Biographical entry Lucas, Arthur Henry Shakespeare (1853 - 1936)

Summary

Arthur Henry Lucas, who was born and educated in England, came, as mathematics and science master, to Wesley College, Melbourne in 1883. He was later headmaster of Newington College, Sydney 1892-98 and then taught at Sydney Grammar School 1899-1923.

Details

Born Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, England, 7 May 1853. Died Albury, New South Wales, 1936. Educated Universities of Oxford (BA 1874, MA 1877) and London (BSc 1879). Teacher, Lays School, Cambridge 1878-82; mathematics and science master, Wesley College, Melbourne 1883-91; tutor, Ormond and Trinity colleges and a founder and fellow of Queen's College, University of Melbourne; headmaster, Newington College, Sydney 1892-98; senior mathematical and science master, Sydney Grammar School 1899-1916, acting headmaster 1916-19, headmaster 1920-23; acting professor of mathematics, University of Tasmania 1924-25. President, Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria (founded by his brother, Thomas Pennington Lucas 1882) 1887-89, urging the government to reserve Wilson's Promontory for a national park (which came about in 1898) and editor, Victorian Naturalist 1884-92; council, Linnean Society of New South Wales 1894-1936, president 1907-09. Honorary Curator of Algae, National Herbarium of New South Wales. Wrote Introduction to the Study of Botany (1892, with A. Dendy, q.v.), The Animals of Australia (1909, with W.H.D. Le Souëf, q.v.), The Birds of Australia (1911, with W.H.D. Le Souëf) and A.H.S. Lucas, scientist, his own story (1937). Portrait by H.A. Hanke (1935) held by Sydney Grammar School.

Archival resources

Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales

• Angus & Robertson - Records, 1824 - 1933, ML MSS 314; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Baldwin Spencer - Records, 1880 - 1929, ML MSS 29; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details

The University of Melbourne Archives

• Arthur Henry Shakespeare Lucas - Records, 1853 - 1936; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details

Published resources

Books

• Lucas, A. H., Scientist: His Own Story, 1937 edn, 1 vols, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1937. Details

Book Sections

• Ducker, Sophic C., 'Lucas, Arthur Henry Shakespeare (1853-1936), School Master and Biologist', in Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle (eds), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 10, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1986, pp. 163-164. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A100159b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Aruthur Henry Shakespeare Lucas, 1853-1936', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, vol. 62, 1937, pp. 243-252. Details
• Home, R. W., Maroske, Sara; Lucas, A. M. and Lucas, P. J., 'Why Explore Antarctica?: Australian Discussions in the 1880s', Australian Journal of Politics and History, vol. 38, 1992, pp. 386-413. Details
• Lucas, A. H. S., 'Charles Darwin on Australia', Victorian Naturalist, vol. 2, 1885, pp. 20-24. Details
• Willis, J.H., 'Botanical Pioneers in Victoria', Victorian Naturalist, vol. 66, 1949, pp. 83-89; 103-109; 123-107. Details

Online Resources

• National Library of Australia, 'Lucas, A H S', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-630849. Details

See also

• Science and the making of Victoria, with Royal Society of Victoria, 2001, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/smv/scripts/smv-dynindex.php3?EID=P000584. Details
• Robin, Libby, The Flight of the Emu: a Hundred Years of Australian Ornithology 1901-2001, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 2001, 492 pp. Details
• Sprent, J. F. A., 'Ronald Harry Wharton 1923-83', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 6, no. 2, 1985, pp. 293-301. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9850620293.htm. Details