Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 5th Earl of Cranbrook, OStJ,FLS,FZS,FRGS,FIBiol (born 20 June 1933), styled Lord Medway until 1978, is a British
zoologist, biologist,
naturalist, and
peer.[1] Since 1956, he has been active in the fields of
ornithology,
mammalogy, and
zooarchaeology, and has influenced research and education in Southeast Asia.[2] His career focus was on
swiftlets and other small Southeast Asian birds, as well as on mammals, including
orangutans.[3][4][5]
He is the author of Wild Mammals of South-East Asia (1986), Wonders of nature in South-East Asia (1997) and Swiftlets of Borneo: Builders of Edible Nests (2002) and Key Environments: Malaysia (2013), which had a foreword from
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.[6][7]
A tropical biologist,[8] Cranbrook worked in
Malaya, beginning his career as an assistant at
Sarawak Museum, Sarawak.[9] He was a senior lecturer in zoology between 1961 and 1970 at
University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, and a Jajason Siswa Lokantara Fellow between 1960 and 1961 at Indonesia.[10] After many years working in the far-east, he returned with his wife
Caroline Cranbrook and young family to take up residence at his family seat, Glemham House,
Great Glemham, near Saxmundham, Suffolk.[11]
1956–1958 Technical Assistant, Sarawak Museum, Kuching,
1958–1960 Department of Anatomy, University of Birmingham (PhD 1960),
1960–1961 Post-doctoral award, Jajasan Siswa Lokantara, Indonesia,
1961–1970 Zoology Department, University of Malaya: Assistant Lecturer, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer,
1961–present Honorary Curator of Mammals, Sarawak Museum,
1971–1973 Nuffield Foundation Award,
1972–1988 Demonstrator, Zoology Department, University of Chelsea, London,
1973–1980 Scientific Advisor, WWF Malaysia,
1976–1983 Editor, Ibis, Journal of the British Ornithologists’ Union,
1976–1978 Elected Councillor, Suffolk Coastal District. Chairman, Museums and allied interests,
1979– Chairman, RSPCA Special Enquiry into Shooting and Angling,
1979–2018 President, Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Chairman / Patron, Suffolk Naturalists’ Society,
1980–2018 Chairman, Long Shop Project Trust and Museum,
1978-1999 Hereditary member of House of Lords (UK Parliament, Upper House). Member of EU Select Committee & Environment Subcommittee (3 sessions as chairman), and member Select Committee on Science & Technology (1 session as chairman of inquiry into tropical forests,
1981–1992 Member, Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution,
1982–1986 Trustee, British Museum (Natural History),
1982–1988 Member, Natural Environment Research Council,
1986–2006 Chairman, Institute for European Environmental Policy,
1987–1998 Member / Chairman, Foundation for European Environmental Policy,
1988–1999 Member, Norfolk & Suffolk Broads Authority,
1989–1990 Member, Nature Conservancy Council,
1990–1998 Chairman, English Nature (Nature Conservancy Council for England),
1994–1998 Member, UK Round Table on Sustainable Development,
1996–2002 Chairman, ENTRUST, Regulator of Environmental Bodies under Landfill Tax Regulations,
1998–2006 Chairman, Advisory Committee, NERC Centre of Ecology & Hydrology,
2001–2008 Chairman, International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature,
1995 Royal Geographical Society's Founder's Gold Medal
2005 Knight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of Sarawak
2014 WWF Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Award,
2014 Merdeka Award Outstanding Contribution to the People of Malaysia
Marriage and issue
On 9 May 1967, he married
Caroline Jarvis, daughter of Col. Ralph Jarvis and his wife Antonia née Meade, a scion of the
Earl of Clanwilliam.[17]
Cranbrook and his wife have three children:[1]
John Jason Gathorne-Hardy, Lord Medway (born 26 October 1968), heir apparent to the earldom, born in
Kuala Lumpur[8]
Dr. Lady Flora Gathorne-Hardy (born 10 October 1971)
Hon. Argus Edward Gathorne-Hardy (born 28 May 1973)