Norman Arthur Wakefield
Encyclopedia
Norman Arthur Wakefield was an Australia
n teacher
, naturalist
, paleontologist
and botanist
, notable as an expert on fern
s. He described many new species of plants.
Wakefield was born in Romsey, Victoria
, and educated at state schools in Orbost
and at Scotch College, Melbourne
. He joined the Victorian Education Department in 1934 and served as a teacher in various parts of East Gippsland
.
During the Second World War Wakefield served with the Australian Army
in Papua
and New Guinea
(1943–1944) and on Bougainville
(1944–1945). He returned from his war service with a collection of ferns now housed in the British Museum
and the National Herbarium of Victoria
.
From 1955 to 1965 he lectured in natural history and science at the Melbourne Teachers’ College. In 1960 he graduated as a Bachelor of Science
at the University of Melbourne
, and in 1969 completed a MSc
in paleontology
at Monash University
, as well as lecturing in biology at Monash Teachers’ College.
In the early 1960s he made broadcasts on school nature study for the ABC
, as well as writing a regular column for the Melbourne Age
1963-1971. He wrote numerous popular articles on natural history as well as many scientific papers in international and local journals. Books he wrote include:
(FNCV), which he joined in 1938. He founded its Fauna Group and also edited its journal, the Victorian Naturalist 1953-1964, contributing 126 articles on ornithology, botany and history. In 1956 he was elected an Honorary Life Member of the FNCV, and in 1962 was awarded the Australian Natural History Medallion
.
Wakefield was killed at the age of 53 in a fall from a tree, while lopping branches, in his garden at his home in Sherbrooke, Victoria
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, paleontologist
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
and botanist
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...
, notable as an expert on fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s. He described many new species of plants.
Wakefield was born in Romsey, Victoria
Romsey, Victoria
Romsey is a town in the Local Government Area of the Shire of Macedon Ranges in the state of Victoria, Australia. The town is located north of Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Romsey had a population of 4490.-History:...
, and educated at state schools in Orbost
Orbost, Victoria
Orbost is a town in the Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, located east of Melbourne and south of Canberra where the Princes Highway crosses the Snowy River. It is about from the town of Marlo on the coast of Bass Strait. At the 2006 census, Orbost had a population of 2452...
and at Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
. He joined the Victorian Education Department in 1934 and served as a teacher in various parts of East Gippsland
East Gippsland
East Gippsland is the eastern region of Gippsland, Australia covering 31,740 square kilometres of Victoria. It has a population of 80,114....
.
During the Second World War Wakefield served with the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
in Papua
Papua (Australian territory)
The Territory of Papua comprised the southeastern quarter of the island of New Guinea from 1883 to 1949. It became a British Protectorate in the year 1884, and four years later it was formally annexed as British New Guinea...
and New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
(1943–1944) and on Bougainville
Bougainville Island
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
(1944–1945). He returned from his war service with a collection of ferns now housed in 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 the National Herbarium of Victoria
National Herbarium of Victoria
The National Herbarium of Victoria is one of Australia’s premier state herbaria. It was established in 1853 and is sited within the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. The present building was constructed in 1934 through a donation from philanthropist Sir Macpherson Robertson. It, along with a...
.
From 1955 to 1965 he lectured in natural history and science at the Melbourne Teachers’ College. In 1960 he graduated as a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, and in 1969 completed a MSc
MSC
- Computers:* Mario Strikers Charged* Microsoft Common Console Document, file for the Microsoft Management Console* Microelectronics Support Centre* Microsoft Corporation* MIDI Show Control* Message Sequence Chart...
in paleontology
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
, as well as lecturing in biology at Monash Teachers’ College.
In the early 1960s he made broadcasts on school nature study for the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
, as well as writing a regular column for the Melbourne Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
1963-1971. He wrote numerous popular articles on natural history as well as many scientific papers in international and local journals. Books he wrote include:
- 1955 – Ferns of Victoria and Tasmania. (Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria: Melbourne. Revised edition published 1976).
- 1967 – Naturalist’s Diary. (Longmans: Melbourne).
FNCV
Wakefield was very active in the Field Naturalists Club of VictoriaField Naturalists Club of Victoria
The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria is an Australian natural history and conservation organisation.It was founded in May 1880 by a group of nature enthusiasts that included Thomas Pennington Lucas. Charles French and Dudley Best. It is the oldest conservation group in Victoria...
(FNCV), which he joined in 1938. He founded its Fauna Group and also edited its journal, the Victorian Naturalist 1953-1964, contributing 126 articles on ornithology, botany and history. In 1956 he was elected an Honorary Life Member of the FNCV, and in 1962 was awarded the Australian Natural History Medallion
Australian Natural History Medallion
The Australian Natural History Medallion is awarded each year by the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria to the person judged to have made the most meritorious contribution to the understanding of Australian Natural History...
.
Wakefield was killed at the age of 53 in a fall from a tree, while lopping branches, in his garden at his home in Sherbrooke, Victoria
Sherbrooke, Victoria
Sherbrooke is a settlement in Victoria, Australia, 35 km east of Melbourne. Its local-government area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges. At the 2006 census, Sherbrooke had a population of 196....
.