Biographical dictionary
The Biographical Dictionary of British Coleopterists is compiled and maintained by Michael Darby. The Dictionary can be accessed below, and see also the additional information provide by Michael:
Michael would be pleased to hear from anyone wishing to make corrections or alterations to the Dictionary, which will be fully acknowledged. Email Michael Darby or write to Michael at 33 Bedwin Street, SALISBURY, Wiltshire, SP1 3UT.
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Name |
Dates | Biography | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SALT, G. | The Insect Department Register at Cambridge indicates that the Museum acquired miscellaneous insects including British Coleoptera from Salt on 11 April 1940. (MD 11/04) | ||
| SALTER, J.H. | c. 1862 – 1942 | Professor of Botany at Aberystwyth who had earlier lived in Tenerife, South West France and Dorset. Published ‘Cardiganshire Coleoptera’ in N.W.Naturalist, 11, 1936, p.272. His extensive collection of nearly 36,000 specimens of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and other insects was given to NMW shortly before his death together with detailed notebooks. His natural history diaries are in the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. (MD 11/04) | |
| SAMOUELLE, George | c. 1790 -1846 | Well known early entomologist who was not specifically interested in Coleoptera but included them in his publications. As a young man he trained to be a bookseller and joined the firm of Longman, Green. At about this time he became interested in insects and in 1819 published The Entomologist’s Useful Compendium or an introduction to the knowledge of British Insects, the volume for which he is best known, and A nomenclature of British entomology, or a catalogue of above 4,000 species of the classes Crustacea, Myriopoda, Spiders, Mites and Insects, intended as labels for cabinets of Insects, etc. alphabetically arranged (both published by Longman). In 1821 he was appointed assistant to William Elford Leach, who had helped him with the Compendium, in the Natural History Department at the British Museum but here he ran into trouble. William Stearn, The Natural History Museum at South Kensington (1981) p. 206, states: ‘Samouelle was appointed as an assistant in 1821 but was sacked in 1841, because he had taken to drink, neglected his duties, addressed his superiors with insulting language, and spited his fellow worker Adam White (1817-1879) by deliberately removing the registration numbers affixed to the specimens, thereby creating utter confusion’. In spite of suffering these set backs he kept careful notes and preserved relevant manuscripts about the collections, which are now bound in three volumes entitled Entomological Memorandums, which provide important information not available elsewhere. Details of the contents of these volumes are quoted in full by Harvey et.al. (1996) pp.180-84. He also saw through the press two further publications General Directions for collecting and preserving Exotic Insects and Crustacea (1826) and began the Entomological Cabinet, being a natural history of British Insects, two (octavo) volumes of which were completed in 1833-34 with 156 coloured plates including beetles, before it closed. An attempt to revive it several years later failed. He also founded the Entomological Club in 1826 in partnership with Edward Newman. Stephens (1828) refers to ‘Messrs Samouelle, Chant and Bentley’ from p.7. There is a fragment of a ms in the HDO titled by Westwood: ‘Samouelle’s MSS attempt to edit Drury 2nd edition’ (Smith (1986) p.86). There is an obituary in Proc.LSL., 1, 1846, pp.304-05. (MD 11/04) | |
| SAMPSON, Frank Winn | 1853 -16 November 1926 | A Colonel who spent much of his working life as a Government official in Nigeria. He was particularly interested in the Scolytidae and published on them from 1911 in Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist.. He was at work on a Scolytid volume for the FBI series at the time of his death. His burial, ‘impressively’ at sea, was recorded in the national press. Sampson’s collection included that of W.F.H Blandford, the author of the Scolytid volume of the Biologia Central-Americana series, and was bequeathed together with his slide collection (mostly of beetles) and library to the NHM(1926-428). The collection is accompanied by a loose-leaf file Catalogue of Platypodidae and also a catalogue of the slides (1926-48) (Harvey et.al. (1996 ) p.184). FELS from 1906. There is an obituary in EMM., 63, 1927, p.16. and Gilbert (1977) p.331 mentions an account in The Daily Mail, 24 November 1926. (MD 11/04) | |
| SAMUELSON, James | Published ‘The Whrligig Beetle (Gyrinus natator)’ in Recreative Science, 1, 1862, pp.305-314. (MD 11/04) | ||
| SANDERS, W.J. | Collected Coleoptera in the Leeds area around 1943-1952. (Information from Bob Marsh who has 60 records of Coleoptera collected by him). Sherborn (1940) p.117 records a natural history collection in Bristol museum by William Sanders but it is not clear whether this is the same man. (MD 11/04) | ||
| SAUNDERS William Wilson | 4 June 1809 – 13 September 1879 | Well known Horticulturalist, Lepidopterist and Hymenopterist who lived at Reigate and was President and Vice President of the ESL on many occasions. The HDO acquired 138 Coleoptera from him via F.Walker by purchase in November 1868 for £2-5s 10d; 15 Coleoptera from Brecknock Harbour, W. Australia in January 1869 for 18s and Exotic Coleoptera (which included a few Wallace specimens) in September 1874 for £3 (Smith (1986) pp.147-48). Pedersen (2002) pp.46, 55 records that there are drawings of insects by Saunders in the Templeton’s scrapbook in the RESL together with correspondence with A.H.Haliday dated 18 February 1863. (MD 11/04, 11/09) | |
| SAUNDERS, Charles James | 30 March 1868 – 8 July 1941 | A Grandson of William Watson Saunders and nephew of Edward Saunders. Educated at Merchant Taylor’s school and St. John’s College, Oxford. Went to Singapore in 1891 in the Indian Colonial Service and was at one time District Judge there. Later he was Secretary for Chinese affairs and finally Assigner and Registrar of Companies of the Straits Settlements. His obituary in EMM, 77, 1941, p.209 states that whilst in Singapore he formed a large collection of beetles, paying particular attention to the smaller forms, and that this collection was subsequently acquired by the NHM. He certainly pursued the interest when he returned to England in 1923, publishing many short notes in the EMM in particular. Of interest amongst these was one on ‘Odontaeus armiger in some numbers’ (72, 1936, p.178). His British beetles also passed to the NHM as a gift from his brother and sisters. He also collected Hemiptera which are now in Lewes Museum. Harvey et. al (1996) p.185 record that 3 ms volumes being a Register of the Saunders collection, are in the NHM together with a collecting notebook, one ms notebook titled Host plants of British Beetles, and ten letters from R.Hanitsch 1928-1939. (MD 11/04) | |
| SAUNDERS, Edward | 22 March 1848 – 6 February 1910 | Son of William Wilson Saunders (see below). Well known Hemipterist and Hymenopterist, on which orders he published major works, but he was also interested in Coleoptera, particularly in his youth. Born at East Hill, Wandsworth and educated entirely at home (from 1857, at Hillfield, Reigate). In 1865 he entered his father’s office at Lloyd’s and later became a very successful businessman. His subsequent entomological output was impressive not simply because it had to be fitted into to odd hours between his work commitments and looking after a large family (he mostly worked on it during non –daylight hours), but also because he refused to collect or describe new species on Sundays. At home as a child he was able to study his father’s collections and at the age of 16 he published his first article ‘Coleoptera at Lowestoft’ in the first number of the EMM (1864, p.75). Subsequently he became particularly interested in the Buprestidae which he studied on a world basis and on which he published some 17 notes, descriptions and revisions of collections in Trans.ESL and J.LSL between 1866 and 1874. These included descriptions of more than 100 new species. His Catalogus Buprestidarum Synonymicus et Systematicus, separately published by Janson in 1871, was described as ‘a work whose importance was immediately recognised, and which has ever since remained a classic. In order to render the synonymies... as reliable as possible, he undertook the only foreign tour of his life, visiting in succession all the chief museums of Europe and examining personally the ‘types’.’ (EMM., 46, 1910, p.53). Although most of his published output in the last thirty years of his life was devoted to bugs and the Hymenoptera he did produce a few notes on beetles found locally. Saunders’ Coleoptera collection was purchased after his death by P.B.Mason and is now at Bolton. 16 Buprestidae were acquired via exchange by the HDO in 1866 and the Department also received ‘Numerous other specimens [insects, not necessarily Coleoptera] over many years’ (Smith (1986) p.146). His library was sold by Stevens on 5 July 1910 (together with that of G.S.Saunders and Martin Jacoby) and his unpublished papers passed to Rev. F.D.Morice. (Morice subsequently provided material for a note in EMM, 47, 1911, p.64 dealing with the fate of all Saunders’ collections). Correspondence with Westwood 1867-89 and Poulton (1896-1908); and a diary giving details of his captures from 1878 – 1909 is in the HDO (Smith (1986) p.86). The NHM has a ms notebook Notes on Buprestidae (includes notes made on insects found during his European tour) and one ms notebook Register of Buprestidae, 1872 (Harvey et. al. (1996) p.287) and there is correspondence in the RESL (Pedersen (2002)). Gilbert (1977) p. 333 lists 10 obituary and other notices. (MD 11/04, 11/09). Saunders donated specimens and determined others in the Marquand collection at Guernsey Museum (Fenscore). FES from 1865 (Treasurer 1880-90, Vice President in 1874, 1899, 1901, 1906 and 1907. FLS from 1869.. FRS 1902. Gilbert (1977) p.333 lists 10 obituary and other notices. (MD 11/04) | |
| SAUNDERS, Sir Si(y)dney Smith | June 1809 – 15 April 1884 | Son of William Saunders of Wandsworth and cousin of William Wilson Saunders (see below). In 1826 he gained an appointment in the Foreign Office and in 1835 was made British Consul in Albania, transferring in 1859 to Alexandria. 5 years later he was made Consul-General in the Ionian Islands a position he held until 1870. He was knighted in 1873. Saunders remained interested in insects throughout his life and was correcting a paper for the ESL at the time of his death. His interests included Diptera and Hymenoptera in particular, particularly as pests of figs, but his first paper was on Coleoptera in Trans.ESL., 1, 1836, pp.149-157, in which he described some new beetles sent to him from Monte Video, and in 1851 he published ‘Descriptions of two new Strepsipterous insects from Albania, parasitical on bees of the genus Hylaeus’ (ibid. ser.2, 1, pp.69-75), which was the first of several on this group. The HDO purchased in June 1884 ‘from the representatives of the late Sir Sidney Smith Saunders his entire collection of English & Foreign Strepsiptera, occupying 2 large drawers – price £25... also the Collection of Strepsipterous &other insects with their details mounted as 116 microscopical slides arranged in 7 boxes - & another collection of specimens of these insects & of larvae &c. of Meloidae in 177 small bottles in spirits – also a collection of larvae & illustns. of transformations of Meloidae &c. And three thick 4to Volumes filledc with MSS notes of Observations on the above mentd. Collections’ together with some other material including blind cave insects (Smith (1986) pp.146-47). His European Coleoptera together with other insects were sold by Stevens on 15 July in the same year. Letters to Westwood 1852-84); 3 notebooks titles Entomological Notes; and a ms of 1871 titled Stresipteridarum, pro Ordine Strepsipterorum Kirbii olim, mihi tamen potius Coleopterorum Familiae, Rhipiphoridis Meloidisque propinque, Monographis. Auctore S.S.Saunders is in the HDO (Sith (1986) pp.86-87). Pedersen (2002) p.46 records that there are drawings of insects by Saunders in the Templeton’s scrapbook in the RESL. 279 which includes a bibliography. He was one of the original members of the ESL; Vice President 1873, 1876; President 1874-75. Gilbert (1977) p.333 lists 9 obituary and other notices including EMM., 20, 1884, pp.278-79 which includes a bibliography. (MD 11/04) |