Thomas Bewick’s Birds Of Spitalfields
Click here to book tickets for my tour through spring and summer
Coming across an early copy of Thomas Bewick’s ‘History of British Birds’ from 1832 in the Spitalfields Market inspired me to publish this ornithological survey with illustrations courtesy of the great engraver.
I have always known these pictures – especially the cuts of the robin and the blackbird – yet they never cease to startle me with their vivid life, each time I return to marvel at the genius of Bewick in capturing the essence of these familiar creatures so superlatively.
The book reminded me of all the birds that once inhabited these fields and now are gone, yet it is remarkable how many varieties have persisted in spite of urbanisation. I have seen all of these birds in Spitalfields, even the woodpecker that I once spied from my desk, coming eye to eye with it while looking into a tree from a first floor window to discern the source of an unexpected tapping outside.
The Sparrow
The Starling
The Blue Tit
The Great Tit
The Pigeon
The Collared Dove
The Blackbird
The Crow
The Magpie
The Robin
The Thrush
The Wren
The Chaffinch
The Goldfinch
The House Swallow
The Jay
The Woodpecker
Pied Wagtail – spotted by Ash on the Holland Estate, Petticoat Lane
Rose-ringed Parrakeet – an occasional visitor to Allen Gardens
Heron – occasionally spotted flying overhead
Buzzard – spotted over Holland Estate, Petticoat Lane
Swift – spotted by Ian Harper around Christ Church
Raven – spotted by Ian Harper & Jim Howett around Christ Church
Kite – spotted by Ian Harper & Jim Howett around Christ Church
Long-tailed Tit – spotted in Wapping
Willow Warbler – spotted by Tony Valsamidis in Whitechapel
You may also like to take a look at
Lucky you to find such an early edition! Do you know Jenny Uglow’s biography of Bewick? A really good read. All good wishes!
Bewick was a great illustrator but perhaps not so good an ornithologist: surely that is a wood pigeon rather than a collared dove?
How lovely to think these were once a common sight in Spitalfields, and sad that they are no longer.
Where I work in New Street, I hardly ever see a bird!!
That crow! He is a master and commander. Just look at the way he plants himself, and defies anyone to get in his business. A good friend of mine is a gifted bird photographer, and she
patiently explained the differences between ravens and crows. Clearly, there is a WORLD of
difference.
I have a whole Dover book of archival images by Bewick and have (selectively) used them in my collages. Even the backgrounds in these bird prints are quite lovely and evocative. His work was so precise, and yet never soulless.
Wonderful! Happy spring
All of these birds are still to be seen. in Spitalfields, Gail.
What amazing illustrations. I seem to recall one of my siblings had a book of British birds by Thomas Bewick. Probably got sent off to a jumble sale at some point…..
I live in deepest west of Ireland countryside. Many of these birds visit our garden on a regular basis. Pied Wagtails in particular love to amble around the lawns and seems totally unconcerned by lawn mowers or cats. We haven’t seen any Ravens, Woodpeckers, Parakeets or Kites yet. But there’s still time I suppose!
I think Berwick’s collared dove is actually a wood pigeon. What we now call the collared dove only arrived in Britain in 1958 but is now wide spread. The collared dove is slim and elegant, the wood pigeon, for all its lovely colour is a large clumsy creature. Both have collars and perhaps wood pigeons were also known as collared doves at the time.
Great that all the featured birds still live in or visit Spitalfields.
Such a lovely list! There are peregrine falcons living in the bell of Christ Church and can be heard often.