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Richard or Dick as he was known, was born in the July of 1920 at Launceston to James Horswell and Kathleen Elizabeth (neè Colwill) Treleaven. His father helped run the Outfitters Treleaven’s in Southgate Street, Launceston. Educated at Dulwich School, he went into the military, serving with distinction with the 14th Army in Burma. In April 1954, Dick married Margery Congdon (1918-1980) at Camelford, they had a daughter, Judith.
Dick went on to become one of the foremost authorities on the peregrine falcon. On his return from the Army, he visited an exhibition of paintings of birds of prey and became fascinated with the peregrine. He had always wanted to become an artist and soon made the acquaintance of a painter, George Lodge, who was to become his guide and mentor.
From the 1940s onwards, and for the next sixty years, he devoted himself to the observation and study of the peregrine on the north Cornwall coast. During the 1950s he found that the population was declining and, as a result of his investigations and analysis, it was found that pesticides were to blame. After a ban was imposed, the numbers began to improve until, much to his delight, a breeding pair were discovered again in Cornwall in 1969.
Dick’s first book (1977) ‘Peregrine – the Private Life of the Peregrine Falcon’ was illustrated with his own drawings. In 1998 he published his second book, ‘In Pursuit of the Peregrine’ incorporating another 20 years of his experiences.
Dick was a founder member of the Society of Wildlife Artists and exhibited every year in London.
In 1981 and being the only survivor in his family still alive and involved in the business, Dick closed and sold up the outfitting shop that the family had run for 192 years, retiring to live at 21, Tiny Meadows, South Petherwin to concentrate on his art and ornithology.
In 2007 he was awarded the MBE for services to ornithology. Dick was a very likeable and approachable individual and his enormous enthusiasm was very infectious. He was always generous with advice and guidance and did everything he could to encourage others in their Peregrine studies. In the fullness of time, this was recognised in the award of an MBE for his services to ornithology in Cornwall. He could have gone to Buckingham Palace to receive his splendid medal from a member of the Royal Family, but since this meant he could only take two people with him, he typically opted instead for a local ceremony, with the Lord Lieutenant, in his home town of Launceston and was joined by 112 guests.
He was also a keen angler, being chairman of the Launceston Anglers for many years.
Dick died on December 8th, 2009, peacefully at Pendruccombe Nursing Home and a funeral service was held at South Petherwin Parish Church on Thursday, December 17th at 11.00 a.m. followed by cremation at Glynn Valley Crematorium, Bodmin.
In 2017 his paintings were included in an exhibition celebrating ‘The Causley Century’ at Terre Verte Gallery, Altarnun.
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