Gabrielle Maud Vassal facts for kids

Gabrielle Maud Vassal (born Candler, 5 March 1880 – 31 May 1959) was a brave British explorer and scientist. She was known as a naturalist, which means she studied nature, including plants and animals. Gabrielle traveled to many faraway places and discovered new species.

Who Was Gabrielle Vassal?

Gabrielle Maud Candler was born in a small town called Uppingham in England in 1880. When she was 21, her family moved to London. There, in 1903, she married Joseph Marguerite Jean-Baptiste Vassal. Joseph was a doctor who worked for the French Colonial Service. This meant he worked in countries that were French colonies at the time.

Early Life and Adventures Abroad

In 1904, Gabrielle and Joseph moved to Vietnam. This was the start of many exciting adventures for Gabrielle. After their time in Vietnam, they also lived in French colonies in Africa, like Gabon and the Congo. Living in these places gave Gabrielle a unique chance to study nature.

A Pioneer Naturalist

Gabrielle Vassal was a very keen naturalist. She spent 30 years collecting many different plants and animals. She sent these "specimens" to the Natural History Museum in London. These specimens helped scientists learn more about the natural world.

She was quite special for her time. Not many women were collectors, especially not in faraway lands. Also, she was British but collected in French areas. Then she sent her findings to a British museum! Many of her letters to the museum are still kept today. They show how dedicated she was.

Discovering New Species

Gabrielle's hard work led to amazing discoveries. Some of the specimens she sent were completely new to science. This means no one had ever found them before! Because of her important work, several new species were named after her. One famous example is the yellow-cheeked crested gibbon, which is a type of ape. Its scientific name is Nomascus gabriellae.

A Hero in Wartime

When World War II started, the Vassals returned to France. Gabrielle didn't stop being brave. She joined the French Resistance. This was a secret group of people who fought against the enemy during the war. Gabrielle helped Allied airmen who had been shot down to escape to safety. Her bravery was recognized by both the British and American governments.

Author and Photographer

Besides her scientific work and wartime heroism, Gabrielle Vassal was also very talented in other ways. She became known as a successful photographer. She took many pictures of the places she visited and the nature she studied. She was also an author, writing several books about her experiences. And she was a public speaker, sharing her amazing stories with others.

In 1928, a portrait of Gabrielle Vassal was taken. This portrait is now kept at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Her Books

Gabrielle Vassal wrote several interesting books about her life and travels. These books let others read about her adventures.

• A Romance of the Western Front (1918) was a novel.
• On & Off Duty in Annam (1910) was about her time in Vietnam.
• In and round Yunnan Fou (1922) also described her experiences in Vietnam.
• Life In French Congo (1925) shared her stories from Africa.
• Three Years In Vietnam 1907-1910: Medicine, Chams And Tribesmen In Nhatrang And Surroundings (1910) gave a detailed look at her early years in Vietnam.