Frederick Augustus Dixey facts for kids

Frederick Augustus Dixey (born December 9, 1855 – died January 16, 1935) was a very important British scientist who studied insects. He was even the president of the Royal Entomological Society of London and a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a big honor for scientists!

Meet Frederick Dixey, the Insect Expert

Frederick Dixey was a brilliant man who loved nature, especially insects. He spent his life learning about them and sharing his knowledge with others.

His Early Life and Education

Frederick went to Highgate School from 1867 to 1874. He did so well that he later became a governor of the school, helping to run it from 1920 until he passed away. He earned a special scholarship to Wadham College, Oxford, which is a famous university.

At first, he thought about following in his father's and grandfather's footsteps to become an eye doctor. But soon, he decided to study medicine instead. He became a fellow at Wadham College, which means he was a senior member of the college, and even a sub-warden. He also loved music and sang in the choir at the Church of St Barnabas, Oxford for almost 40 years!

A Life Devoted to Natural History

Even though he studied medicine, Frederick Dixey never actually worked as a doctor. His true passion was natural history, which is the study of living things like plants and animals. In March 1900, he was chosen to be a curator for the Hope collections at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. This meant he helped look after and organize many important natural history specimens.

An Expert on Butterflies

Frederick Dixey became a top expert on "white" butterflies, which belong to a family called Pieridae. He studied them very closely and understood a lot about their lives and how they changed over time.

Supporting Evolution

Frederick Dixey was also an early supporter of Charles Darwin's ideas about natural selection and evolution. He believed that living things change over many generations to adapt to their environment. He even defended these ideas against people who didn't agree with Darwin.

His Family Life

In 1892, Frederick Dixey married Isabel Atkins. They had two sons, Harold Giles Dixey (born 1893) and Roger Nicholas Dixey (born 1895). Harold became a teacher at the Dragon School in Oxford and was also a writer.

How He Passed Away

Sadly, Frederick Dixey passed away in 1935. He was hit by a car while trying to cross the road.