Gilbert Charles Bourne facts for kids
Gilbert Charles Bourne (born July 5, 1861 – died March 9, 1933) was a famous British zoologist. He was also known as 'Beja' Bourne. A zoologist is a scientist who studies animals. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a group of top scientists.
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Gilbert Bourne's Education and Teaching Career
Gilbert Bourne went to New College, Oxford as a student. Later, he became a Fellow at Merton College, Oxford. This means he was a senior member of the college, often involved in teaching and research.
From 1906 to 1921, he was a professor at the University of Oxford. He held the title of Linacre Professor of Comparative Anatomy. This important role meant he taught and researched how different animals' bodies are built and how they work.
Rowing Success at Oxford
Gilbert Bourne was a very talented rower. While he was a student at Oxford, he was part of the university's rowing team. He rowed in the "bow" position, which is the front seat of the boat.
He helped Oxford win the famous Boat Race against Cambridge in 1882. He rowed again the next year, helping Oxford win the Boat Race in 1883 too!
A Family of Rowers
Gilbert's son, Robert Croft Bourne, also became a great rower for Oxford. Robert was even more successful, leading the Oxford team to victory four times. He was the "stroke" of the boat, which is the rower who sets the pace for the others.
Robert helped Oxford win the Boat Race in 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1912. It was quite a family tradition!
Bourne's Contributions to Rowing
Beyond just racing, Gilbert Bourne was also a coach and a thinker about rowing. He even designed special racing boats. He also studied how oars work and how rowers use their muscles.
In 1925, he wrote an important book called "A Text-Book of Oarsmanship with an Essay on Muscular Action in Rowing." This book was one of the first to explain proper rowing technique in detail.
Military Service
Besides his scientific work, Gilbert Bourne was also very interested in the military. He was an officer in a part-time army unit called the 4th (Militia) Battalion of The King's (Shropshire Light Infantry). He served with them from 1882 to 1897. He left as a captain and was given the honorary rank of major.
When the Second Boer War started in South Africa in 1899, he rejoined his battalion. He was made a major and later an honorary lieutenant-colonel. He served as the second-in-command while his unit was stationed in Ireland.
Later, he also served during the First world war. He was given the honorary title of Colonel for the 12th Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment.
Images for kids
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A memorial near Ifley lock, Oxford, dedicated to Gilbert Charles Bourne.
