SPENCE, William

The well-known joint author with William Kirby of the Introduction to Entomology (1815-26). Born in Hull but little else appears to be known about his early life except that at the age of ten he was in the care of a clergyman who taught him botany. His interest in entomology developed when he was 22. It was Spence who first suggested the Introduction to Kirby having started a correspondence with him in 1805. Such was his fame after the publication of the Introduction that he was elected FRS in 1834. Spence published some 20 notes on entomology of which six include beetles. His first publication was ‘A Monograph of the British species of the genus Choleva’ in Trans.LSL, 9, 1815, pp.123-161 (being an abstract of an article which had earlier appeared in the Magazin der Entomologie published by Gernar from 1813-1821). Others were devoted to beetles attacking elm trees and to ‘Aepus fulvescens and other submarine Coleopterous Insects’ in Trans.ESL.,1, 1836, pp.179-81. His finds of beetles are mentioned by Stephens (1828) eg. p.60. Spence’s library was given to the ESL by his son in 1884. 12 letters signed by him (between 1807-1857) regarding the Introduction are in the NHM (Harvey et. al. (1996) pp.195-96. ‘Honorary English Member’ELS (a unique honour, made at the same time as Kirby was made Honorary Life President) 1833-59, President 1847-48, Vice President 1844-46, 1853; Council 1844, 1850, 1852-53. (MD 11/04)