Amateur
Entomologists'
Society

Eric Bradford

1921 - 1995

Eric Bradford was born in Holloway, North London, in May 1921. In 1940, aged 19, he joined the RAF and served at Brize Norton and Market Stainton before being sent to North Africa. On his return to England he was based at Lydd in Kent.

After the war he worked as a free-lance illustrator in Islington, North London, and became a very skilled artist producing a large number of superb watercolours, predominantly of moths. Although Eric had an interest in natural history from childhood he later specialised in micro-lepidoptera. From the early 1960's over many years he produced several line drawings of micro-lepidoptera to accompany articles in the AES Bulletin.

Eric moved from North London in the 1970s to live in Kent, and he purchased 15 acres of Blean Woods as a reserve for nature conservation. Some time later he purchased a 4.5 acre plot behind his house, Brooklands of Pean Hill, as another reserve. Through these ventures he became deeply involved in local natural history societies and nature conservation in general. Unfortunately on the 12 August 1995 Eric Bradford was involved in a road accident in which he died at the age of 74.

Eric Bradford used his illustrating skills to the great benefit of our Society and The Bradford Award for the best adult exhibit at our exhibition is given annually in his memory and is funded from a bequest made by him to the Society of around £10,000.