Albert James Compton is one individual who stands out as exemplary in the early Australian poultry scene. A century and more after his first writings and drawings, his influence is still with us because he was the first to publish an overview in book form of the different pure breeds in Australia, the people connected with them and the individual breed characteristics.
Disappointingly, little information can be uncovered concerning his life and activities. Even after several decades collecting whatever I could find of his articles and artwork there is insufficient to write a personal biography. There is little likelihood of material turning up in the future, too, because time-wise we're approaching the point of no return.
Compton wrote and illustrated two of the rarest and most valuable Australian poultry books. Malays, Game Fowls and Bantams in Australia was published by George Robertson and Coy in 1896. This was a small book, A5 in size with 124 pages plus an advertising section of 18 pages covering prominent NSW breeders and products like incubators, poultry spices and cut bone. Twenty black and white drawings by Compton illustrate the breeds discussed. A reprint of this book was undertaken in 2001 by Keith Dubber Printing.
The Australasian Book of Poultry is a far more ambitious work. Published by Geo A Robertson and Coy in 1899, it is quarto size with a bumper 423 pages (this includes an index) plus an additional advertising section at both the front and the back. The book includes one coloured and around 60 black and white full-page plates plus copious black and white drawings. Both titles are magnificent treasures of poultry script and artwork.
I searched worldwide for these books for many years and was finally offered both by John E Norris of Pennsylvania, a book collector and dealer, in 1985. Both were in superb condition, the large tome of 1899 signed by the previous owner, John M Freeman, 1966. It was additionally signed, 'from the Dr Bixler collection'. John M Freeman added the 1896 Compton book to his library in 1957 and again a previous owner's signature, a Mr Broomhead, is present with a stamp on the title page saying 'With the Publisher's Compliments'. Under the publisher's name, an additional stamp saying 'Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co Ltd, London' points to the bookseller who carried the publication in the UK.
The publisher George Robertson and Coy had offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and London. Actually, there were two George Robertsons who were publishers and booksellers in Australia. The two gentlemen were unrelated, but to make the situation really tricky, one had worked for the other before going off and working independently. I can't stress too heavily how significant the two books by Compton are to the fancy. The early histories of the breeds, the breed notes and the early individual breed standards are intrinsic to our current activities. These books are loaded with colonial breeder stories, recollections of imports and the creation of colonial breeds. There is some coverage on waterfowl and turkeys too. Compton could well be considered the architect of the first books covering Australian poultry standards.
Most of my life I had heard of Compton in association with Game fowl. His writings on Australian Game, Australian Pit Game and British Game are legendary in hardfeathered circles. His input and influence instigated developments toward the breed standards we use in showing these fowl today. I've rarely heard him mentioned in softfeather groups, but his coverage of these breeds is very thorough, even extending to nonmainstream fowl such as Polish, Spanish, Japanese and the like. He also had much to say about unclassed varieties.
Other publications took advantage of Compton's writing and drawing talents. The Sydney-based Poultry newspaper issued at least two series on the OEG colour articles (including drawings) which Mr WJ Plant later compiled in his 1988 booklet OEG Colours, in order to make this material more readily accessible. Bill Plant, a colour breeder of Pekin bantams, helped the Pekin Bantam Club of NSW formalise the standard colour descriptions from Compton's writings. Poultry subsequently re-ran Compton's articles and drawings over a number of decades and used the drawing for front page illustrations or in trade booklets like The Poultry Farmer's Catalogue (1936).
Compton lent his drawing talents to the publication, The Australasian Poultry Guide published by George Robertson & Coy. This was the work of James J McCue who had been a poultry officer at Hawkesbury College. The first edition appeared in 1896, with several subsequent reprints, the cover featuring an Australian Game cock as per the cover of Malays, Game Fowls and Bantams in Australia. McCue's book is now exceedingly rare.
Another rare one is The Australasian Pigeon Guide by Walter Fry, also published in 1896. It was reprinted in 2002 by The Australasian Pigeon Fanciers Gazette with 13 full page plates and other illustrations by Compton. Also in the series was The Australasian Canary Guide (1897), again by Walter Fry and featuring 20 full page plates plus numerous smaller illustrations executed by Compton.
Said to be an importer and exporter of prize poultry and a leader within the Australian poultry fancy, Compton has left a legacy that makes us richer today. His fruitful, abundant output created a valuable collection of articles and images based on his personal experience with fowls and other birds. The mystery, however, is where his original drawings have gone. From the fancier's point of view his works of art are national treasures and historically priceless. Can we find them or have they gone forever? Who can answer this question?