Edward Bevan (physician) facts for kids

Edward Bevan (born July 8, 1770, in London – died January 31, 1860, in Hereford) was an English doctor and a famous expert on honey bees. He is best known for his important book about bees, first published in 1827.

Edward Bevan's Early Life and Education

Edward Bevan started his education at a grammar school in Wotton-under-Edge for four years, where he became the school captain. After that, he studied at the college school in Hereford.

Becoming a Doctor

In Hereford, Edward trained to be a surgeon. He then moved to London and studied at St Bartholomew's Hospital. There, he attended lectures from well-known doctors like John Abernethy. In 1818, he earned his advanced medical degree from the University of St Andrews.

He worked as an assistant doctor for five years in Mortlake. Later, he started his own medical practice in Stoke-upon-Trent and then in Congleton, Cheshire. He practiced medicine in Congleton for twelve years and got married there.

Edward later returned to Mortlake. He helped Samuel Parkes, a chemist, prepare a new edition of his book on chemistry. After two more years practicing in Mortlake, Bevan retired to a small country home in Bridstow, Herefordshire.

Edward Bevan's Love for Bees

When Edward Bevan moved to his home in Bridstow, he found a bee farm, called an apiary, already there. He became very interested in bees and started to study them closely.

His Famous Bee Book

In 1827, Edward Bevan published his first book about bees. It was titled The Honey-Bee: its Natural History, Physiology, and Management. This book quickly made him famous as a scientific expert on bees. People who were interested in bees all over the world read his book.

He published a second, much bigger and better edition of his book in 1838. This new edition was dedicated to Queen Victoria. It included lots of new and valuable information about honey bees.

Other Contributions to Bee Science

Edward Bevan also wrote other important works about bees. He wrote a paper called 'Honey-Bee Communities' for a science magazine. He also published 'Hints on the History and Management of the Honey-Bee'. These hints were based on two talks he gave in Hereford in 1850 and 1851.

In 1833, Edward Bevan helped start the Royal Entomological Society. This is a group for people who study insects. In 1849, he moved from Bridstow to Hereford, where he lived until he passed away in 1860.

Years after his death, in 1870, another expert named William Augustus Munn published a third edition of Bevan's famous bee book.