John Ralfs
Encyclopedia
John Ralfs was an English
botanist. Born in Millbrook, near Southampton
, he was the second son of Samuel Ralfs, a yeoman of an old family in Hampshire
. He has been commemorated in the names of many plant groups and taxa at many levels.
before John was a year old, and the children (two sons and two daughters) were brought up at Southampton
by their mother. After being educated privately he was articled to his uncle, a surgeon of Brentford
, with whom he lived for two years and a half. For two years he was a pupil at Winchester Hospital
, and in 1832 he passed his final examination, being specially recommended by the examiners for his knowledge of botany
. For some time he practised in partnership with another surgeon at Shoreditch
, and he is also said to have practised at Towcester
. At Torquay
, where he moved on account of lung disease (probably tubercular in origin), he married, in 1835, Laura Cecilia, daughter of Henry Newman. In November 1837, for the sake of the mild climate, he settled at Penzance
, and, having abandoned his profession, dwelt there for the rest of his life.
, set up a charitable collection to provide Ralfs with an annuity - the appeal was so successful that in addition to providing Ralfs with an income, a fund for the "relief of necessitas Scientific Men" was also established. Charles Darwin
was one of the notable scientists who subscribed.
, catalogued its books and prepared its printed catalogue, as well as being responsible for the purchase of much of its natural history stock. He died at 15 St. Clare Street, Penzance, on 14 July 1890, and was buried in the cemetery, where a monument was erected to his memory by the members of the Penzance Natural History and Antiquarian Society
, of which body he was a vice-president after its resuscitation in 1880, and president for 1883–4.
. She died in 1848, at the chateau of the Count and Countess of Morambert in the Dordogne
. Ralfs visited the chateau in 1850, and took the opportunity of seeing the chief botanists in Paris. He left his collections of microscopic slides, 3,137 in all, to the botanical department of the British Museum
, but as the will had not been witnessed, it did not take legal effect. The botanist's only son, however, Mr. John Henry Ralfs, carried out his father's intentions.
, to the Edinburgh Botanical Society, and for many years his articles appeared in its Transactions and in the Annals of Natural History. Hundreds of his letters are among Berkeley's correspondence in the botanical department of the British Museum. In the Penzance library are deposited his manuscript collections, viz., Flora of West Cornwall, 1878–86, 8 vols.; Flora of the Scilly Isles, 1876, 1 vol., and Fungi of West Cornwall, 1880–6, 2 vols.
Ralfs was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society
in 1889, and was offered, but declined, associateship of the Linnaean Society.
long corresponded with Ralfs, who suggested that they should render each other assistance in their inquiries. But when Hassall's British Freshwater Algæ, including Descriptions of the Desmideæ and Diatomaceæ, which, in Ralfs's opinion, ought to have been published jointly, appeared in 1845, no mention was made of Ralfs. The History of Infusoria, by Andrew Pritchard
, was enlarged and revised by Ralfs and other botanists. His contribution on the diatomaceæ was condensed by Pritchard (pp. 756–940).
Ralfs aided in the botanical portions of the Guide to Ilfracombe, 1838; the Guide to Penzance, by J. S. Courtney, 1845; the Week at the Land's End, by John Thomas Blight
, 1861; the Official Guide to Penzance, 1876, and he supplied the list of desmids to Jenner's Flora of Tunbridge Wells. He sent many plants for description in the second edition of English Botany by Sir James Edward Smith
. Berkeley gave the name of Ralfsia to a genus of seaweeds, and Wilson named a Jungermannia in his honour. Charles Darwin
in his Insectivorous Plants gracefully referred to those supplied to him by Ralfs from the neighbourhood of Penzance.
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...
botanist. Born in Millbrook, near Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, he was the second son of Samuel Ralfs, a yeoman of an old family 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...
. He has been commemorated in the names of many plant groups and taxa at many levels.
Early life and education
Ralfs's father died at Muddiford in HampshireHampshire
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...
before John was a year old, and the children (two sons and two daughters) were brought up at Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
by their mother. After being educated privately he was articled to his uncle, a surgeon of Brentford
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
, with whom he lived for two years and a half. For two years he was a pupil at Winchester Hospital
Winchester Hospital
Winchester Hospital located in Winchester, Massachusetts is a notable hospital in northwest suburb of the city of Boston, United States. The hospital provides inpatient service and integrated home care to the population residing in Winchester, Woburn, Reading, Wilmington, North Reading, Stoneham,...
, and in 1832 he passed his final examination, being specially recommended by the examiners for his knowledge of botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
. For some time he practised in partnership with another surgeon at Shoreditch
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
, and he is also said to have practised at Towcester
Towcester
Towcester , the Roman town of Lactodorum, is a small town in south Northamptonshire, England.-Etymology:Towcester comes from the Old English Tófe-ceaster. Tófe refers to the River Tove; Bosworth and Toller compare it to the "Scandinavian proper names" Tófi and Tófa...
. At Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
, where he moved on account of lung disease (probably tubercular in origin), he married, in 1835, Laura Cecilia, daughter of Henry Newman. In November 1837, for the sake of the mild climate, he settled at Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
, and, having abandoned his profession, dwelt there for the rest of his life.
Financial troubles
Through the misconduct of a near relative, who betrayed his trust, Ralfs lost most of his fortune; but under the will of his friend, the Rev. Henry Penneck, who died in 1862, he enjoyed a small annuity. J. D. Hooker and T. H. Huxley, with the Philosophical Club of the Royal SocietyRoyal 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"...
, set up a charitable collection to provide Ralfs with an annuity - the appeal was so successful that in addition to providing Ralfs with an income, a fund for the "relief of necessitas Scientific Men" was also established. Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
was one of the notable scientists who subscribed.
Research
In spite of ill-health and failing eyesight, he actively pursued botanical researches until he was seventy-five years old. He was long a member of the committee of the Penzance libraryMorrab Library
The Morrab Library is an independent library based in Penzance in Cornwall in the UK.The library situated in Morrab House in Morrab Gardens, and was founded in 1818. Morrab is financed through membership subscriptions and is notable for its large celtic studies collection and local archives...
, catalogued its books and prepared its printed catalogue, as well as being responsible for the purchase of much of its natural history stock. He died at 15 St. Clare Street, Penzance, on 14 July 1890, and was buried in the cemetery, where a monument was erected to his memory by the members of the Penzance Natural History and Antiquarian Society
Penzance Natural History and Antiquarian Society
Penzance Natural History and Antiquarian Society was a local society founded in Penzance in Cornwall, England, UK, whose aim was "the cultivation of the science of Natural History, and for the investigation of the Antiquities referring to the early inhabitants." It was established at a public...
, of which body he was a vice-president after its resuscitation in 1880, and president for 1883–4.
Family life
Ralfs' marriage proved unhappy. Within two years from their union his wife joined her parents in FranceFrance
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...
. She died in 1848, at the chateau of the Count and Countess of Morambert in the Dordogne
Dordogne
Dordogne is a départment in south-west France. The départment is located in the region of Aquitaine, between the Loire valley and the High Pyrénées named after the great river Dordogne that runs through it...
. Ralfs visited the chateau in 1850, and took the opportunity of seeing the chief botanists in Paris. He left his collections of microscopic slides, 3,137 in all, to the botanical department of 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...
, but as the will had not been witnessed, it did not take legal effect. The botanist's only son, however, Mr. John Henry Ralfs, carried out his father's intentions.
Works
The works of Ralfs were: British Phænogamous Plants and Ferns, 1839, and The British Desmidieæ, 1848. This volume is ‘unsurpassed for the beauty and accuracy of its coloured plates,’ and is very rare and costly. His first paper, on Desmids and Diatoms, was contributed, at the suggestion of the Rev. Miles Joseph BerkeleyMiles Joseph Berkeley
Miles Joseph Berkeley was an English cryptogamist and clergyman, and one of the founders of the science of plant pathology....
, to the Edinburgh Botanical Society, and for many years his articles appeared in its Transactions and in the Annals of Natural History. Hundreds of his letters are among Berkeley's correspondence in the botanical department of the British Museum. In the Penzance library are deposited his manuscript collections, viz., Flora of West Cornwall, 1878–86, 8 vols.; Flora of the Scilly Isles, 1876, 1 vol., and Fungi of West Cornwall, 1880–6, 2 vols.
Ralfs was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society
Royal Microscopical Society
The Royal Microscopical Society is an international scientific society for the promotion of microscopy. RMS draws members from all over the world and is dedicated to advancing science, developing careers and supporting wider understanding of science and microscopy through its Science and Society...
in 1889, and was offered, but declined, associateship of the Linnaean Society.
Correspondence & collaboration with other scientists
Arthur Hill HassallArthur Hill Hassall
Arthur Hill Hassall was a British physician, chemist and microscopist who is primarily known for his work in public health and food safety....
long corresponded with Ralfs, who suggested that they should render each other assistance in their inquiries. But when Hassall's British Freshwater Algæ, including Descriptions of the Desmideæ and Diatomaceæ, which, in Ralfs's opinion, ought to have been published jointly, appeared in 1845, no mention was made of Ralfs. The History of Infusoria, by Andrew Pritchard
Andrew Pritchard
Andrew Pritchard was an English naturalist and natural history dealer who made significant improvements to microscopy and studied microscopic organisms. His belief that God and nature were one led him to the Unitarians, a religious movement to which he and his family devoted much energy...
, was enlarged and revised by Ralfs and other botanists. His contribution on the diatomaceæ was condensed by Pritchard (pp. 756–940).
Ralfs aided in the botanical portions of the Guide to Ilfracombe, 1838; the Guide to Penzance, by J. S. Courtney, 1845; the Week at the Land's End, by John Thomas Blight
John Thomas Blight
John Thomas Blight FSA was a Cornish archaeological artist born near Redruth in Cornwall.His father, Robert, a teacher, moved the family to Penzance and introduced his sons to the study of nature, antiquities and folk lore. John Blight was a natural draughtsman...
, 1861; the Official Guide to Penzance, 1876, and he supplied the list of desmids to Jenner's Flora of Tunbridge Wells. He sent many plants for description in the second edition of English Botany by Sir James Edward Smith
James Edward Smith
Sir James Edward Smith was an English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society.Smith was born in Norwich in 1759, the son of a wealthy wool merchant. He displayed a precocious interest in the natural world...
. Berkeley gave the name of Ralfsia to a genus of seaweeds, and Wilson named a Jungermannia in his honour. Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
in his Insectivorous Plants gracefully referred to those supplied to him by Ralfs from the neighbourhood of Penzance.