William Moreton Condry MA, MSc (1 March 1918 – 30 May 1998),Plaque commemorating Condry's lifetime contribution in the Bill Condry hide at Ynys-hir. was a naturalist who was born in Birmingham, England. He earned degrees from the University of Birmingham, in French, from the University of London, in Latin, and from

Aberystwyth University , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...

, in history. Like his parents, he was a pacifist, and, being a

conscientious objector A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to object ...

worked as a forester in Herefordshire during World War II. He married a woman called Penny in 1946. The next year the

West Wales Field Society The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) ( cy, Ymddiriedolaeth Natur De a Gorllewin Cymru) is a Wildlife Trust in south and west Wales, one of 46 such Trusts in the United Kingdom. History Forerunner of the WTSWW, the former West Wal ...

(later the Dyfed Wildlife Trust) appointed him as their warden for Mid Wales, a post he held until 1956. He also edited their journal, ''Field Notes''. He was warden at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds's reserve from its inception in 1969, until his in 1982, he and Penny having lived at Ynys Edwin cottage there since 1959 at the invitation of Hugh Mappin, the owner of the estate. Condry was one of the main forces in the preservation of the red kite in Wales. He wrote many guides and nature books, including two volumes in

Collins Collins may refer to: People Surname Given name * Collins O. Bright (1917–?), Sierra Leonean diplomat * Collins Chabane (1960–2015), South African Minister of Public Service and Administration * Collins Cheboi (born 1987), Kenyan middle- ...

' '' New Naturalist'' series, ''Snowdonia National Park'' (1966) and ''The Natural History of Wales'' (1984). ''Pathway to the Wild'' (1975) and ''Wildlife My Life'' (1995) are autobiographical. He contributed, fortnightly, to '' The Guardian''s

Country Diary ''Country Diary'' is a daily natural history column in the English newspaper ''The Guardian'', first published in November 1906. It is also now freely available on the newspaper's website. Past and present contributors include Pete Bowler, Arnol ...

column for over forty years, and appeared on several BBC Radio programmes. He received an honorary MSc from the University of Wales in 1980, and held the position of Vice-President of the

West Wales Naturalists' Trust The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) ( cy, Ymddiriedolaeth Natur De a Gorllewin Cymru) is a Wildlife Trust in south and west Wales, one of 46 such Trusts in the United Kingdom. History Forerunner of the WTSWW, the former West Wal ...

from 1982. He died from kidney failure on 30 May 1998, at

Morriston Hospital Morriston Hospital ( cy, Ysbyty Treforys) is a 750-bed hospital located in Cwmrhydyceirw near Morriston in Swansea, Wales. It is managed by Swansea Bay University Health Board. Alongside its role as a district general hospital, Morriston is a t ...

. Following cremation at Aberystwyth, his ashes were scattered on Cadair Idris. The William Condry Memorial Lecture is held annually in his honour, and a hide at is named after him.

Works

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References

1918 births 1998 deaths English ornithologists British nature writers People associated with the University of Wales New Naturalist writers 20th-century British zoologists British pacifists English conscientious objectors People from Birmingham, West Midlands Alumni of the University of Birmingham Alumni of the University of London Alumni of Aberystwyth University {{UK-ornithologist-stub