In her usual engaging style, Sal Cooke OBE gave examples of how people and actions link from one to another, with examples from both her personal life and the history of the RSPB. However, Sal is convinced there is an undiscovered missing link in the history of the protection of birds. Could a landlord’s daughter from an Old Town coaching inn who moved to Reading have been involved?

Following a resume of the history of maritime Bridlington Sal described how, when tourism took off in the early Victorian era, local fishermen took shooting parties to the Flamborough Cliffs.

It was the vicar of the Priory, the Rev. Barnes-Lawrence, who decided to do something about this slaughter. He founded the Association for the Protection of Sea Birds with other dignitaries including Sir Christopher Sykes. Sal says they regularly met in an unnamed Old Town coaching Inn.

This led to the Sea Birds Preservation Act 1869, aimed not at their welfare, but at continuing their usefulness to local fishermen and farmers.

Sal explained how later concern grew about the widespread use of bird feathers, and sometimes whole birds, in millinery. This led to some ladies being instrumental in the formation of the Society for the Protection of Birds, and ultimately the RSPB.

Sal then extolled the developments at RSPB Bempton, from when the Gannets arrived in the 1960’s to today’s regular sighting of dolphins and the joys of seeing the cliffs from the historic Yorkshire Belle.

Finally, Sal urged members to research if a daughter from a Bridlington Inn was indeed an unsung heroine in the history of seabird protection.