Biographical dictionary
The Biographical Dictionary of British Coleopterists was compiled by the late Michael Darby. The Dictionary can be accessed below, and see also the additional information provide by Michael:
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| Name | Dates | Biography | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GREGSON, Charles Stuart ( | 29 September 1817 - 31 January 1899 | Northern Lepidopterist who also had an interest in Coleoptera. He was born in Lancaster but moved to Liverpool where he was in occupation as a ship painter and plumber. His extensive list of publications includes a few articles on Coleoptera, the most important of which is 'On the Coleoptera of the district around Liverpool' in Trans.Hist.Soc.Lancashire and Cheshire, 1, 1861, pp.33-44 and 2, 1862, pp.167-170, which, in spite of its title refers to ground beetles alone. Sharpe (1908) p.13 was somewhat critical of Gregson's list noting that 'his zeal and perseverance as a collector were hardly equalled by his critical knowledge as a Coleopterist. It is not to be taken as absolutely free from error. It was, however, the first attempt at anything like a local list of the order, and was to a great extent incorporated in the very different work of Dr Ellis...'. There are specimens collected by Gregson in the J.W.Ellis collection at Liverpool, and Geoff Hancock sent me some notes which indicate that Gregson's name appears on material at Glasgow from the Notre Dame Teacher Training College which may in turn have come from the Glasgow University Zoology Department (Hunterian Museum). Obituaries appear EMM., 35, 1899, pp.96-97 and Ent., 32, 1899, p.144. (MD 1/03) | |
| GRENSTED | A Canon. Keith Lewis tells me that there are specimens collected by Grensted in his collection. (MD 12/06) | ||
| GREVILLE, Robert Kaye | 1794-1866 | A Doctor. Published 'Additions to the entomology of the Edinburgh District' in Mag.Zool.Bot. 1, 1837, pp.494-495. Murray (1853) p.vii mentions that Greville also collected in Forfar. His son R.N.Greville was a Coleopterist too (see below). He published three notes on Coleoptera: 'Additions to the Entomologia Edinensis', Ent., 1, 1840-42, pp.184-185; 'Note on the capture of Rhinomacer attelaboides near Edinburgh', Zoo., 1, 1843, p.272; and 'Note on the capture of Coleopterous insects near Edinburgh', ibid., 340. There is correspondence with J.C.Dale dated 1840-41 in the RESL (Pedersen (2002) p. 54). (MD 1/03, 11/09) | |
| GREVILLE, Robert(?) Northmore | Murray (1853) p.vii mentions that Robert Northmore was the son of Robert Kaye Greville (see above), and thanks both father and son for adding to his list of Coleoptera from the Edinburgh area. He published 'On the capture of Coleoptera at Stirling', Zoo., 2, 1844, 698-699; and 'Tenacity of Life in Rhagium bifasciatum', ibid., 6, 1848, 2217. According to the Accessions Register at the RSM 'A Cabinet of British Coleoptera' was purchased by the College Museum, Edinburgh in 1855-56 from 'Greville'. This could be either R.N. or R.K.Greville. A second purchase of 30 boxes of insects other than Lepidoptera was made in 1858 (Accession no. 1858-13). Greville also gave Coleoptera to the NHM in 1838 and 1839 (22 October, 7 December 1838 and 26 August 1839. The last included specimens of Passalus and Hispa). (MD 1/03) | ||
| GREY, Mr | A Captain. Gave more than 300 insects including Coleoptera to the NHM on 16 December 1840. This is possibly the same Grey who gave a further 32 Coleoptera from the Caucasus, St. Petersburgh and Siberia in 1847 (1847/20). See also J. GUTCH. (MD 1/03) | ||
| GRIERSON, P.H. | Listed by Johnson and Halbert (1901) p.542 as a collector of Irish Coleoptera. Specific references also appear in the text. He is not mentioned in Ryan, et al.(1984). (MD 1/03) | ||
| GRIESBACH Family | Anne Jarvis (a descendant. Famrj2@cam.ac.uk) and Angie Bish (angie@bish4233.freeserve.co.uk) have both been doing extensive work on the Griesbach family and have much information to add to the entries below. (MD 10/03) | ||
| GRIESBACH, A.G. | One of four sons of George Leopold Jacob Griesbach, a music teacher of Windsor, all of whom were Coleopterists. (See J.H.GRIESBACH). He was a Member of the Entomological Society. (MD 1/03) | ||
| GRIESBACH, Alexander (Andrew?) William | A Reverend who lived at Wollaston, near Wellingborough, Northants. One of four sons of George Leopold Jacob Griesbach, a music teacher of Windsor, all of whom were Coleopterists. (See J.H. GRIESBACH). He was a member of the Entomological Society and appears to be the only one of the family to have published. Two notes appeared under his name: 'On the existence of natural genera', Ent.Mag., 1, 1833, pp.296-301, and 'Note on the economy of Gyrinus villosus', ibid., 4, 1837, p.254. MacKechnie-Jarvis (19 ) states that 'The Rev. Andrew Griesbach is said to have been the first systematic collector of beetles in Cambridgeshire and worked the Fens extensively'. (MD 1/03) | ||
| GRIESBACH, C. | In Ent.Ann., 1856, 86, E.W.Janson, mentions that J. Curtis had obtained his specimens of Ampedus subcarinatus Germ. 'from the collection of the late Mr C. Griesbach, who captured them near Windsor'. MacKechnie-Jarvis (19) does not mention a C. Griesbach. (MD 1/03) |