Robert Marsham: Difference between revisions
Northmetpit (talk | contribs) Wikilink-Stratton Strawless |
as a "painful and accurate naturalist". |
||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
In later life, Marsham owned a modest sized country estate in [[Stratton Strawless]], [[Norfolk]]. |
In later life, Marsham owned a modest sized country estate in [[Stratton Strawless]], [[Norfolk]]. |
||
He became friendly with the naturalist [[Gilbert White]], with whom he carried on a lengthy correspondence and who described him as a 'painful and accurate naturalist'. |
He became friendly with the naturalist [[Gilbert White]], with whom he carried on a lengthy correspondence and who described him as a 'painful and accurate naturalist'. |
||
Marsham provided a fascinating insight into the winter of 1739/40, the coldest year on record, when the contents of his chamber pot frequently froze overnight and the turnip crop was completely destroyed. Turnips, being a Norfolk speciality, feature elsewhere: he regularly recorded turnip flowering dates (needed when turnips were to produce seed) and was amazed at the size a giant turnip achieved. If you want to know how big it was you will have to read the book! |
|||
Marsham is still the only person in [[Norfolk]] to have recorded the [[wallcreeper]] bird. In 1736 he began recording 27 signs of spring that were continued by successive generations of his family until well into the 20th century and provide us a wealth of knowledge about how spring is influenced by prevailing weather conditions; now of huge interest in the climate change debate. |
|||
Marsham was the first to record the effects of nature and seasonal change. |
Marsham was the first to record the effects of nature and seasonal change. |
||
| Line 10: | Line 14: | ||
==References== |
==References== |
||
*Woodland Trust [http://www.naturescalendar.org.uk/marsham Nature's Calendar page] |
*Woodland Trust [http://www.naturescalendar.org.uk/marsham Nature's Calendar page] |
||
* ''Chapters in the Life of Robert Marsham 1708-1797'' - By Tim Sparks and John Lines |
|||
==External links== |
==External links== |
||
Revision as of 09:45, 10 July 2008
Robert Marsham (27 January 1708–1797) is considered to be the founding father of phenology. Marsham is best known for his Indications of Spring, the phenology notes which he started making in 1736 and continued writing for over 60 years. Successive generations of his family added to his work, and this information now provides immensely valuable data to the UK phenology database.
From a very early age he had shown a passion for the natural world. In later life, Marsham owned a modest sized country estate in Stratton Strawless, Norfolk. He became friendly with the naturalist Gilbert White, with whom he carried on a lengthy correspondence and who described him as a 'painful and accurate naturalist'.
Marsham provided a fascinating insight into the winter of 1739/40, the coldest year on record, when the contents of his chamber pot frequently froze overnight and the turnip crop was completely destroyed. Turnips, being a Norfolk speciality, feature elsewhere: he regularly recorded turnip flowering dates (needed when turnips were to produce seed) and was amazed at the size a giant turnip achieved. If you want to know how big it was you will have to read the book!
Marsham is still the only person in Norfolk to have recorded the wallcreeper bird. In 1736 he began recording 27 signs of spring that were continued by successive generations of his family until well into the 20th century and provide us a wealth of knowledge about how spring is influenced by prevailing weather conditions; now of huge interest in the climate change debate.
Marsham was the first to record the effects of nature and seasonal change. His interest in trees resulted in his being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1780.
References
- Woodland Trust Nature's Calendar page
- Chapters in the Life of Robert Marsham 1708-1797 - By Tim Sparks and John Lines
External links
 | This article about a biologist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |