Background
Eric Hosking was born on October 2, 1909 in Chelsea, London, United Kingdom. His family moved to Crouch End, north London, during World War I.
Eric Hosking
Eric Hosking
Eric Hosking was born on October 2, 1909 in Chelsea, London, United Kingdom. His family moved to Crouch End, north London, during World War I.
Starting out on a career in wildlife photography in 1929 was a bold move. Bird photography was the pastime of a select few who mainly took photographs of birds for their own interest, or to circulate among fellow enthusiasts and in clubs like the Zoological Photographic Club, founded in 1899.
With no financial backing he began to develop a market for his wildlife photographs. His working year was divided; he photographed during the spring and summer, where birds were mainly photographed at the nest because, as explained below, pre-focussing was necessary. In autumn and winter, articles could be written for magazines like Picture Post and Country Life; and book ideas were developed and then illustrated with high numbers of good quality images, some taken using the then new Kodachrome colour film, making these books very desirable. Some books like Birds of the Day, published by Collins in 1944, sold more than 50,000 copies.
A turning point in Hosking's career came through an accident which happened on 12 May 1937. Returning to a tawny owl photographic hide late at night, he was struck in the face by the owl, its claw penetrating his left eye. The resulting infection meant choosing between losing one eye or probably going blind. The eye was removed and the ensuing publicity appeared in all the national newspapers, where his photographs were already in great demand. As soon as he was fit he returned to the hide to continue taking pictures.
Evenings were often taken up with lectures. It was not unusual for Eric Hosking to give 100 or more in a year, to audiences ranging from three to 3,000. During his lecturing career, many tens of thousands of people were entertained with lantern slides of British bird life. The many comments made by people from Hosking's generation suggest that this form of education had a profound effect on many, some of whom went on to establish the broad spectrum of modern conservation.
Quotes from others about the person
In her foreword to Classic Birds, a pictorial tribute to Hosking's work, Miriam Rothschild wrote: "Eric Hosking brought birds into all our lives. He opened our eyes to the beauty of their world, their grace and fascination. He probably achieved more for avian conservation than any other naturalist of our day."
Eric Hosking married Dorothy Sleigh on 15 April 1939 at Ferme Park Baptist Church. The couple brought up three children, Margaret, Robin and David, at the family home in Crouch Hall Road.