Pat sadly died on 12 May 2011. As a family man, sportsman and valued colleague he will be missed by many people, but none more so than by the membership of the Rochdale Field Naturalists’ Society, for whom he was a much loved friend and mentor.
In 2007 Pat was a worthy successor to the renowned naturalist Peter Hill as Chairman of the Society. Like Peter, he had excellent field skills and an intimate knowledge of the natural history of Rochdale over a long period. However Pat brought many other attributes to the office of Chairman which have widened and enriched the scope of the Society’s activities.
Pat worked hard to increase the Society's membership, making new members feel very welcome. He led our meetings efficiently and with quiet authority, leavened with his gentle, wry humour. He was extremely persuasive in co-opting members to get actively involved and was always appreciative of any contribution they were able to make. Pat successfully encouraged regular press coverage and the creation of the Society’s website by enlisting a web master and a team of reporters from the membership. It was Pat who foresaw the need to enhance the equipment now required by speakers at indoor meetings, so he supported the successful bid for a Grassroots grant to cover the costs. He was keen to involve Rochdale Field Naturalists in community events, such as those in Broadfield Park and at the Littleborough Arts Festival, so the Society gained a higher profile in the town. He generously shared his knowledge of field identification and helped many a novice naturalist.
At the time of his election to the Chair the regular recording of Rochdale’s natural history – a prime objective of the Society - had dwindled considerably. Pat initiated and led the enjoyable Thursday rambles in Rochdale Borough each month throughout his term of office. It was a considerable time commitment on his part since he also led a significant number of coach and car trips and, with his characteristic thoroughness, he always made prior reconnoitres of the routes. He recognised that the records that resulted, together with the garden bird observations collected by members, were a valuable resource which should be accessible to researchers and conservationists. Consequently, on behalf of the Society, he signed an agreement with the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit to allow the records to be used to inform responses to planning applications and for use in Environmental Impact Assessments. They also help to build up knowledge of the current distributions of species in Rochdale so that future changes can be monitored.
Pat would have been the first to say that none of these achievements would have been possible without the support of his wife, Barbara, other members of the Society’s committee, and the loyal band of members. However, we know that Pat’s vision was the catalyst in bringing these changes about and his drive was significant in ensuring their success.
All members will have their own memories of and anecdotes about Pat. On many future occasions he will be sorely missed but thankfully he has left a considerable legacy for us to remember him by.