Laurence Edmondston
Encyclopedia
Dr. Laurence Edmondston was a British
-born naturalist
and doctor who lived in Shetland, Scotland
, United Kingdom
.
Although his family originally lived on the island
of Hascosay
in Shetland, Laurence lived with his brother Thomas on Unst
. In his teens, he acquired specimen
s of Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreus and Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus, both later recognised as the first British records. In 1822 and 1823, while completing his medical studies in Edinburgh
, Edmondston published several papers in the Memoirs of the Wernerian Society, adding two more species to the British List, Iceland Gull
Larus glaucoides and Ivory Gull
Pagophila eburnea.
Edmondston’s publications revealed a careful observer, capable of recognising that several ‘species’ recognised at the time were others in juvenile or winter plumages: for example, ‘Speckled Diver’ was winter-plumaged Red-throated Diver
Gavia stellata and ‘Black-billed Auk’ was juvenile Razorbill
Alca torda. He was also a pioneer conservationist
as, in 1831, he instructed the shepherds on Hermaness
on Unst
to ensure the safety of the tiny population of breeding Great Skua
s.
Edmondston studied medicine at Edinburgh
and became the island doctor on Unst, living at Halligarth, where he established a plantation
in the late 1830s (trees are scarce in the islands).
His children included Thomas Edmondston
the botanist and Jessie Saxby, an author
and wife
of the ornithologist Henry Saxby
.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
-born naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
and doctor who lived in Shetland, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Although his family originally lived on the island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of Hascosay
Hascosay
Hascosay is a small island lying between Yell and Fetlar in the Shetland Islands, Scotland.-Geography and geology:The island's rock is coarse micaceous gneiss....
in Shetland, Laurence lived with his brother Thomas on Unst
Unst
Unst is one of the North Isles of the Shetland Islands, Scotland. It is the northernmost of the inhabited British Isles and is the third largest island in Shetland after the Mainland and Yell. It has an area of .Unst is largely grassland, with coastal cliffs...
. In his teens, he acquired specimen
Specimen
A specimen is a portion/quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study.BiologyA laboratory specimen is an individual animal, part of an animal, a plant, part of a plant, or a microorganism, used as a representative to study the properties of the whole population of that species or...
s of Glaucous Gull
Glaucous Gull
The Glaucous Gull is a large gull which breeds in the Arctic regions of the northern hemisphere and the Atlantic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering from in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the USA, also on the Great...
Larus hyperboreus and Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl is a large owl of the typical owl family Strigidae. The Snowy Owl was first classified in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, the Swedish naturalist who developed binomial nomenclature to classify and organize plants and animals. The bird is also known in North America as the Arctic Owl, Great...
Bubo scandiacus, both later recognised as the first British records. In 1822 and 1823, while completing his medical studies in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Edmondston published several papers in the Memoirs of the Wernerian Society, adding two more species to the British List, Iceland Gull
Iceland Gull
The Iceland Gull, Larus glaucoides, is a large gull which breeds in the Arctic regions of Canada and Greenland, but not Iceland, where it is only seen in the winter. It is migratory, wintering from in the North Atlantic as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the eastern USA,...
Larus glaucoides and Ivory Gull
Ivory Gull
The Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea is a small gull, the only species in its genus. It breeds in the high arctic and has a circumpolar distribution through Greenland, northernmost North America, and Eurasia.-Taxonomy:...
Pagophila eburnea.
Edmondston’s publications revealed a careful observer, capable of recognising that several ‘species’ recognised at the time were others in juvenile or winter plumages: for example, ‘Speckled Diver’ was winter-plumaged Red-throated Diver
Red-throated Diver
The Red-throated Loon or Red-throated Diver is a migratory aquatic bird found in the northern hemisphere. It breeds primarily in Arctic regions, and winters in northern coastal waters. It is the most widely distributed member of the loon or diver family. Ranging from in length, the Red-throated...
Gavia stellata and ‘Black-billed Auk’ was juvenile Razorbill
Razorbill
The Razorbill is colonial seabird that will only come to land in order to breed. It is the largest living member of the Auk family. This agile bird will choose only one partner for life and females will lay one egg per year. Razorbills will nest along coastal cliffs in enclosed or slightly exposed...
Alca torda. He was also a pioneer conservationist
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
as, in 1831, he instructed the shepherds on Hermaness
Hermaness
Hermaness is the northernmost headland of Unst, the northernmost inhabited island of Shetland, Scotland. It consists of sea cliffs and moorland.-Hermaness National Nature Reserve:...
on Unst
Unst
Unst is one of the North Isles of the Shetland Islands, Scotland. It is the northernmost of the inhabited British Isles and is the third largest island in Shetland after the Mainland and Yell. It has an area of .Unst is largely grassland, with coastal cliffs...
to ensure the safety of the tiny population of breeding Great Skua
Great Skua
The Great Skua, Stercorarius skua, is a large seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. In Britain, it is sometimes known by the name Bonxie, a Shetland name of unknown origin.-Description:...
s.
Edmondston studied medicine at Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and became the island doctor on Unst, living at Halligarth, where he established a plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
in the late 1830s (trees are scarce in the islands).
His children included Thomas Edmondston
Thomas Edmondston
Thomas Edmondston was a British-born botanist.The family of Edmondston was prominent in 19th century Shetland. Thomas Edmondston's uncle, also Thomas Edmondston, was laird of the Buness estate on Unst and host to many scientific visitors to Shetland...
the botanist and Jessie Saxby, an author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and wife
Wife
A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
of the ornithologist Henry Saxby
Henry Saxby
Dr Henry Linckmeyer Saxby was an English born ornithologist most famous for his work in Shetland.Saxby was born in London and his father, Stephen Martin Saxby, was of some renown himself, as a naval architect, inventor and weather forecaster. Henry Saxby first visited Shetland in 1854, assisting...
.