George Robert Waterhouse (6 March 1810 – 21 January 1888) was an English naturalist. He was a keeper at the department of geology and later curator of the Zoological Society of London's museum.
George was born in Somers Town to James Edward Waterhouse and Mary Newman. His father was a solicitor's clerk and an amateur entomologist. He was the brother of Frederick George Waterhouse, who also became a zoologist. George went to school at Koekelberg, near Brussels. He returned to England in 1824 and worked as an apprentice to an architect. Part of the work was in designing the garden of Charles Knight in the Vale of Health, Hampstead and the ornamentation for St. Dunstan's Church.[1]
George became interested in entomology through his father and he founded the Entomological Society of London along with Frederick William Hope in 1833 with himself as honorary curator. He became its president in 1849–50. He wrote articles for Knight's Penny Cyclopædia. The Royal Institution at Liverpool appointed him curator of its museum in 1835 and he exchanged this in 1836 for a position at the Zoological Society of London. His early work was on cataloguing the mammals at the museum and although he completed the work the next year, it was not published as he had not followed the quinary system of that time.[1]
He was invited to join Charles Darwin on the voyage of the Beagle but he declined it. On Darwin's return, the collection of mammals and beetles was entrusted to him. In November 1843 he became an assistant in the mineralogical department of the British Museum of Natural History. He became keeper in 1851 upon the death of Charles Konig and held the position until his retirement in 1880.[1]
He was married to Elizabeth Ann, daughter of musician G. L. J. Griesbach of Windsor, on 21 December 1834. He died at Putney on 21 January 1888.
He had three sons (Charles Owen Waterhouse, Frederick Herschel Waterhouse, and Edward Alexander Waterhouse), all coleopterists, and three daughters.[2][3]
Waterhouse was the author of A natural history of the Mammalia (1846–48). The work was begun in 1844 was done slowly as the original French publisher M. Hippolyte Baillière was unable to take it up. The two volumes covered the Marsupials and the rodents. The famous Archaeopteryx specimen was acquired when he was curator. Amongst the numerous species he described are the numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus), and the Syrian or golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus).[4] He also assisted Louis Agassiz with his Nomenclator Zoologicus (1842).[1]
Charles Darwin, ed. (1839), The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle during the years 1832-1836., vol. Part II: Mammalia, London: Smith, Elder & Co, retrieved 19 October 2017
"Descriptions of Colepterous Insects collected by Charles Darwin, Esq., in the Galapagos Islands", Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 16 (102): 19–41, 1845, doi:10.1080/037454809494527, retrieved 10 March 2013
A Natural History of the Mammalia, vol. I: Marsupiata, or Pouched Animals, London: Hippolyte Bailliere, 1846, retrieved 10 March 2013
A Natural History of the Mammalia, vol. II: Rodentia, or Gnawing Mammalia, London: Hippolyte Bailliere, 1848, retrieved 10 March 2013
Referencesedit
^ abcdWoodward, BB (1899). "Waterhouse, George Robert". Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900, Volume 59.
^Waterhouse, C.O. (1888). "Memoir of George Robert Waterhouse". Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London. 1888: lxxvi.
^Champion, G. C. (1917). "Charles Owen Waterhouse". Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. 53 (March): 67–68.
^Henwood, Chris (Spring 1992). "The Discovery of the Syrian (Golden) Hamster, Mesocricetus auratus". reprint of BHA's first magazine. British Hamster Association. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
The natural history of marsupialia or pouched animals (1841)
Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900
February 16, 2024
george, robert, waterhouse, march, 1810, january, 1888, english, naturalist, keeper, department, geology, later, curator, zoological, society, london, museum, portrait, 1880born, 1810, march, 1810somers, town, londondied21, january, 1888, 1888, aged, putney, s. George Robert Waterhouse 6 March 1810 21 January 1888 was an English naturalist He was a keeper at the department of geology and later curator of the Zoological Society of London s museum George Robert WaterhousePortrait c 1880Born 1810 03 06 6 March 1810Somers Town LondonDied21 January 1888 1888 01 21 aged 77 Putney SurreyNationalityBritishScientific careerFieldsNatural history Contents 1 Early life 2 Natural history 3 Publications 4 References 5 External linksEarly life editGeorge was born in Somers Town to James Edward Waterhouse and Mary Newman His father was a solicitor s clerk and an amateur entomologist He was the brother of Frederick George Waterhouse who also became a zoologist George went to school at Koekelberg near Brussels He returned to England in 1824 and worked as an apprentice to an architect Part of the work was in designing the garden of Charles Knight in the Vale of Health Hampstead and the ornamentation for St Dunstan s Church 1 Natural history edit nbsp Portrait c 1851 by Thomas Herbert MaguireGeorge became interested in entomology through his father and he founded the Entomological Society of London along with Frederick William Hope in 1833 with himself as honorary curator He became its president in 1849 50 He wrote articles for Knight s Penny Cyclopaedia The Royal Institution at Liverpool appointed him curator of its museum in 1835 and he exchanged this in 1836 for a position at the Zoological Society of London His early work was on cataloguing the mammals at the museum and although he completed the work the next year it was not published as he had not followed the quinary system of that time 1 He was invited to join Charles Darwin on the voyage of the Beagle but he declined it On Darwin s return the collection of mammals and beetles was entrusted to him In November 1843 he became an assistant in the mineralogical department of the British Museum of Natural History He became keeper in 1851 upon the death of Charles Konig and held the position until his retirement in 1880 1 He was married to Elizabeth Ann daughter of musician G L J Griesbach of Windsor on 21 December 1834 He died at Putney on 21 January 1888 He had three sons Charles Owen Waterhouse Frederick Herschel Waterhouse and Edward Alexander Waterhouse all coleopterists and three daughters 2 3 Waterhouse was the author of A natural history of the Mammalia 1846 48 The work was begun in 1844 was done slowly as the original French publisher M Hippolyte Bailliere was unable to take it up The two volumes covered the Marsupials and the rodents The famous Archaeopteryx specimen was acquired when he was curator Amongst the numerous species he described are the numbat Myrmecobius fasciatus and the Syrian or golden hamster Mesocricetus auratus 4 He also assisted Louis Agassiz with his Nomenclator Zoologicus 1842 1 Publications edit nbsp Scholia has a profile for George Robert Waterhouse Q528545 Charles Darwin ed 1839 The Zoology of the Voyage of H M S Beagle during the years 1832 1836 vol Part II Mammalia London Smith Elder amp Co retrieved 19 October 2017 Descriptions of Colepterous Insects collected by Charles Darwin Esq in the Galapagos Islands Annals and Magazine of Natural History 16 102 19 41 1845 doi 10 1080 037454809494527 retrieved 10 March 2013 A Natural History of the Mammalia vol I Marsupiata or Pouched Animals London Hippolyte Bailliere 1846 retrieved 10 March 2013 A Natural History of the Mammalia vol II Rodentia or Gnawing Mammalia London Hippolyte Bailliere 1848 retrieved 10 March 2013References edit a b c d Woodward BB 1899 Waterhouse George Robert Dictionary of National Biography 1885 1900 Volume 59 Waterhouse C O 1888 Memoir of George Robert Waterhouse Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London 1888 lxxvi Champion G C 1917 Charles Owen Waterhouse Entomologist s Monthly Magazine 53 March 67 68 Henwood Chris Spring 1992 The Discovery of the Syrian Golden Hamster Mesocricetus auratus reprint of BHA s first magazine British Hamster Association Retrieved 29 April 2009 External links editWorks by or about George Robert Waterhouse at Internet Archive The natural history of marsupialia or pouched animals 1841 Dictionary of National Biography 1885 1900 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Robert Waterhouse amp oldid 1113408292, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
