William Fassnidge | |
---|---|
Born |
Chesham,
Buckinghamshire, U.K. | 7 January 1888
Died | 19 April 1949
Southampton, Hampshire, U.K. | (aged 61)
Occupation | |
Years active | 1922–1949 |
William Fassnidge (7 January 1888. [1] – 19 April 1949 [2]) F.R.E.S. was a British entomologist and language teacher.
Fassnidge's main interest area was Microlepidoptera, most particularly researching varieties of the moth Peronea cristana [2] (now known as Acleris cristana). [3]
Fassnidge was the third son of a carpenter and joiner, Samuel Fassnidge and his wife Annie (née Mary Ann Holloway) of Chesham, Buckinghamshire [4]
On 11 May 1913 Fassnidge married Hilda Caroline Vasey (1884–1967) of Dunston on Tyne. [5] They had one son, [2] Claude William (1915–1995). [6] [7]
He was educated at St. Mark's College in Chelsea, London. [2]
Fassnidge's regular employment was as a Modern Language Master at the King Edward VI School in Southampton (from c.1915–1945). [2] One of Fassnidge's pupils for French was the future entomologist John Heath. [8]
Fassnidge served as a Lieutenant in the King's Liverpool Regiment during WW1. [9] [2]
Fassnidge was a Francophile and made several study trips to France. In 1925 he travelled with his friend A.E. Burras to collect moths in the then-understudied and hard-to-access village of Auzat, returning again in 1927. [10] [11] Fassnidge also spent the Easter Holiday of 1930 in Dieulefit searching for the larvae of Aegeriadae (now Sesiidae). [12]
Before the outbreak of World War 2, Fassnidge and his wife acted as hosts for refugees fleeing Germany, and during the conflict he served in the Home Guard. [2]
In 1942, while on his Home Guard duties Fassnidge was badly injured during a demonstration Spitfire flight on Imber Down, Salisbury Plain when the pilot mistook a line of spectators for targets, [13] shooting Fassnidge in a lung and the main artery of his left arm. [14] Fassnidge was initially given two years to live, [2] but recovered enough to continue with some entomological work, although he was only able to use his right arm while collecting. [15] Hilda Fassnidge sometimes accompanied her husband on study trips in an attempt to prevent him straining himself, but Fassnidge's poor health after his injuries eventually resulted in his death. [14]
After his death, Fassnidge's Microlepidoptera collection was purchased by the entomologist Stanley N.A. Jacobs, [14] while his Macrolepidoptera collection was purchased by the British Museum. [10] The Natural History Museum, London Library and Archives holds field notebooks [16] and correspondence relating to Fassnidge's work. [17]
William Fassnidge | |
---|---|
Born |
Chesham,
Buckinghamshire, U.K. | 7 January 1888
Died | 19 April 1949
Southampton, Hampshire, U.K. | (aged 61)
Occupation | |
Years active | 1922–1949 |
William Fassnidge (7 January 1888. [1] – 19 April 1949 [2]) F.R.E.S. was a British entomologist and language teacher.
Fassnidge's main interest area was Microlepidoptera, most particularly researching varieties of the moth Peronea cristana [2] (now known as Acleris cristana). [3]
Fassnidge was the third son of a carpenter and joiner, Samuel Fassnidge and his wife Annie (née Mary Ann Holloway) of Chesham, Buckinghamshire [4]
On 11 May 1913 Fassnidge married Hilda Caroline Vasey (1884–1967) of Dunston on Tyne. [5] They had one son, [2] Claude William (1915–1995). [6] [7]
He was educated at St. Mark's College in Chelsea, London. [2]
Fassnidge's regular employment was as a Modern Language Master at the King Edward VI School in Southampton (from c.1915–1945). [2] One of Fassnidge's pupils for French was the future entomologist John Heath. [8]
Fassnidge served as a Lieutenant in the King's Liverpool Regiment during WW1. [9] [2]
Fassnidge was a Francophile and made several study trips to France. In 1925 he travelled with his friend A.E. Burras to collect moths in the then-understudied and hard-to-access village of Auzat, returning again in 1927. [10] [11] Fassnidge also spent the Easter Holiday of 1930 in Dieulefit searching for the larvae of Aegeriadae (now Sesiidae). [12]
Before the outbreak of World War 2, Fassnidge and his wife acted as hosts for refugees fleeing Germany, and during the conflict he served in the Home Guard. [2]
In 1942, while on his Home Guard duties Fassnidge was badly injured during a demonstration Spitfire flight on Imber Down, Salisbury Plain when the pilot mistook a line of spectators for targets, [13] shooting Fassnidge in a lung and the main artery of his left arm. [14] Fassnidge was initially given two years to live, [2] but recovered enough to continue with some entomological work, although he was only able to use his right arm while collecting. [15] Hilda Fassnidge sometimes accompanied her husband on study trips in an attempt to prevent him straining himself, but Fassnidge's poor health after his injuries eventually resulted in his death. [14]
After his death, Fassnidge's Microlepidoptera collection was purchased by the entomologist Stanley N.A. Jacobs, [14] while his Macrolepidoptera collection was purchased by the British Museum. [10] The Natural History Museum, London Library and Archives holds field notebooks [16] and correspondence relating to Fassnidge's work. [17]