Born at Tuddenham, Suffolk and became a missionary in East Africa where he travelled extensively and acquired a reputation for his ability to speak the Swaheli language. After the abolition of slavery in 1897 he was appointed Commissioner of Slavery for Zanzibar in the Administration of Sir Lloyd Matthews. Last was not a Coleopterist as such but a very active collector. H.W.Bates named two species after him Epomis lasti and Chlaenius lasti (from among many new species sent to him by Last from Zanzibar, see EMM., 22, 1886, pp.189-197 and 23, 1886, pp.9-13). Last also collected plants which he sent to Kew and molluscs (land and marine) a large collection of which was at one time in Bognor Regis Museum. He died at ‘Pendaleige’, Scotts Lane, Beckenham, Kent, leaving a widow and six children. FRGS and Life Fellow on 27 February 1912..(I am grateful to the late Horace Last (no relative) for providing much of the above information). (MD 11/03)
Dates
1849 – 1933