Walter Medley Tattersall
Encyclopedia
Walter Medley Tattersall (November 8, 1882 – October 5, 1943) was a British
zoologist
and marine biologist
, famous for his study of mysids.
He was born in Liverpool
, the eldest son of a draper's family. He studied zoology
at the University of Liverpool
, where he graduated in 1901. Subsequently, he worked as a naturalist for the Irish Fisheries Department under Ernest William Lyons Holt
, where he began his studies of crustacean
s. In 1909 he became the director of the Manchester Museum
and also worked as a tutor in marine biology
at the universities of Manchester
and Sheffield
.
During World War I
, he served as a private
in Flanders
and France
, where he was wounded and gassed in 1918. In the middle of the war, in 1916, he married Olive Selden Attride.
In 1922, he was appointed professor at the University of Cardiff
, a post he would hold for the rest of his life. He was highly respected as a teacher in zoology and marine biology and also as a field researcher and taxonomist. Tattersall has an impressive publication record; he is the taxonomic authority for a large number of crustaceans, in particular of mysids and euphausiids. Most of the illustrations in his publications were drawn by his wife Olive.
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
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
and marine biologist
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
, famous for his study of mysids.
He was born in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, the eldest son of a draper's family. He studied zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
at the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
, where he graduated in 1901. Subsequently, he worked as a naturalist for the Irish Fisheries Department under Ernest William Lyons Holt
Ernest William Lyons Holt
Ernest William Lyons Holt was an eminent English marine naturalist and biologist specialized in ichthyology, the study of fish...
, where he began his studies of crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s. In 1909 he became the director of the Manchester Museum
Manchester Museum
The Manchester Museum is owned by the University of Manchester. Sited on Oxford Road at the heart of the university's group of neo-Gothic buildings, it provides access to about six million items from every continent and serves both as a resource for academic research and teaching and as a regional...
and also worked as a tutor in marine biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
at the universities of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
and Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
.
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 served as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where he was wounded and gassed in 1918. In the middle of the war, in 1916, he married Olive Selden Attride.
In 1922, he was appointed professor at the University of Cardiff
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
, a post he would hold for the rest of his life. He was highly respected as a teacher in zoology and marine biology and also as a field researcher and taxonomist. Tattersall has an impressive publication record; he is the taxonomic authority for a large number of crustaceans, in particular of mysids and euphausiids. Most of the illustrations in his publications were drawn by his wife Olive.