Silvester Diggles
Encyclopedia
Silvester Diggles was an Australian artist and musician of British origin, as well as being a noted amateur
ornithologist
and entomologist
.
Diggles was born in Liverpool and married Eliza Bradley in 1839, with whom he had two daughters and a son. In 1853 he migrated with his family to Australia, living for a year in Sydney before settling in Brisbane
, Queensland, where he taught music and drawing as well as tuning and repairing musical instruments. His wife died in August 1857 and he subsequently married Albina Birkett in January 1858, with whom he had two sons.
Diggles was well known in Brisbane; he was a founder of the Brisbane Choral Society in 1859 and the Brisbane Philharmonic Society in 1861, and was a familiar accompanist
at concerts and church services. In 1877 he was given a grand benefit concert by the musicians of the city, and called "the father of music in Brisbane". A religious man, he had joined the New Jerusalem Church
in 1846 and served as its leader in Brisbane. He was also a Freemason
.
Diggles was a founder of the Queensland Philosophical Society. the predecessor of the Royal Society of Queensland
, and helped establish the Queensland Museum
, which the society instigated in 1862. He served as the Queensland representative on the 1871/72 solar eclipse expedition to Cape Sidmouth, Far North Queensland
, and reported on the birds, insects and scenery there to the Philosophical Society.
Diggles is best known for his authorship of a major ornithological work which was never completely published because of financial problems. He and his niece Rowena Birkett produced some 325 hand-coloured plates of some 600 Australian birds for a work titled The Ornithology of Australia
, of which three volumes were published from 1865 to 1870.
The moth genus of Digglesia
, the brushed trapdoor spider
Ozicrypta digglesi, and the sea snail Zafra digglesi are named after him.
Diggles' health deteriorated from about 1875, a contributing factor being worries about his publishing problems. He died at Kangaroo Point
, Brisbane, survived by the two daughters of his first marriage and the two sons of his second.
A book about Diggles' life, The Bird Man of Brisbane by Louis J. Pigott, was published in 2010 by Boolarong Press
.
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
ornithologist
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
and entomologist
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
.
Diggles was born in Liverpool and married Eliza Bradley in 1839, with whom he had two daughters and a son. In 1853 he migrated with his family to Australia, living for a year in Sydney before settling in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland, where he taught music and drawing as well as tuning and repairing musical instruments. His wife died in August 1857 and he subsequently married Albina Birkett in January 1858, with whom he had two sons.
Diggles was well known in Brisbane; he was a founder of the Brisbane Choral Society in 1859 and the Brisbane Philharmonic Society in 1861, and was a familiar accompanist
Accompaniment
In music, accompaniment is the art of playing along with an instrumental or vocal soloist or ensemble, often known as the lead, in a supporting manner...
at concerts and church services. In 1877 he was given a grand benefit concert by the musicians of the city, and called "the father of music in Brisbane". A religious man, he had joined the New Jerusalem Church
The New Church
The New Church is the name for a New religious movement developed from the writings of the Swedish scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg . Swedenborg claimed to have received a new revelation from Jesus Christ through continuous heavenly visions which he experienced over a period of at least...
in 1846 and served as its leader in Brisbane. He was also a Freemason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
.
Diggles was a founder of the Queensland Philosophical Society. the predecessor of the Royal Society of Queensland
Royal Society of Queensland
The Royal Society of Queensland was formed in Queensland, Australia in 1884, with royal patronage granted in 1885.The aim of the Society is "Increasing awareness of natural sciences in Queensland"....
, and helped establish the Queensland Museum
Queensland Museum
The Queensland Museum is the state museum of Queensland. The museum currently operates four separate campuses; at South Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba and Townsville.The museum is funded by the State Government of Queensland.-History:...
, which the society instigated in 1862. He served as the Queensland representative on the 1871/72 solar eclipse expedition to Cape Sidmouth, Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland, or FNQ, is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. The region, which contains a large section of the Tropical North Queensland area, stretches from the city of Cairns north to the Torres Strait...
, and reported on the birds, insects and scenery there to the Philosophical Society.
Diggles is best known for his authorship of a major ornithological work which was never completely published because of financial problems. He and his niece Rowena Birkett produced some 325 hand-coloured plates of some 600 Australian birds for a work titled The Ornithology of Australia
The Ornithology of Australia
The Ornithology of Australia comprises three volumes of lithographed, hand-coloured, illustrations of Australian birds with accompanying text...
, of which three volumes were published from 1865 to 1870.
The moth genus of Digglesia
Digglesia
Digglesia is a genus of Moth in the family Lasiocampidae....
, the brushed trapdoor spider
Barychelidae
The Brushed trapdoor spiders are a spider family with about 300 species in 44 general. This family is the only family in superfamily Barycheloidea....
Ozicrypta digglesi, and the sea snail Zafra digglesi are named after him.
Diggles' health deteriorated from about 1875, a contributing factor being worries about his publishing problems. He died at Kangaroo Point
Kangaroo Point, Queensland
Kangaroo Point is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia located directly east across the Brisbane River from the Brisbane central business district.- Geography :...
, Brisbane, survived by the two daughters of his first marriage and the two sons of his second.
A book about Diggles' life, The Bird Man of Brisbane by Louis J. Pigott, was published in 2010 by Boolarong Press
Boolarong Press
Boolarong Press is a Queensland book publishing company established in 1978 by Les Padman. The business was purchased in 1995 by Watson Ferguson & Company, printers since 1868...
.