Thomas Gibson Sloane

Thomas Gibson Sloane (20 April 1858 – 20 October 1932) was an Australian sheep grazier and entomologist, considered to be one of the pioneers in Australia's entomology field.[2]

Not to be confused with Thomas Gibson or Thomas Sloan.

Thomas Gibson Sloane
Born(1858-04-20)20 April 1858[1]
St. Kilda, Melbourne
Died20 October 1932(1932-10-20) (aged 74)
Bunnerong Hospital Young, New South Wales
NationalityAustralian
CitizenshipAustralian
Known forstudy of beetles
Spouse(s)Eliza Scholastica Woolfrey (from 10/28/1891)
Children4 daughters and 2 sons
Scientific career
Fieldsentomology

Early life

Sloane was born 20 April 1858[3] in St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,[4] the second son[5] of merchant and sheep expert Alexander Sloane[6] and homemaker Annabella Helen (née Gibson). He studied for some time at Melbourne's Scotch College.[6]

Career and personal life

From 1888,[7] Sloane served as manager of his father's sheep station, A. Sloane and Sons,[6] in Moorilla, near Young,[4] and later on in 1910 as owner.[7] His sheep earned him recognition at many sheep shows.[6] As an entomologist, Sloane described more than 600 new insect species.[4] His expertise were the ground and tiger beetles.[7] He later became a global authority on ground beetles.[6] "An enthusiastic Darwinian",[6] Sloane wed Eliza Scholastica Woolfrey on 28 October 1891, at the Church of England, Dubbo.[8] They had six children – four were daughters and two were sons.[6]

Later years and death

Fellow entomologist Herbert James Carter described Sloane as "unselfish" and "stoic by nature".[6] However, he suffered a financial crisis in later years.[6] He was reportedly very fit for his age and was free from any illness until a while before his death, when he experienced cardiac asthma.[6] He had planned to retire in Canberra.[9] Sloane died on 20 October 1932 at the Bunnerong Hospital[6] in Young, New South Wales.[4] His wife inherited all of his possessions.[9][10][11] Following his death, his widow donated his extensive beetle collection, now known as the Thomas Sloane Collection, to the Division of Economic Entomology of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, in accordance of Sloane's wishes.[9]

References
  1. Victoria, Australia, Birth Index, 1837-1917
  2. Hangay, George; Zborowski, Paul (2010). A Guide to the Beetles of Australia. Csiro. p. 2. ISBN 9780643101937.
  3. Headrick, David H. (2001). A dictionary of entomology. CASI. p. 843. ISBN 9780851992914.
  4. "Sloane, Thomas Gibson (1858 - 1932)". Encyclopedia of Australian Science. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  5. "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 November 1891. p. 1.
  6. Carter, H. J. (29 October 1932). "Thomas Gibson Sloane". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 14.
  7. "Thomas Gibson Sloane - papers, 1877-1931". State Library of New South Wales. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  8. "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 November 1891. p. 7.
  9. Tillyard, R. J. (31 December 1932). "The Thomas Sloane Collection". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 7.
  10. "Presentation to Commonwealth". The Mercury. 4 January 1933. p. 5.
  11. "Collection of Beetles". The Queenslander. 29 December 1932. p. 18.
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