John William Douglas (15 November 1814 – 28 July 1905)
was an English entomologist, chiefly interested in microlepidoptera. He
was known as Jolly Douglas.
John William Douglas, the son of an expatriate Scot from Edinburgh
(Mother's maiden name Eustace),
was born 1814 in Putney. He became interested in insects whilst working
at Kew Gardens and published many papers and books on entomology(1). His
most important work was The Natural History of the Tineinae with the
German Philipp Christoph Zeller, Englishman Henry Tibbats Stainton and a
Swiss, Heinrich Frey . The Natural History of the Tineinae appeared in
English, French, German and Latin editions. Although his main interest
was the Lepidoptera,Douglas was joint author of the work British
Hemiptera Vol.1. Hemiptera-Heteroptera (1865). He was a one-time
president of the Royal Entomological Society and editor of The
Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. Douglas was a keen promoter of
entomology, especially among the young.
For most of his adult
life, he was employed in the Customs House, rising to a senior position.
At one point, he was sent on an inspection tour of European vineyards by
the then Prime minister, Glasdstone. On his return, Gladstone thanked
him personally and gave him a £100 Trteasury grant. He retired aged 70.
John married twice, Alison Hume and Charlotte (Unknown)
Children
by Alison Hume were Charles Dohrn Douglas; Henry Stainton Napier
Douglas; William David Douglas; Pauline Zeller Douglas; Laura Ada
Douglas and 1 other.
He died in 1905 in Harlesden.
Works:
The World of Insects. London, 1856.
with John Scott.
The British Hemiptera. (Vol. I, Ray. Soc. London, 1865)
with HT
Stainton, PC Zeller, JW Douglas and Frey, H The Natural History of the
Tineina 13 volumes, 2000 pages English French, German and Latin
editions.(text additions, synonymies and translations by Alexander Henry
Haliday).1855-1873
Collections:
John William Douglas’ British
Coleoptera and Hemiptera British Macrolepidoptera and Microlepidoptera
are in the Natural History Museum, London.
Notes:
1. Aged 15 he was was a victim of a schoolboy prank in which a
lighted match had been placed in his pockets, which was full of
'crackers'. These exploded causing severe damage to his leg
resulting in him spending the next two years in bed. During this time he
developed an interest in botanical drawing which led to his placement at
Kew.
2. Charles Dohrn Douglas registered a number of patents for
locks, including some for railway carriage doors. He also appears to
have been an enameller in Port Dundas, Glasgow prior to November 1882 in
the firm Charles Douglas & Company, Enamellers and Tabletop Manufacturrs.
3. Henry Stainton Napier Douglas was presumably named after JWD's
co-author.
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