Isabella Gordon | |
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| Born | (1901-05-18)18 May 1901 Keith (Moray), Scotland |
| Died | 11 May 1988(1988-05-11) (aged 86) Carlisle, England |
| Alma mater | University of Aberdeen Imperial College |
| Known for | carcinology |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Natural History Museum |
Isabella GordonOBEFZSFLS (18 May 1901 – 11 May 1988) was a Scottish marine biologist who specialised incarcinology and was an expert incrabs andsea spiders. She worked at the Natural History Museum and received anOBE in 1961.
Gordon was born inKeith, Scotland on 18 May 1901, the eldest child of Margaret (née Lamb) and James Gordon. She attended Keith Grammar School before going to theUniversity of Aberdeen in 1918. As she had limited funds to support her education she took positions as a student demonstrator inzoology. She graduated from the University with BSc in zoology. She also completed training in primary and science teaching at Aberdeen Teachers' Training College.[1][2] In 1923 she was awarded the Kilgour Research Scholarship and studiedalcyonaria. She then took up postgraduate research scholarship atImperial College which led to her PhD in the embryology of endechinoderms.[1][2][3] She continued her research into echinoderms in the United States at both theHopkins Marine Station ofStanford University andYale University. In 1928 she received aDSc from the University of Aberdeen.
While at Yale UniversityWilliam Thomas Calman, Keeper of Zoology at the Natural History Museum, London, offered her a post at the museum. She returned to the UK and in November 1928 took up the position of Assistant Keeper (2nd class) with responsibility for the Crustacea section. Gordon was the first woman to be appointed as a full-time permanent member of museum staff.[4] In 1937 the Crustacea section was split into two parts;J.P. Harding took overentomostraca while Gordon managedmalacostraca as Principal Scientific Officer. During her time at the museum she published many articles and books and identified specimens of crabs sent to her from all over the world.[5]
She was a fellow and council member (1950-1953) of theLinnean Society and a member of its curatorial board until her resignation in 1981.[6] She was also a fellow of theZoological Society. In 1960 she became one of the original members of the Editorial Board of the peer-reviewed journalCrustaceana.
In April 1961 on the occasion ofEmperor Hirohito's 60th birthday, Gordon was invited to spend several weeks in Japan under the sponsorship of the Japanese newspaperYomiuri Shimbun. On 5 April she was invited to the laboratories of theImperial Household where she had an informal audience with the Emperor, a keen marine biologist himself. The visit gave Gordon great pleasure and she retained contact with her Japanese colleagues for the rest of her life.
Gordon had a great sense of humour and was a fan oflimericks. In 1958 she published a review of Siewing's 'Anatomie und Histologie von Thermosbaena mirabilis' under the title 'A thermophilous shrimp from Tunisia'. The title inspired Dr A.J. Bateman to send her the following limerick:
To which she replied
She retired from theNatural History Museum in 1966 and retained a room in the Crustacea section, which she shared withDr Sidnie Manton, and continued to work in the museum until about 1971. In 1983 she suffered a stroke which left her partially paralysed. In 1987 she moved from London to live with the family of her nephew Dr John Gordon in Carlisle. Her health deteriorated after a cataract operation in March 1988 and she died on 11 May 1988.
In her obituary the Dutch carcinologist,Lipke Holthuis referred to her as The Grand Old Lady of Carcinology.[7]
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