Björn Bergenholtz
(former alias "Calalp")
Here´s a a minor addition (i.e. a death year) and some curious (just fun-to-read) details triggered simply by curiosity, and the thread Iris's Broad-billed Roller (here), this time regarding yet another lady by the name Iris, commemorated in ...
irisae as in:
• the invalid "Paludipasser irisae" ROBERTS 1932, here, p.33 [syn. (Paludipasser) Ortygospiza locustella NEAVE 1909]:
She divorced Cecil Priest shortly after the publication of his book Birds of Southern Rhodesia and then remarried the Game Warden (of Rhodesian Game Department) Denis (or Dennis?) Townley (1904–1984), one of Mr. Priest's colleagues and/alt. collectors ... and the Townley Couple stayed together all the way until Mrs Townley, "our" Iris, died (of Cancer): 11th January 1975, in "Chipinga Hospital" [most likely the Hospital in today's Chipinge, Zimbabwe], (see ORAFs [Old Rhodesian Air Force] NEWSLETTER 06 MARCH 2016, here).
However; no birth, no nationality nor maiden name found on her.
More on Iris (and the Towney couple) see, ORAFs Newsletter 30 May, 2016, (here, far down the page; heading: Dennis & Iris Townley). It´s quite a story!!
For anyone more interested I assume even more info on her is to be found in The Honeyguide, journal of Rhodesian Ornithological Society, Vol. 30–32 (1984), Google Snippet view here, or in the book Winter Cricket: The Spirit of Wedza : a Collection of Biographies, Articles, Memories, and Recollections (2003); here alt. here.
Either way: enjoy!
Björn
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*Captain Cecil Damer Priest (1887–1955), late Royal Dublin Fusiliers, (British? Scottish? Irish?) oologist, ornithologist in Southern Rhodesia (today's Zimbabwe) ... author of A guide to the birds of Southern Rhodesia and a record of their nesting habits (1929), The birds of Southern Rhodesia, in 4 volumes (1933-34), Eggs of birds breeding in southern Africa (1948) and Eggs of Southern African birds (1971) ... alledgely commemorated in the subspecies Bradypterus barratti priesti BENSON 1946 (OD unseen by me). Born 15 September 1887 (here) ... Postal adress (in 1930): "Mashumba's P.O., Wazda, Marandella, S. Rhodesia. S. Africa", associate of AOU (from 1927), Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Couronne ... and onwards. A guy who most definitely liked marriages!
In the 1940's his (fourth!?!) wife was Barbara Priest, here, author of A far bell (wartime adventures in central Africa, 1947), here, but even more conspicous co-author (together with her forthcoming husband Mr Priest) of Animals' Tales, Or, Stories for Children about African Animals (from 1930, here). Also see here (No.59).
/B
irisae as in:
• the invalid "Paludipasser irisae" ROBERTS 1932, here, p.33 [syn. (Paludipasser) Ortygospiza locustella NEAVE 1909]:
= Iris Priest, third (!) wife of Captain Cecil Priest*, whom she later divorced, remarried with D. Townley in the early 1930's, and thereafter her name became Iris Townley ... but she prefered to be called "Bill" ...!... collected (and donated to the Transvaal Museum) by Captain and Mrs. (Iris) C. D. Priest, 25 miles south of Marandellas Village, Southern Rhodesia, on 30th December, I930.
She divorced Cecil Priest shortly after the publication of his book Birds of Southern Rhodesia and then remarried the Game Warden (of Rhodesian Game Department) Denis (or Dennis?) Townley (1904–1984), one of Mr. Priest's colleagues and/alt. collectors ... and the Townley Couple stayed together all the way until Mrs Townley, "our" Iris, died (of Cancer): 11th January 1975, in "Chipinga Hospital" [most likely the Hospital in today's Chipinge, Zimbabwe], (see ORAFs [Old Rhodesian Air Force] NEWSLETTER 06 MARCH 2016, here).
However; no birth, no nationality nor maiden name found on her.
More on Iris (and the Towney couple) see, ORAFs Newsletter 30 May, 2016, (here, far down the page; heading: Dennis & Iris Townley). It´s quite a story!!
For anyone more interested I assume even more info on her is to be found in The Honeyguide, journal of Rhodesian Ornithological Society, Vol. 30–32 (1984), Google Snippet view here, or in the book Winter Cricket: The Spirit of Wedza : a Collection of Biographies, Articles, Memories, and Recollections (2003); here alt. here.
Either way: enjoy!
Björn
________________________________
*Captain Cecil Damer Priest (1887–1955), late Royal Dublin Fusiliers, (British? Scottish? Irish?) oologist, ornithologist in Southern Rhodesia (today's Zimbabwe) ... author of A guide to the birds of Southern Rhodesia and a record of their nesting habits (1929), The birds of Southern Rhodesia, in 4 volumes (1933-34), Eggs of birds breeding in southern Africa (1948) and Eggs of Southern African birds (1971) ... alledgely commemorated in the subspecies Bradypterus barratti priesti BENSON 1946 (OD unseen by me). Born 15 September 1887 (here) ... Postal adress (in 1930): "Mashumba's P.O., Wazda, Marandella, S. Rhodesia. S. Africa", associate of AOU (from 1927), Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Couronne ... and onwards. A guy who most definitely liked marriages!
In the 1940's his (fourth!?!) wife was Barbara Priest, here, author of A far bell (wartime adventures in central Africa, 1947), here, but even more conspicous co-author (together with her forthcoming husband Mr Priest) of Animals' Tales, Or, Stories for Children about African Animals (from 1930, here). Also see here (No.59).
/B
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