the death on 21st May of Philip John Stead,at the age of 74.

His chosen career was as a chartered Structural Engineer; but his lifetime passion was Ornithology; Philip's other interests in Lepidoptara, Odonata, Arachnology and Botany,etc, was what made him a rarity, nowadays; he was an all round naturalist!! His interest in birds developed throughout his child-hood,not withstanding war-time coastal restrictions, so that by the late 1940's he was a regular watcher at Teesmouth.

During his National Service(1951/1953), whilst serving with the Royal Artillery, he stopped a convoy to check out his second Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which earned him the dubious privilege,of being put on a charge!! As well as birding Teesmouth in the 1950's & 60's, submitting many records to both the Northumberland & Durham and Yorkshire reports. Philip found time to travel to Austria, France, Spain, Sweden, USA 10 months, India, Kenya and a collecting expedition to Greece, with Liverpool museum, all in the pursuit of birds. In 1959 he was a participant in two BBC radio broadcasts.

During 1960, amongst an informal group of Teesmouth birders, he was the driving force behind the formation of the Teesmouth Bird Club becoming the inaugural Chairman from 1961-1963 and later the first Honorary member. He was a familiar sight on his red 350cc BSA motorbike around the estuary, sometimes driving erratically, especially if he stopped to view an unusual species!

Philip wrote two books, both on "The Birds of Teesside" one published in 1964 and the other in 1969, he also contributed to S Vere Benson's book on "The Birds of Lebanon". He produced illustrations for Denis Summer-Smith's monograph on "The House Sparrow" 1963. Several short notes in "British Birds" and Ardeola were contributed by him.

Philip was the father of modern ornithology on Teesside, following on from where Nelson left off. Many members of the bird club benefitted in their formative years from Philip's guidance! He was a member of the Yorkshire, Northumberland & Durham record committees between 1963-1972. Recorder for the Yorkshire Vice County VC65 between 1963-1972. 1972 was when his engineering career took him south to St Albans, although he regularly returned to Teesmouth. He served on the ornithological committee (later to become the Herts Bird Club) of the Herts Natural History Society from 1977-1984, becoming President in 1979/81 and 1983/84. Member of the Herts record commitee 1986-1994. He contributed many records, one of the last being Dartford Warbler on the county boundary with Bucks; two Red Kites over his garden this spring pleased him greatly.

Later birding trips were made to virtually all of the Canary Islands, Hong Kong and finally Namibia in the spring of 2004. We were planning a trip to South Africa's Cape but it was not to be. Some of his many other interests, included miltary aircraft, battlefields and history. After a Canvasback twitch in Cambridgeshire, we visited Ely Cathedral, where Philip noticed that a date card on the tomb of one of our early kings was incorrect. He informed the Dean who was most impressed and even agreed to change it straight away!

Philip is much missed by his many friends and close family. He leaves a loving wife Anne, daughters Clair, Katherine and Judith and granddaugther Olivia.

John S P Lumby