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Biodiversity Explorers >
Jacot Guillarmod, Charles Frédéric (1912-1979)
Entomologist at the Albany Museum from 1958-1979 before
which he lived in Lesotho with his wife, Amy, managing a trading station.
Studied the taxonomy of thrips (Thysanoptera)
and
scoliid wasps.
Chronology
Date |
Age |
Event |
24 Aug 1912 |
|
Born on the farm Lambertina, near Clocolan in
the Orange Free State. Father came from Switzerland and managed a number of
trading stations in Lesotho before moving to the Orange Free State to take
up farming. |
1918 |
|
Family returned to Lesotho and father managed and later bought the
trading store at 'Mamathe's. |
1924 |
12 |
Started school at Grey College, Bloemfontein, his mother having
taught him in his earlier years. |
1934 |
|
Graduated with B.Sc (cum laude) in Zoology from University of Pretoria. |
1936 |
|
Graduated with M.Sc (cum laude) in Entomology from University of
Pretoria. Thesis was on the systematics of Thysanoptera and he was supervised by
J.C. Faure. |
1936 |
|
Appointed to post in Division of Entomology of the Department of
Agriculture and Forestry where he was involved in locust research for two years,
working mainly in Zululand and the Upington area. |
1938 |
|
Appointed assistant professional officer in the Division of Plant
Industry to study insect transmission of plant virus diseases. |
1939 |
|
His father died in November and he moved back to Lesotho to manage the
trading store at 'Mamathe's for his mother. |
1940 |
|
Married Amy Hean, a plant virologist. |
1958 |
|
Moved to Grahamstown where he took up the position of Professional
Officer in Entomology at the Albany Museum. His wife Amy joined the Botany
Department of Rhodes University. |
1959 |
|
Promoted to Senior Professional Officer in the Albany Museum. |
1962 |
|
Went to U.S.A. for two years, working with J.C. Bradley of Cornell
University on scoliid wasps; also met J.D. Hood, the world authority on
Thysanoptera, and obtained from him reprints and a reference collection of
Thysanoptera. |
1964 |
|
Appointed acting Director of the Albany Museum and in 1965 was appointed
Director. |
1974 |
|
He and his family moved from the town to the small holding `Faraway` 6
km out of Grahamstown. |
1977 |
|
Resigned as Director of the Albany Museum and rejoined staff as
Assistant Curator of Entomology. Went on field trips with his nephew D.J.
Brothers. |
22 Sep 1979 |
|
Died from a massive coronary attack. |
Specimens
Collected insects extensively in the 'Mamathe's region, assisted by his wife
and later by his son Fran‡ois. Kept contact with other entomologists,
especially George Arnold in Bulawayo to whom he sent many Hymenoptera. Most of
these Hymenoptera specimens are now in the South African Museum. Most of his
other specimens are in the Albany Museum, Grahamstown.
References
The above information was extracted from the
obituary in Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern
Africa 1980, 43(2): 379–384.
Text by Hamish Robertson
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