Margaret Constance Helen Blackler (1902–1981) was a British phycologist, botanical collector and museum curator.
Career
Blackler was Assistant Keeper of Botany at
Liverpool Museum
World Museum is a large museum in Liverpool, England which has extensive collections covering archaeology, ethnology and the natural and physical sciences. Special attractions include the Natural History Centre and a planetarium. Entry to the ...
between 1933 to 1945. She also had some temporary teaching posts at colleges and the universities of Liverpool and Sheffield.
In 1947 she moved to an academic post at
University of St Andrews
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
. She was a Lecturer in Botany until 1961 and then promoted to Senior Lecturer until her retirement in 1968. She continued active laboratory research at the University's
Gatty Marine Laboratory
The Gatty Marine Laboratory is a science facility located in the coastal town of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. It is part of the University of St Andrews and home to the Scottish Oceans Institute, an interdisciplinary research institute studyi ...
until the day before her death.
At Liverpool Museum she curated historic plant specimens that had been added to the herbarium. These included ones from
Liverpool Botanical Garden
Wavertree Botanic Garden and Park is a mid-19th century public park in Liverpool, England. Originally constructed as a private botanic garden, it was taken over by Liverpool Corporation in 1846 and expanded into a public park.
The park is Grade ...
and ferns from India and Ceylon. She was also able to work on some collections of marine algae.
Her research at St Andrews was about marine algae, especially
brown algae
Brown algae (singular: alga), comprising the class Phaeophyceae, are a large group of multicellular algae, including many seaweeds located in colder waters within the Northern Hemisphere. Brown algae are the major seaweeds of the temperate and p ...
(Phaeophyceae). She focused on taxonomy and ecology, especially in the genera ''
Colpomenia'', ''
Pylaiella'' and ''
Desmarestia
''Desmarestia'' is a genus of brown algae found worldwide. It is also called acid weed, acidweed, ', sea sorrel, (), ', mermaid's hair, landlady's wig, or '. However, 'sea sorrel' can also specifically refer to '' Desmarestia viridis''. Mem ...
''.
She spent 1959 in the USA visiting marine biology laboratories and the University of California, Berkeley with funding from the
American Association of University Women.
She was a member of the founding committee of the
British Phycological Society
The British Phycological Society, founded in 1952, is a learned society based in the United Kingdom promoting the study of algae. Members interests include all aspects of the study of algae, including both natural biodiversity and applied uses. ...
and was made an Honorary Life Member in 1977.
Publications and specimens identified
Blackler's over 39 scientific publications and books include:
*Edited by Michael Stuart Laverack and Margaret Blackler (1974) ''Fauna and flora of St. Andrews Bay'', Scottish Academic Press , distributed by Chatto & Windus
* Knight, M., Blackler, M. C. H. and Parke, M. W. (1935) Notes on the life-cycle of species of ''Asperococcus''. ''Proc. Trans. Lpool biol. Soc''., 48 79–97.
* Blackler, H. (1938) The Herbarium of Thomas Velley (1748–1806). ''North West Naturalist'' 13 72–78.
* Blackler, M. C. H. (1939) The Occurrence of ''Colpomenia sinuosa'' (Mert.) Derb. Et Sol. in Ireland. ''Irish Naturalist Journal'' 7 215.
* Blackler, H. (1940) Mounting Seaweeds for Display Purposes. ''Museums Journal'' 40 203.
* Blackler, H. (1945) An Addition to the Algal Flora of Wales, ''Colpomenia sinuosa''. ''North West Naturalist'' 17 112.
* Blackler, H. (1945) Winter Heliotrope (''Petasites fragrans'' Presl) in Westmorland. ''North West Naturalist'' 17 112.
* Blackler, H. (1948) ''Colpomenia sinuosa'' (Mert.) Derb. Et Sol. in Scotland.” ''Nature'' 162 1001.
* Blackler, H. (1949) The rediscovery of the type specimen of ''Microdictyon umbilicatum'' (Velley) Zan. ''Kew Bull'' 4 127–128.
* Blackler, H. (1951) An algal survey of Lough Foyle, North Ireland. ''Proc. R. Ir. Acad.'' 54B 97 – 139
* Burrows, E. M., P. S. Dixon, H. Blackler, K. M. Drew-Baker, H. T. Powell, and H. G. Powell. (1957) List of Marine Algae Collected in the District around Dale Fort, Pembrokeshire, September 19–26, 1956. ''British Phycological Bulletin'' 5 21–31.
* Blackler, H., and G. Russell (1959) The Autecology and Life-History of ''Pylaiella littoralis'' (L.) Kjellm. ''Proceedings IX International Botanical Congress''
* Blackler, H. (1961) ''Desmarestia dudresnayi'' Lamouroux in Britain. ''British Phycological Bulletin'' 2 87.
* Blackler, H. (1963). Phaeophyta. ''British Phycological Bulletin'' 2 239–241.
* Blackler, H. (1977) Harvey's Australian Algae in the Herbarium of Mrs Margaret Gatty in the Department of Botany of the University of St. Andrew's (STA), Scotland. ''Taxon'' 26 495–496
* Blackler, H. (1981) Some algal problems with special reference to ''Colpomenia peregrina'' and other members of the Scytosiphonaceae. ''Br. phycol. J'' 16 133.
She identified at least 38 specimens of marine algae, particularly of the
Scytosiphonaceae species ''Colpomenia peregrina'' Sauv. that are now held in the Natural History Museum, UK
Personal life
Margaret Constance Helen Blackler (usually known as Helen Blackler) was born in Arnside, Lake District, UK on 29 August 1902. She attended
Merchant Taylors' Girls' School in
Crosby Crosby may refer to:
Places
;Canada
*Crosby, Ontario, part of the township of Rideau Lakes, Ontario
*Crosby, Ontario, a neighbourhood in the city of Markham, Ontario
;England
*Crosby, Cumbria
*Crosby, Lincolnshire
*Crosby, Merseyside
** Crosby (U ...
, Liverpool and then the
University of Liverpool
, mottoeng = These days of peace foster learning
, established = 1881 – University College Liverpool1884 – affiliated to the federal Victoria Universityhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/2004/4 University of Manchester Act 200 ...
, graduating in 1926 with a B. Sc. degree. She carried out her doctoral research under the supervision of
Margery Knight, thus becoming involved with marine algae, and her Ph. D. was awarded in 1928 for her thesis ''A morphological and cytological study of certain species of Asperococcus''. The following year she took a diploma in education.
She died unexpectedly of a heart-attack at St Andrews on 5 November 1981.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackler, Helen
1902 births
1981 deaths
British phycologists
Women phycologists
20th-century British women scientists
20th-century British botanists
Academics of the University of St Andrews
Academics of the University of Liverpool
People from Arnside
British women curators