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The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is now the largest nature conservation charity in Europe; helping wildlife far beyond Britain, working with partners overseas to protect habitats and endangered species. While the RSPB was founded back in 1889, it is currently celebrating the centenary of its first major success in 1921, when the Plumage (Prohibition) Act banned the import of feathers to use as hat decorations. Prior to the anti-cruelty legislation, hundreds of thousands of birds, including hummingbirds and egrets, were killed annually for their feathers. Ironically, women were behind the campaign to stop the cruel trade, which was fuelled by the fashion industry's demands. RSPB's launch The RSPB was launched as a result of bird lover and animal activist Emily Williamson's campaign to stop the inhumane practice. Born in Lancaster, England, in April 1855, as a young woman she grew increasingly angry about birds being killed in the name of fashion. She campaigned against the use of bird feathers on hats, not only because it involved cruelty, but also because the birds were being killed in such great numbers that some species were suffering a significant decline in population. However, by 1889, despite her best efforts, the fashion craze was showing no signs of slowing down. The hats were adorned not only with imported feathers, but also with wings and even whole dead birds, as a result of taxidermy. It echoed the way in which the trend for real fur garments saw women wearing the skin of a dead fox or mink, complete with head and tail, as a stole. Both trends signified the wearer's wealth and opulence. By the age of 34, Williamson was sickened by the fashion industry. It had reached the stage where it was driving some species towards extinction. Beautiful birds of paradise were killed for their feathers every year. She decided enough was enough and officially launched the Society for the Protection of Birds in 1889; inviting a group of female friends and prominent women to her home in Didsbury, Manchester, to discuss how to end the plumage trade. Those present were asked to sign a pledge to "Wear No Feathers". It was a forerunner to modern-day campaigns, such as PETA'S "We'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" in 1992. Williamson's campaign proved very unpopular with society women, for whom an elaborate hat adorned with feathers was a sign of their prestige and social status. The trend for wearing feathers had grown during the Victorian era. In the late 19th century, it had reached a stage where the bigger the hat, the better. Huge creations adorned with multiple colourful tail feathers had become the height of fashion. Growth of the RSPB Undaunted by the negative backlash from some society women, Williamson continued with her campaign. She was treated generally favourably by the press, although was disappointed when the all-male British Ornithologists' Union refused her request to take a stand against the fashion industry. In 1891, the society amalgamated with another wildlife and animal welfare group, the Fur, Fin and Feather Folk, based in Croydon. By 1893, the society had around 10,000 members. Williamson enlisted the help of fellow wildlife lovers Etta Lemon and Eliza Phillips to lead the organisation. Born in 1860, in Redhill, Surrey, Lemon was equally passionate about fighting "murderous millinery". She was well-known for public speaking, lobbying for legislation to protect wild birds. The campaign pointed out four snowy egrets had died to make one ounce of plumage for a hat. Famous for her own flower-topped hat, Lemon was also local secretary of the RSPCA and held staunchly Christian beliefs. Her husband, Frank, was Mayor of Reigate. She was said to have been instrumental in getting male ornithologists interested in the RSPB's work. Phillips was born in 1823 in Wandsworth, Surrey. The animal welfare activist became the RSPB's vice-president and publications editor. The daughter of a well-to-do couple, George and Elizabeth Barron, she was well-travelled, and became involved in animal welfare after witnessing the suffering of cows on a long sea voyage. The three leaders of the RSPB enlisted the help of Winifred Cavendish-Bentinck, the Duchess of Portland, as president. The Perthshire-born society figure was also a well-known humanitarian and animal welfare campaigner. In 1899, the society received the backing of Queen Victoria, who confirmed an order prohibiting some regiments from wearing plumes in their military headdress. The women achieved royal status for the Society for the Protection of Birds in 1904, largely due to the duchess's involvement. First major success It took Williamson and her followers more than 30 years until her "Wear No Feathers" pledge became law. The Importation of Plumage (Prohibition) Act was finally passed on 1st July 1921 - 32 years after the campaigners' initial meeting at Williamson's home. Sadly, this was five years after Phillips' death, so she never saw the fruits of her labours. The Act finally banned the import of feathers and saved a number of bird species from extinction. Williamson spoke with pride about the growth of the RSPB, describing it as a "very small fledgling" that had never imagined it could "soar to the heights it had reached". The campaign to stop cruelty to birds was at the heart of the RSPB in its early years. Campaigning remains a key part of its work in the 21st century. Williamson's great-great niece, Melissa Bateson, is professor of ethology at Newcastle University. Melissa's father, Professor Sir Patrick Bateson, was also an eminent ethologist, who spent his career studying the biology and behaviour of birds. An authority on starlings, she says she is proud to be a descendant of the RSPB founder and is delighted that a statue of her great-great aunt is being commissioned in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury (the gardens of Williamson's former home) to mark the centenary of the plumage law. What has the RSPB achieved over the years? The RSPB has been protecting places for nature for the past century. Conservation is central to its work and it bought its first nature reserve in 1930, Brading Marsh, on the Isle of Wight. In 1947, the RSPB reserve at Minsmere in Saxmundham, Suffolk, was made a reserve for avocets - a species once extinct in Britain. They were also bred at Havergate Island nearby. The RSPB continued to open new reserves UK-wide and it now has more than 200. Aimed at encouraging young people to take part in bird conservation; the RSPB launched the Young Ornithologists' Club in 1965, which later became the Wildlife Explorers. In 1979, the RSPB booked a special slot on the long-running children's TV show, Blue Peter, to launch the Big Garden Birdwatch. In the 1990s, the RSPB became a global force to protect wildlife. It became a partner of Birdlife International in 1993 - a worldwide partnership that comprises multiple bird welfare and conservation groups. As a result, the UK Overseas Territory, Tristan da Cunha, in the South Atlantic Ocean, has become one of the biggest wildlife sanctuaries in the world. In 1997, membership of the RSPB rocketed to more than one million people, making it the largest conservation charity in Europe. It continues to work with members and supporters with the same passion and determination that the founders exhibited more than a century ago. What are the RSPB's plans for the future? The RSPB has adapted its services to keep people informed, despite the Covid-19 lockdown. From March 2020, it launched a new weekly email, called Notes on Nature, to share news on birdlife with supporters. It regularly reaches more than one million people. A lot of people became more interested in nature during lockdown. There has been an increase in the number of supporters sharing sightings of birds during 2020 and 2021. The RSPB launched online events, such as its Breakfast Birdwatch and Dawn Chorus Day, to help people stuck at home to share the joys of nature during the pandemic. This year, the annual Big Garden Birdwatch was the biggest in the event's history, with more than one million participants. A record number of cranes have been recorded, with more than 200 being sighted in the UK, after facing extinction some 400 years ago. In addition, the rare golden eagle has been spotted breeding again in Orkney, after no sightings there for almost four decades. Charity chiefs have revealed their "ambitious plans and targets", as they work with the public and other wildlife organisations to "change the fate of nature". The RSPB already owns 55% of the land it manages, with 45% managed in partnerships. By 2025, it aims to have improved the wildlife situation of at least 10% of the oceans around Britain and its territories overseas. With a goal to ensure no further loss of protected areas around the UK, they aim to offer advice on land management to the owners of 5,000 sq. km of land. Over the next century, the charity will focus on its priority list of threatened species; helping to nurture their recovery through partnerships, research, landscape conservation and new policies. These species include the turtle dove, curlew, hawfinch, puffin and willow tit, which have all suffered a decline in numbers. A further 41 species of bird will continue to be monitored and helped for conservation purposes to prevent their numbers from declining again. Reintroduction projects for species such as the cirl bunting, bittern and corncrake will also continue. The RSPB will continue to participate in the major State of Nature report, compiled by 49 organisations and aimed at identifying and dealing with threats to wildlife and nature. There are lots of ways the public can get involved. Taking part in events such as the Big Garden Birdwatch, attending community events aimed at fundraising and raising awareness, or simply making your own garden bird-friendly, are all vital to the charity's future. If you would like to help, you can call the RSPB on 01767 693680, or register your interest via the website.