A TRIBUTE TO MR. GERRY HAWKSBY Remembrance
of my friend by David Marshall, Ryedale Aquarist Society On
Tuesday 6th December 2102 my friend Mr. Gerald, or Gerry to his fish friends,
Hawksby passed away. Although I had talked with Gerry several
times before he gave a first talk to the members of the Ryedale Aquarist Society,
early in 1985, this was the night our friendship actually began and would last
for close to 30 years. Before illness struck Gerry, I spent many happy hours in
his fish house at East Ayton talking about aquarium fish of all types; the history
of the hobby; Aquatic Societies and our other shared interests of the natural
world as a whole and, maybe surprisingly, the Dad's Army comedy series (Gerry
liked the characters more than the comedy aspect as they reminded him of folk
he had known in his youth). We were always surrounded by various colour forms
of Angelfish, usually in the act of spawning, and killies dashing around in aquaria
large and small. Gerry's fishkeeping interest had begun in
the years following the ravishes of the Second World War. Any form of aquatic
literature had yet to be re-established but the Editor of a best selling cage
and aviary bird magazine had got his act together and, seeing the growing interest
in tropical fish, had decided to give over a couple of pages of each issue to
fishkeeping. Gerry was always very meticulous so he carefully removed these pages,
read and re-read them and when he felt ready to take the plunge purchased an aquarium
composed of a slate base and four glass sheets held together with putty. What
we would class as a primitive heater sat under the base. Gerry told me that he
would watch the activities of the White Clouds it contained, noting everything
about them that he could. However, it was when Gerry was working
as a clerk for British Rail at York that the big push happened with news, heard
from fellow fishkeepers at the Station, that a group of fishkeepers in the City
were planning to expand their hobby activities under the name of the York &
District Aquarist Society and would be seeking membership of the then Yorkshire
Federation of Aquarist Societies. Gerry made enquiries, became the Secretary of
the group and at a time when any self respecting Society had a Newsletter was
soon editing this publication. Although he would go on to do so much for this
Society, the thing he always talked the most about was the excitement of the team
work that went into producing several tableaux for the very prestigious Yorkshire
Aquarist Festival at Doncaster Racecourse. Attending Open and
Interclub shows would then see Gerry make friends with folk from fellow Y.F.A.S.
affiliated Societies. With a need for speakers Gerry decided to try his hand and
was soon going around Yorkshire speaking on the subjects of living foods for fish,
fish on postal stamps and killifish. A growing interest in killies would see him
not only join the British Killifish Association, of which Gerry was a member for
many years, but also help to establish the N.E.Y.G.B.K.A. - the Open Show of this
group was one of the highlights of the year as far as Gerry was concerned. When
the Y.F.A.S. changed constitution and name to become the Yorkshire Association
of Aquarist Societies, Gerry continued his work with the York group and his speaking.
He also expanded this interest to help newly starting clubs becoming established
and this would gain him Honorary Member status at Bridlington & District,
Scarborough & District and Ryedale Aquarist Societies. At
Bridlington, the highlight was the annual invite to judge the members annual furnished
tank competition. At Scarborough, it was helping with the annual Open Show and
later taking on the post of Secretary. With Ryedale, it was attending meetings
at which a speaker would be present, attending social evenings and judging at
our AGM fish competitions. However, what I will always cherish the most are the
nights when Ryedale took part in the heats for the F.B.A.S. Aquachamp Contest
(to find the non-professional person with the most knowledge of aquarium fish).
Gerry would insist that the question papers be sent directly from the F.B.A.S.
to his home; would then practice the correct pronunciation of any scientific names;
do a Quizmaster job that Magnus Magnuson would have been proud of; personally
seal the answer papers and then walk over the road from our venue and post the
envelope back to the F.B.A.S. That was Gerry. Now, we must
remember that fish were not the only interests Gerry had as he was an accomplished
amateur astronomer; kept meticulous records of Formula one motor racing for many
years; had an interest in both snooker and tennis; was a Committee Member at his
local Church and loved the call to go and help with fish frying when the well-known
Walkers fish and chip restaurant first opened at West Ayton. Sue
and I will miss Gerry very much as he was a good personal friend to us both and
a mentor to many in the hobby, including myself. The fishkeeping hobby has lost
a true pioneer who gave so much to a hobby he loved. Although he was a font of
knowledge, he always acted in a quiet way, never seeking attention or pushing
himself too far forward. Gerry, you were a true gentleman.
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