MASSEE, Arthur Morel

Elder son of George Massee the eminent Kew mycologist. Educated at East Sheen Grammar School, Surrey, and after leaving worked for Bunyards of Maidstone, the horticulturalists. After serving in the First World War went to Imperial College where he studied under Lefroy. In 1920 he joined the small staff at East Malling Research Station where he was to spend the rest of his working life, finally retiring in 1961. At East Malling he worked on mites and subsequently on pests of fruit trees about which he wrote extensively both scientific and more popular works the best known being his book The Pests of Fruit and Hops (1937). Throughout his life Massee was an enthusiastic collector firstly of Heteroptera, of which he amassed what A.A.Allen described ‘as about the finest, most complete and beautifully-mounted collection of the British species ever made’ (ERJVI., 1967, pp.318-320) and of Coleoptera. Mike Morris has said of him: ‘He did not do much original descriptive or revisional work, but was deeply interested in the habits and life histories of the species he collected... He collected very widely in southern England and the Scottish Highlands, being particularly fond of the New Forest. He was an indefatigable worker in the field, being one of those collectors whose motto is ‘never let up’ (EMM., 103, 1967, pp.215-16). Among his close friends were E.C.Bedwell (Massee was closely involved in the Bedwell collection going to Norwich (see correspondence at Norwich)) and Philip Harwood. Massee’s extensive list of publications includes the addition of many beetles to the Kent list in particular. Among his many important finds there were Emus hirtus, Gnorimus nobilis and Lixus paraplecticus. His collection of Heteroptera was bequeathed to the NHM which also had first choice from his Coleoptera collection before it passed (in 30 storeboxes ‘mounted in impeccable style’) with his extensive library to BENHS. The Coleoptera were subsequently transferred to a 40 drawer cabinet (James (1973) p. 79). There are also specimens bearing his name in the Hudson Beare Collection at RSM, in the RHS’s collection (70 specimens, information from Andy Salisbury) and in the collection of K. Lewis. FRES from 1922, Vice President 1949,1959 Council three times between 1949-1959. Hon. Fellow 1959. Member of BENHS from 1922 and later a tern as President. Committee member of the Nature Conservancy. (MD 2/04)