Henry B. Guppy facts for kids
Henry Brougham Guppy (born December 23, 1854 – died April 23, 1926) was a talented British scientist. He was a surgeon, a geologist (someone who studies rocks and Earth's history), a botanist (someone who studies plants), and a photographer. He received a special award called the Linnean Medal in 1917 for his important work.
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A Life of Discovery
Henry Brougham Guppy was born in Falmouth, Cornwall in England. His father, Dr. Thomas Stokes Guppy, was a local doctor. Henry went to Sherborne School and then studied medicine at Queen's College in Birmingham and Edinburgh University. He became a doctor in 1876.
From 1876 to 1885, he worked as a surgeon for the Royal Navy. This job took him on many adventures! He sailed on ships like HMS Hornet in the South China Seas and HMS Lark in the western Pacific Ocean. He spent a lot of time exploring places like the Solomon Islands. In 1878, he also spent time on land in Korea.
In 1888, he became a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, which is a group for important scientists. Later, in 1918, he joined the even more famous Royal Society of London.
Exploring the World
After his time in the Navy, Guppy continued his travels. In 1896, he went back to the Pacific Ocean to study geology and plants. He looked closely at coral reefs in the Keeling Islands. He also did research in Java, Hawaii, and Fiji. This amazing journey lasted until 1899.
He then returned to Britain to study all the information he had collected and write about his discoveries. From 1906 to 1914, he traveled again, this time studying plants and land in the West Indies and the Azores. The First World War made it hard to travel, but he started new adventures in the Pacific again in 1919.
Henry Brougham Guppy passed away while traveling from Tahiti back to Britain. He was on a ship called the SS El Kantara, which was docked in Martinique.
Family Life
Henry Brougham Guppy was married two times. His first wife was Mary Annie Jordan, whom he married in 1887 while he was still in the Navy. Later, in 1900, he married Letitia Warde from Yalding in Kent.
His Lasting Legacy
Henry Brougham Guppy's important work is remembered in the names of two types of reptiles. A gecko found only in the Solomon Islands is named Lepidodactylus guppyi after him. Also, a snake found only in southern India is called Uropeltis broughami. This shows how much his discoveries meant to the scientific world!
Books and Studies
Henry Brougham Guppy wrote several important books about his research:
- Studies in seeds and fruits, an investigation with the balance
- Plants, seeds, and currents in the West Indies and Azores; the results of investigations carried out in those regions between 1906 and 1914, by H. B. Guppy
Images for kids
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Pile dwellings in Fauro Island, photographed by Guppy
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St. Christobal canoe, photographed by Guppy
