Octavius Pickard-Cambridge
Encyclopedia
The Reverend Octavius Pickard-Cambridge FRS (November 3, 1828 - March 9, 1917) was an English
clergyman and zoologist.
Pickard-Cambridge was born in Bloxworth
rectory, Dorset
, the fifth son of Revd George Pickard, rector and squire of Bloxworth: the family changed their name to Pickard-Cambridge in 1848. Octavius was tutored at home by William Barnes
, then studied theology
at the University of Durham
. He was ordained in 1858, succeeding his father at Bloxworth in 1868. In 1857 he presented the Pickard-Cambridge Challenge Cup to University College Boating Club, University of Durham
for a skiff race; it was re-presented in 1895 for college second trial fours.
His main interest was in spider
s, though he wrote also on bird
s and lepidoptera
(butterfly
s and moth
s). This passion for arachnid
s was probably fostered in 1854 in which year he both accompanied the entomologist Frederick Bond on a visit to the New Forest
in Hampshire
and was introduced to the writings of the arachnologist John Blackwall
, with whom he struck up a correspondence, meeting first in 1860. Pickard-Cambridge assisted Blackwall between 1861 and 1864 in the publication of Blackwell's great work, British and Irish Spiders.
Pickard-Cambridge himself published extensively on spiders between 1859 and his death in 1917, his major work being the volume on arachnids in the Biologia Centrali-Americanii between 1883 and 1902. Of his other works, The Spiders of Dorset was perhaps his best-known, much of his other writing being in the form of papers in The Zoologist, the journals of the Linnean Society and the Zoological Society and in the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club. He became a world authority on spiders, describing a considerable number of new species including the Costa Rican redleg tarantula (Megaphobema mesomelas) and the Sydney funnel-web spider
(Atrax robustus).
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
on September 9, 1887. On his death, his collection and library were bequeathed to the University of Oxford
.
Pickard-Cambridge married Rose Wallace in 1866, and they had six sons. Among them were the classicist and composer William Adair Pickard-Cambridge (December 14, 1879 - March 4, 1957) and the classicist
Sir Arthur Wallace Pickard-Cambridge
(January 20, 1873 - February 7, 1952), one of the greatest authorities on the Greek theatre in the first half of the 20th century.
His nephew, Frederick Octavius Pickard-Cambridge
, (1860–1905) was also a noted arachnologist.
The Spiders of Dorset: From the 'Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club.' (Sherbourne, 1879–82)
Araneidea. Scientific Results of the Second Yarkand Mission. (Calcutta, 1885)
Monograph of the British Phalangidea or Harvest-Men. (Dorchester, 1890)
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
clergyman and zoologist.
Pickard-Cambridge was born in Bloxworth
Bloxworth
Bloxworth is a village and civil parish in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England, situated in Wareham Forest on the A35 road west of Poole. The village has a population of 187 . Bloxworth Heath is part of Wareham Forest....
rectory, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, the fifth son of Revd George Pickard, rector and squire of Bloxworth: the family changed their name to Pickard-Cambridge in 1848. Octavius was tutored at home by William Barnes
William Barnes
William Barnes was an English writer, poet, minister, and philologist. He wrote over 800 poems, some in Dorset dialect and much other work including a comprehensive English grammar quoting from more than 70 different languages.-Life:He was born at Rushay in the parish of Bagber, Dorset, the son of...
, then studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the University of Durham
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
. He was ordained in 1858, succeeding his father at Bloxworth in 1868. In 1857 he presented the Pickard-Cambridge Challenge Cup to University College Boating Club, University of Durham
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
for a skiff race; it was re-presented in 1895 for college second trial fours.
His main interest was in spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s, though he wrote also on bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s and lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
(butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
s and moth
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
s). This passion for arachnid
Arachnid
Arachnids are a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals in the subphylum Chelicerata. All arachnids have eight legs, although in some species the front pair may convert to a sensory function. The term is derived from the Greek words , meaning "spider".Almost all extant arachnids are terrestrial...
s was probably fostered in 1854 in which year he both accompanied the entomologist Frederick Bond on a visit to the New Forest
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
and was introduced to the writings of the arachnologist John Blackwall
John Blackwall
John Blackwall was a British naturalist.Blackwall lived at Hendre House near Llanrwst in north Wales from 1833 until his death...
, with whom he struck up a correspondence, meeting first in 1860. Pickard-Cambridge assisted Blackwall between 1861 and 1864 in the publication of Blackwell's great work, British and Irish Spiders.
Pickard-Cambridge himself published extensively on spiders between 1859 and his death in 1917, his major work being the volume on arachnids in the Biologia Centrali-Americanii between 1883 and 1902. Of his other works, The Spiders of Dorset was perhaps his best-known, much of his other writing being in the form of papers in The Zoologist, the journals of the Linnean Society and the Zoological Society and in the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club. He became a world authority on spiders, describing a considerable number of new species including the Costa Rican redleg tarantula (Megaphobema mesomelas) and the Sydney funnel-web spider
Sydney funnel-web spider
The Sydney funnel-web spider, Atrax robustus, is an Australian funnel-web spider usually found within a radius of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.-Description:...
(Atrax robustus).
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
on September 9, 1887. On his death, his collection and library were bequeathed to the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Pickard-Cambridge married Rose Wallace in 1866, and they had six sons. Among them were the classicist and composer William Adair Pickard-Cambridge (December 14, 1879 - March 4, 1957) and the classicist
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
Sir Arthur Wallace Pickard-Cambridge
Arthur Wallace Pickard-Cambridge
Sir Arthur Wallace Pickard-Cambridge was a British classicist and one of the greatest authorities on the theatre of ancient Greece in the first half of the 20th century....
(January 20, 1873 - February 7, 1952), one of the greatest authorities on the Greek theatre in the first half of the 20th century.
His nephew, Frederick Octavius Pickard-Cambridge
Frederick Octavius Pickard-Cambridge
Frederick Octavius Pickard-Cambridge was an English arachnologist. He is often confused with his uncle, Octavius Pickard-Cambridge , who was also an arachnologist and from whom F. O. Pickard-Cambridge picked up his enthusiasm for the study of spiders.-Life:F. O. Pickard-Cambridge was born in...
, (1860–1905) was also a noted arachnologist.
Works
"Arachnida", in Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9th Edition, Volume II (Edinburgh, 1875)The Spiders of Dorset: From the 'Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club.' (Sherbourne, 1879–82)
Araneidea. Scientific Results of the Second Yarkand Mission. (Calcutta, 1885)
Monograph of the British Phalangidea or Harvest-Men. (Dorchester, 1890)
Further reading
- Castellum 2006: alumnus newsletter of the University College, Durham. Contains an article with extensive biographical notes and images.
- "E B P" (1919), 'Obituary', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B 1919-1920 vol. 91 pp. xlix-liii JSTOR access to article