Oldfield Thomas
Encyclopedia
Oldfield Thomas FRS (February 21, 1858 – June 16, 1929) was a British
zoologist.
Thomas worked at the Natural History Museum
on mammal
s, describing about 2,000 new species
and sub-species for the first time. He was appointed to the Museum Secretary's office in 1876, transferring to the Zoological Department in 1878. In 1891 Thomas married an heiress to a small fortune, which gave him the finances to hire mammal collectors and present their specimens to the museum. In 1896 when William Henry Flower
took control of the Department he hired Richard Lydekker
to rearrange the exhibitions, allowing Thomas to concentrate on these new specimens. He committed suicide in 1929, aged 71, shortly after the death of his wife.
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...
zoologist.
Thomas worked at 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...
on mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s, describing about 2,000 new species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
and sub-species for the first time. He was appointed to the Museum Secretary's office in 1876, transferring to the Zoological Department in 1878. In 1891 Thomas married an heiress to a small fortune, which gave him the finances to hire mammal collectors and present their specimens to the museum. In 1896 when William Henry Flower
William Henry Flower
Sir William Henry Flower KCB FRCS FRS was an English comparative anatomist and surgeon. Flower became a leading authority on mammals, and especially on the primate brain...
took control of the Department he hired Richard Lydekker
Richard Lydekker
Richard Lydekker was an English naturalist, geologist and writer of numerous books on natural history.-Biography:...
to rearrange the exhibitions, allowing Thomas to concentrate on these new specimens. He committed suicide in 1929, aged 71, shortly after the death of his wife.