Mona Webster

Published on Friday 11 September 2009 21:37

Civil servant and ornithologist

Born: 22 January, 1913, in Isle of Man.

Died: 27 August, 2009, in Edinburgh, aged 96.

"THERE just aren't enough hours in the day for all my interests," were the words of this outstanding lady, Mona Margaret Webster.

Her fascinating life started in Douglas Head Lighthouse, Isle of Man, when she was born the youngest child of lighthouse keeper John Laurence and his wife, Margaret. A secure childhood followed and after the family moved to Orkney, her education in the local school brought to light her high intelligence and an exceptional retentive memory which were to remain with her for the rest of her long life.

En route to and from school, her greatest delight was to watch the local birds, and she recalled lying on the heather gazing at the skylarks soaring above, producing melodious songs for her to enjoy. Bird-watching was to become a lifelong passion.

In spite of great competition, Mona won a place in the civil service, where she became a clerical officer in the tax office, moving to Somerset House to gain experience and promotion.

She returned to Edinburgh to continue her career, and met and married in 1942 Ted Webster, who became the investment manager of Scottish Union and National in Edinburgh. The couple's horticultural skills became obvious when they bought their home in Edinburgh and brought their garden to life to striking effect with a blend of carefully chosen shrubs and flowers – an ever-changing panorama of magnificent camellias, roses, azaleas and hydrangea, which Mona tended for the rest of her life.

The couple's mutual interest in music, which Mona acknowledged was her first love, and in bird spotting, resulted in travels worldwide. They enjoyed to the full nearly 40 years of married life, and after Ted's death in 1981, Mona's adventurous spirit led her to partake of foreign travel to pursue these interests. Every continent was visited, thrilling journeys taken and powerful experiences had, and Mona saw and recorded more than 5,500 species of birds on these travels.

She joined bird-watching groups, with most of her travelling companions many decades younger than her. Undeterred by Spartan conditions, she enjoyed staying under canvas and even sleeping in hammocks.

She was a sparkling conversationalist and kept in touch with many of her bird-spotting travelling companions. She recalled a visit to Australia in 1994 when she saw a rare plains wanderer, which sighting became the subject of a local radio programme shortly after her discovery.

Not only was her memory superb in remembering and naming rare birds but she also possessed a considerable gift for recalling the musical events – operas and concerts – she delighted in attending all over the world. Mona visited Covent Garden regularly, and she was passionately fond of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where she became known and greatly respected.

Listening to broadcasts at home when she could not attend performances gave her immense pleasure, and her other talents at home included intricate embroidery work, giving talks on various handicrafts, cooking, and handling her own finances, as she enjoyed a wonderful aptitude for figures.

This clever and successful lady lived through some of the war years in London, experiencing a miraculous escape in the Blitz, but her fighting spirit, her brilliant intellect and her courteous, considerate and generous nature enabled her to savour life to the full. Her habit in later years when she was feeling low was to work in her garden in the fresh air among her beloved birds, whereby her amazing spirits were restored.

Mona will be remembered for her passion of living as distinct from mere existing, and she will be sadly missed by her relatives, neighbours and friends.