Well known Australian entomologist who was born in Lewisham but emigrated and lived in Melbourne where he was on the staff of the Botanic Garden. According to The Leader (Melbourne), 18 January 1879, French started collecting in 1868 and by 1879 had amassed 8000 native specimens and also foreign material eg. Japanese. (I am grateful to my wife for this reference). His publications were particularly based on insects as pests. He gave 55 Coleoptera from Melbourne to Norwich in 1892 and a further 14 specimens to the NHM in 1910 (1910-297). Gilbert,P.(1977) lists 5 obituaries. (MD 12/02)
Dates
10 September 1840 - 21 May 1933