Catharine Hodgkin

Catharine Hodgkin won her place in natural history largely through her work of ringing birds on the Farne Islands off of the Northumberland coast. Kittiwake gulls, reared there that she had ringed, were the first to be recovered on the west of the Atlantic, proving their capacity for travelling great distances. 

 Although she was the first woman to be elected to the Council of the Natural History Society, as a woman of her time, she did not gain the same academic significance as her male colleagues on the council, even though her scientific approach to birds, flora and fauna was applauded. 

 In addition to her work on the Farnes, she travelled widely to pursue her interests in the natural world. She visited Greece, Italy and the Balearic Islands as an honorary birdwatcher for the British Ornithologists’ Union. She also travelled to natural history sites around Britain to observe birds, including Scolt Head in Norfolk. 

 As well as ornithology, she had a strong knowledge base of Britain’s flora, and also collected butterflies and moths. She made models of birds and published her findings in journals, such as The Scottish Naturalist. Her work uncovered an early and rare brambling nest (one of the finch family) in Scotland in 1920. The nest is now held in the Natural History Museum in London. 

 Catharine’s legacy was to inspire younger generations with her enthusiasm, such as her nephews, who spent holidays with her at Budle Bay, near Bamburgh in Northumberland.  

Written by Our Past Your Future volunteer Maggie Davidson