Denis Robert Pack-Beresford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Denis Robert Pack-Beresford
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| Born | 23 March 1864 Muine Bheag, County Carlow, Ireland
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| Died | 6 March 1942 (aged 77) Muine Bheag, Ireland
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| Nationality | Irish |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Entomology, Arachnology |
Denis Robert Pack-Beresford (1864–1942) was an Irish scientist. He was an entomologist, meaning he studied insects. He was also an arachnologist, which means he studied spiders and other arachnids. He was awarded the OBE honor.
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About Denis Robert Pack-Beresford
Denis Robert Pack-Beresford was born on March 23, 1864. His family lived at Fenagh House in Bagnelstown, County Carlow, Ireland. His parents were Denis Pack-Beresford and Annette Brown. He was the oldest of nine children.
His father was a Member of Parliament (MP) for County Carlow. This meant his father helped make laws for the area. Denis went to Rugby School and then to Christ Church, Oxford University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1887.
Family Life and Public Service
In 1891, Pack-Beresford married Alice Harriet Cromie Lyle. They adopted one daughter named Vera. Besides his interest in animals, Pack-Beresford also managed the family estate at Fenagh House starting in 1881.
He held several important public roles in his community. He served as the High Sheriff of Carlow. This was a very old and respected position. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant and a Justice of the Peace. These roles involved helping with local government and law. In 1918, he received the OBE award for his service.
Denis Robert Pack-Beresford passed away on March 6, 1942. His estate then went to his nephew, Commander Denis John Pack-Beresford. During the First World War, he helped with the war effort. He was part of a committee for the Order of St John and British Red Cross Society.
His Work with Animals
Denis Pack-Beresford was interested in nature from a young age. However, he did not start publishing his scientific work until 1898. He is best known for his studies of spiders (arachnology). He also studied woodlice and wasps in Ireland and Britain.
He was a member of important scientific groups. These included the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) and the Royal Dublin Society (RDS). He served on the council of the RIA. He was also an honorary secretary and vice-president for the RDS.
His involvement with the RIA led him to take part in important surveys. He helped with studies of animals on Lambay Island and during the Clare Island Survey. Other scientists encouraged his work. R.F. Scharff helped him with woodlice. G.H. Carpenter encouraged his spider studies.
Later Years and Collections
Towards the end of his life, Pack-Beresford had trouble with his eyesight. This made it hard for him to use microscopes, which were very important for his work. Because of this, he had to stop his research.
Today, his collections of animals are kept at the Natural History Museum in Dublin. His scientific papers and notes are stored at the Royal Irish Academy.
Some of His Published Works
- Buchanan-Wollaston, H.J. & Pack-Beresford, D.R. 1907. Contributions to a natural history of Lambay: Crustacea Arthrostraca. Irish Naturalist 16: 59.
- Pack-Beresford, D.R. 1907. Contributions to a natural history of Lambay: Araneida. Irish Naturalist 16: 61–65.
- Pack-Beresford, D.R., 1911. Clare Island Survey: A biological survey of Clare Island, Co. Mayo: Araneida. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Vol. XXXI, Sect. 2, Part. 35, pp. 1–8, December 1911.
- Pack-Beresford, D.R. 1929. Report on recent additions of the Irish fauna and flora. Araneida. A revision of the Irish spider list. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 39B: 41–52.
