Distinquished entomologist known particularly for his work on termites and his books General Text Book of Entomology, Recent Advances in Entomology and Insect Natural History. He was born near Birmingham and educated locally before taking degrees at both Birmingham and Cambridge. After completing his education he was appointed first Professor of Biology in the University of Allahabad and later Forest Entomologist to the Indian Government. He returned to England in 1913 as Reader in Agricultural Entomology at the University of Manchester, and was later appointed Chief Entomologist at Rothamsted. In 1931 he was appointed to the new Readership in Entomology at Cambridge where he remained until his retirement in 1945. He was a member of various foreign societies and President and Vice President of the Royal Entomological Society on several occasions. Imms published odd notes on beetles throughout his life eg. 'Entomology in Merionethshire' and 'Coleoptera in 1897' (Ent., 30, 1897, pp.248-249, 271-272, 299), and 'Prionus corarius in Devon' [specimen taken in his garden near Sidmouth] (EMM., 83, 1947, p.245). Others are listed by V. Wigglesworth in Obit. not. Fellows. R. Soc. Lond., 6(18), pp.463-470, which also includes a portrait. Gimingham (1955) mentions that Imms collected beetles in Hertfordshire. There is material relating to Imms in David Sharp’s scrapbook and autograph album, and correspondence with C.J.Wainwright, in the RESL (Pedersen (2002) p.49) . Apart from the obituary mentioned above which is the fullest, Gilbert (1977) p.184 lists nine others. (MD 6/03, 11/09)
Dates
1881 - 3 April 1949