Matthew William Kemble Connolly
Encyclopedia
Matthew William Kemble Connolly (13 February 1872 – 24 February 1947) was a British army officer and malacologist.
as a second lieutenant
on 7 November 1891. He was promoted captain
on 26 July 1899. He was appointed adjutant
of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 23 April 1900, and held that position until 23 April 1905, and returned to regimental duties on 6 May. From this point much of his service was in South Africa
, He was promoted major on 9 July 1910.
While in South Africa, Connolly took an interest in minerals and then started observing snails in the field. He took up malacology
and conchology
seriously and became an authority on the land and freshwater molluscs of South Africa. On 11 December 1912 he went onto the half-pay
list as a result of ill-health arising from rheumatic fever. He retired from the army on 2 May 1914. During World War I
he was employed at the army record office. He became a friend of Edgar Albert Smith
, who was keeper of molluscs at the British Museum
and who recognised his worth. In 1918 Connolly became an honorary scientific worker in the natural history department at South Kensington
(now the Natural History Museum
) and continued to work there until December 1946 in spite of increasing lameness.
Connolly published some fifty papers on molluscs between 1910 and 1945. He was a member of the Malacological Society from 1908 to 1938 and was president of the Conchological Society in 1930. Connolly was also a connoiseur of wine and an expert on potted meat
s and wrote a highly regarded pamphlet on the subject.
Connolly married Muriel Maud Vernon, daughter of Colonel Edward Vernon, J.P., D.L., of Clontarf Castle
, Co. Dublin (1838–1913), whom he met while serving in Ireland
. They lived at The Lock House, Deepcut
, Surrey
on the Basingstoke Canal
, although Connolly was based mostly in South Kensington
. Their only child was the writer and critic Cyril Connolly
. Tom Pain, a younger researcher and friend of Connolly recalled being introduced to Cyril Connolly by his father with the words "this is my son — he is a fool!"
Biography
Connolly was born at Bath, the son of Vice-Admiral Matthew Connolly, R.N., and his wife Harriet Kemble. He was educated at Haileybury College and went to RMA Sandhurst. He was commissioned into the King's Own Yorkshire Light InfantryKing's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. The regiment's traditions and history are now maintained by The Rifles.-The 51st Foot:...
as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
on 7 November 1891. He was promoted captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
on 26 July 1899. He was appointed adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 23 April 1900, and held that position until 23 April 1905, and returned to regimental duties on 6 May. From this point much of his service was in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, He was promoted major on 9 July 1910.
While in South Africa, Connolly took an interest in minerals and then started observing snails in the field. He took up malacology
Malacology
Malacology is the branch of invertebrate zoology which deals with the study of the Mollusca , the second-largest phylum of animals in terms of described species after the arthropods. Mollusks include snails and slugs, clams, octopus and squid, and numerous other kinds, many of which have shells...
and conchology
Conchology
Conchology is the scientific or amateur study of mollusc shells. Conchology is one aspect of malacology, the study of molluscs, however malacology studies molluscs as whole organisms, not just their shells. Conchology pre-dated malacology as a field of study. It includes the study of land and...
seriously and became an authority on the land and freshwater molluscs of South Africa. On 11 December 1912 he went onto the half-pay
Half-pay
In the British Army and Royal Navy of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, half-pay referred to the pay or allowance an officer received when in retirement or not in actual service....
list as a result of ill-health arising from rheumatic fever. He retired from the army on 2 May 1914. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he was employed at the army record office. He became a friend of Edgar Albert Smith
Edgar Albert Smith
Edgar Albert Smith was a British zoologist, a malacologist.His father was the Frederick Smith, a well-known entomologist, and Assistant Keeper of Zoology in the British Museum, Bloomsbury...
, who was keeper of molluscs at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
and who recognised his worth. In 1918 Connolly became an honorary scientific worker in the natural history department at South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
(now the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
) and continued to work there until December 1946 in spite of increasing lameness.
Connolly published some fifty papers on molluscs between 1910 and 1945. He was a member of the Malacological Society from 1908 to 1938 and was president of the Conchological Society in 1930. Connolly was also a connoiseur of wine and an expert on potted meat
Potted meat
Before the days of refrigeration, potted meat was developed as a way to preserve meat. After animals were slaughtered, especially in domestic settings, the result was more meat than could be immediately used...
s and wrote a highly regarded pamphlet on the subject.
Connolly married Muriel Maud Vernon, daughter of Colonel Edward Vernon, J.P., D.L., of Clontarf Castle
Clontarf Castle
Clontarf Castle is a much-modernised castle, dating to 1837, in Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland, an area famous as a key location of the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. There has been a castle on the site since 1172...
, Co. Dublin (1838–1913), whom he met while serving in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. They lived at The Lock House, Deepcut
Deepcut
Deepcut is a village in Surrey, situated close to Camberley. It is home to the Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut.Malacologist Major Matthew Connolly lived at the Lock House at Deepcut where he brought up his son the writer and critic Cyril Connolly....
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
on the Basingstoke Canal
Basingstoke Canal
The Basingstoke Canal is a British Canal, completed in 1794, built to connect Basingstoke with the River Thames at Weybridge via the Wey Navigation....
, although Connolly was based mostly in South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
. Their only child was the writer and critic Cyril Connolly
Cyril Connolly
Cyril Vernon Connolly was an English intellectual, literary critic and writer. He was the editor of the influential literary magazine Horizon and wrote Enemies of Promise , which combined literary criticism with an autobiographical exploration of why he failed to become the successful author of...
. Tom Pain, a younger researcher and friend of Connolly recalled being introduced to Cyril Connolly by his father with the words "this is my son — he is a fool!"
Further reading
- Adam W. (1971). "New names introduced by M. Connolly and by H. B. Preston in the Mollusca". Bulletin de l’Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgiques 47(24): 1-77.