Sporting Gun

Matt Clark reads a memoir of a Royal Parks Gamekeeper

PARK LIFE: The Memoirs of a Royal Parks Gamekeeper

- By John Bartram with John Karter

If you live in the south of England you will probably be familiar with Richmond Park. Those who live further afield might have seen the place through the YouTube video that captured Fenton, a lively black Labrador, chasing a herd of deer through the Park in 2011. This ancient and wonderful piece of parkland is the stunning backdrop to the story of John Bartram, Royal Parks Gamekeeper and Senior Wildlife Officer.

Told in the last year of Bartram’s employment with the Royal Parks, Park Life gives a snapshot of life behind the scenes of London’s largest Royal Park, which is steeped in history and often full of visitors. We get a glimpse of how Bartram managed, not only the deer population, but also the human “invaders” into their realm.

Through his job as gamekeeper, Bartram has met the great and the good of the media, all keen to get close to the man responsibl­e for one of the finest deer herds in captivity. One such person is broadcaste­r and naturalist, Sir David Attenborou­gh, who says in his foreword that Park Life is: “An enthrallin­g story of great interest to anyone – whether one-time visitor or knowledgea­ble naturalist.”

Richmond Park with its ancient oaks, bracken, woodlands and open grassland is the largest enclosed tract of wild country surrounded by buildings to be found in Europe. It is an oasis of natural calm within the franticall­y busy urban sprawl of London. However, as Sir David points out, the Park isn’t “natural”, but carefully managed by a team, and Bartram was a vital part of that team.

The book is an evocative and amusing memoir, telling of Bartram’s part in the management of the Park over a career that spanned four decades. It tells of his upbringing and love of nature taking us from his farcical first interview at the Park through to him bidding farewell to the place on his retirement.

However, it is the deer that are the main characters in this charming and moving story. We get an insight into living at closequart­ers with these majestic animals and through the rhythm of their life, Bartram’s story unfolds. Through his meandering narrative we get a picture of the rutting season with the eerie roar of the stag echoing through the autumn air and of new-born calves, hard to spot among the bracken in early summer. You begin to realise that this book is as much about the deer as it is about Bartram himself.

When it comes to deer management Bartram is one of the best, he has had to be. Being in such a prestigiou­s position means you are under constant scrutiny. “We’re watched from every corner, from the House of Commons to the House of Lords, by the press and the public. So you’ve really got be careful with what you do and what you say,” says Bartram. And this book highlights and explains the intricacie­s of best practice when it comes to managing deer.

But the book isn’t just about the deer. We get amusing anecdotes of pets, such as tarantulas, gerbils and rabbits being released by irresponsi­ble owners into the park. There are tales of the intricacie­s of culling deer in parkland surrounded by busy rounds and buildings. And if that isn’t enough, the general public cause havoc with dogs chasing deer, or having accidents while sledging down slopes in the Park in winter. More importantl­y, Bartram pays tribute to his colleagues. Those who went before him and those who are continuing the work at the Park.

One person carrying on the work at Richmond Park is Tony Hatton who has taken over from Bartram and he gives an epilogue to Bartrum’s book. And so we are assured that, even though Bartrum has retired, the story of Richmond Park will continue for a long time.

This book will appeal to those thinking of a career as a gamekeeper, or people interested in the goings-on behind the scenes of a Royal Park. Published: 13 July 2017 Hardback

242 pages

RRP: £16.99

ISBN: 9781786062­796

Publisher: John Blake Publishing Ltd

All John Bartram’s royalties from the book will go to the Richmond Park Trust

Visit: www.johnblakeb­ooks.com

“It’s the deer that are the main characters in this charming and moving story”

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