South-West Surrey by Eric Parker

Donated by a Museum supporter.

Eric Parker was born in East Barnet, London, the eldest son of a solicitor. He was educated at Eton College, Berkshire, and Merton College, Oxford. In 1902 he began work as a journalist, writing for the 'St James Gazette' and the 'Spectator'. As time went on he came to specialise in pieces for sporting periodicals, especially the 'Gamekeeper', which he edited from 1908 to 1910, and 'The Field', of which he became the sporting and countryside editor in 1911 and editor from 1930 to 1937.

In the twentieth century Parker wrote or contributed to some 60 books on cricket, wildlife, gardening and the county of Surrey, and also memoirs of his time at Eton.

Parker moved to Weybridge in 1902 and in 1911 to 'Feathercombe' in Hambledon. He described many of the places he encountered in Surrey in several of his books, particularly 'The Highways and Byways in Surrey' published in 1908, 'A West Surrey Sketchbook' published in 1913, 'Surrey' published in 1947, 'Surrey Naturalist' published in 1952 and 'Surrey Gardens' published in 1954.

Published in 1937 by Macmillan & Co. 2nd Edition. 178 pages with black and white drawings by Hugh Thomson.

The book is a little bit scruffy around the edges with damage to the spine internally.