Patterson, Arthur Henry

Arthur Patterson was born in 1857 at 8 Garden Row (Row 36). His mother died of tuberculosis when he was three years old. His father later re-married. Arthur was the only child of eight to survive over the age of 21 years. Arthur’s father was a shoemaker and a very strict Primitive Methodist and Arthur attended its school. Later, Arthur became a Methodist lay-preacher. He spent his spare time with his father on his allotment at Runham, where his interest in the natural world began. He was able to see Breydon Water from the allotment’s shed roof and with his friend he began to explore it and also the seashore around the town.

He began to write books on Natural History, his first book being Seaside Scribblings. He wrote articles for the Yarmouth Gazette. He was well- known for his pen and ink sketches, which he drew very quickly. He owned three houseboats, which were locally known as Noah’ s Arks. Their names were Moorhen 1, Moorhen 2 and Moorhen 3. His last houseboat was situated on the north side of Breydon Water at Duffell’s Rond.

Although Arthur did not shoot birds in his later life, he respected the old boys who made a living wildfowling on Breydon Water.

In his early days, Arthur had several jobs. He worked as a storeman at Palmer’s Department Store and his boss, J. Hurry Palmer, took Arthur shooting at Martham. His other jobs were: selling tea, an insurance agent, a sewing machine salesman, a postman, a ticket attendant and a

zoo keeper. In 1892, he was appointed the school attendance officer, a post he held for 20 years.

At the age of 39 years, he used the pen- name, John Knowlittle, when writing for newspapers. He was well-known as a Broadland naturalist and most of his homes were called Ibis House or Ibis Lodge.

Arthur’s main love, apart from his family, was Breydon Water. He later wrote Wildfowlers and Poachers, which the young Ted Ellis (later to become a famous naturalist himself) typed out for the printers. Ted Ellis greatly respected Arthur Patterson and Ellis attended all the Great Yarmouth Naturalist’s Society Christmas socials with his wife, Phyllis, until his death.

Arthur took very many trips on Breydon and the Norfolk Broads in his Breydon gun punt called Yarwhelp (the local name for the bird, the black-tailed godwit).

He was appointed an Associate of the Linnean Society and he died in 1935 and was buried in Gorleston Cemetery with a pen placed in his hand by his son, John.

Arthur Patterson and Yarwhelp