George Henry Evans Hopkins
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George Henry Evans Hopkins OBE (22 March 1898 – 20 February 1973) was an English
entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...
. Hopkins made major contributions in scientific research into three groups of insects – lice, fleas and mosquitoes. He was regarded as a great scientist, with multidisciplinary training and experiences.


Early life

George Henry Evans Hopkins ("Harry") was born in
Hanley Hanley is one of the six towns that, along with Burslem, Longton, Fenton, Tunstall and Stoke-upon-Trent, amalgamated to form the City of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England. Hanley is the ''de facto'' city centre, having long been the ...
in Staffordshire on 22 March 1898, the son of the Rev. George Blagden Hopkins, curate of Hanley, and his wife, Hannah Fletcher Evans. He was educated at Upholland Grammar School in
Orrell Orrell may refer to: *Orrell, Greater Manchester, a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan **Orrell (ward), an electoral ward of the Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council *Orrell, Merseyside, an urban area east of Bootle, in the Metropolitan Bo ...
and
Rossall School Rossall School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for 0–18 year olds, between Cleveleys and Fleetwood, Lancashire. Rossall was founded in 1844 by St Vincent Beechey as a sister school to Marlborough College ...
near Fleetwood in Lancashire (1911–1916). He sat and passed the Oxford and Cambridge Higher School Certificate in July 1916. Great Britain having entered the First World War in August 1914, and the
Military Service Act 1916 The Military Service Act 1916 was an Act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom during the First World War to impose conscription in Great Britain, but not in Ireland or any other country around the world. The Act The Bill which became ...
having come into effect, soon after leaving school Hopkins was liable for full-time military service. He accordingly enlisted a Private in the 4th Battalion, the Prince of Wales's Volunteers (
South Lancashire Regiment The South Lancashire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment, which recruited, as its title suggests, primarily from the South Lancashire area, was created as part of the Childers Ref ...
) (
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry i ...
), but was immediately posted to the 10th Officer Cadet Battalion in Gailes, near
Troon Troon is a town in South Ayrshire, situated on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland, about north of Ayr and northwest of Glasgow Prestwick Airport. Troon has a port with freight services and a yacht marina. Up until January 2016, P&O Ferrie ...
in Ayrshire on the West coast of Scotland. Having completed his officer training, he was discharged from the cadet battalion on 24 January 1917 to take up a temporary commission in the South Lancashire Regiment and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment (T.F.) on 25 January 1917. He was then posted to Park Hall Camp,
Oswestry Oswestry ( ; ) is a market town, civil parish and historic railway town in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483 and A495 roads. The town was the administrative headquarters of the Borough of ...
, Shropshire. After a prolonged period of ill health, he left for India in March 1918. He served with No. 4 Reserve Battalion (India) and the 1st Battalion, Madras Guards,
Indian Defence Force The Indian Defence Force (IDF) was a part-time defence force established as part of the Indian Army in 1917 in order to release regular troops from garrison duties during the First World War. It was divided into British and Indian sections. Lik ...
. He did not see any active service on military operations. His posting to
Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
allowed Hopkins to pursue his interest in butterfly collecting. He sent a fellow-naturalist, Lieutenant-Colonel (later Brigadier)
William Harry Evans Brigadier William Harry Evans Order of the Star of India, CSI Order of the Indian Empire, CIE Distinguished Service Order, DSO (born 22 July 1876 in Shillong – died 13 November 1956, Church Whitfield ) was a lepidopterist and British Army of ...
, D.S.O., R.E., some specimens of a small
Sarangesa ''Sarangesa'' is a genus of skippers in the family Hesperiidae. Most of the contained species are found in the Afrotropical realm a few are Indomalayan Species *'' Sarangesa astrigera'' Butler, 1893 *'' Sarangesa aza'' Evans, 1951 *'' Saranges ...
(skipper) he had caught during the cold season at
St. Thomas Mount Parangimalai (known in English as St. Thomas Mount) is a small hillock in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, near the neighbourhood of Guindy and very close to Chennai International Airport. The ancient Syrian Christian community of India trace t ...
in Madras, which were considered new to science and were ultimately described as Sarangesa hopkinsi, Evans 1921. He returned to England, where he was demobilised and released from the army, before going up to
Downing College, Cambridge Downing College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge and currently has around 650 students. Founded in 1800, it was the only college to be added to Cambridge University between 1596 and 1869, and is often described as the olde ...
in 1920. He continued to build his reputation as an entomologist, and was elected as a Fellow of the Entomological Society in October 1922. He graduated in 1923 as a Bachelor of Arts in medical entomology with specialisation in the
Mallophaga The Mallophaga are a possibly paraphyletic section of lice Louse ( : lice) is the common name for any member of the clade Phthiraptera, which contains nearly 5,000 species of wingless parasitic insects. Phthiraptera has variously been reco ...
.


Samoa

In the summer of 1923 Dr. Patrick Alfred Buxton accepted a temporary post under the London School of Tropical Medicine to lead a research expedition to
Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...
to study
filariasis Filariasis is a parasitic disease caused by an infection with roundworms of the Filarioidea type. These are spread by blood-feeding insects such as black flies and mosquitoes. They belong to the group of diseases called helminthiases. These par ...
. "The plan was somewhat vague: perhaps to control the insect vector, perhaps to do work on its biology. Anyhow, he had plenty of equipment, generous terms and complete independence; so that the vagueness of plan was probably what he would have wished. He chose his own assistant, G.H.E. Hopkins, a careful worker and a good naturalist, and together they spent two years in Samoa". Hopkins and his newly married wife left England for Samoa on 15 November 1923. Buxton wrote, "I left England in November, 1923, taking with me, as my assistant, Mr. G.H.E. Hopkins, B.A., of Downing College, Cambridge. On our way through
Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
we were most courteously assisted by Colonel H.C. Fisher, the Chief Health Officer, and his staff; during the passage of the ship through the
Canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...
we were able to study the public health arrangements of the Canal Zone, especially the permanent works which are now undertaken to reduce the diseases carried by mosquitoes. We reached
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
at Christmas time and made arrangements with the officials of the Ministry of Health for a laboratory assistant for the
Apia Apia () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Samoa, as well as the nation's only city. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō ...
laboratory. Travelling through
Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
we reached Apia in the middle of January, 1924." Hopkins recollected that they "visited all the islands of
Western Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); a ...
, and in addition were able to do a little collecting in
Tutuila Tutuila is the main island of American Samoa (and its largest), and is part of the archipelago of Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Central Pacific. It is located roughly northeast of Brisbane, Au ...
(American Samoa) on several occasions." He visited the Tongan island group during February–March 1925. Together with Dr Buxton he published two articles in ''The Bulletin of Entomological Research'' which appeared in 1925. He returned to England in January 1926, and collaborated in the writing of ''Researches in Polynesia and Melanesia. An account of investigations in Samoa, Tonga, the Ellice group and the
New Hebrides New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium (french: link=no, Condominium des Nouvelles-Hébrides, "Condominium of the New Hebrides") and named after the Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the island group ...
in 1924 and 1925'', which appeared in 1927. Buxton was cautiously complimentary: "Of my assistant, Mr. G.H.E. Hopkins, it is very difficult to write. He was with me two years in Samoa, and since our return he has co-operated in producing the greater part of this report. During the five months of my travels in the New Hebrides, he was in charge of the experimental work at Apia, and that says more for the standard of his performance than anything I could write here."


East Africa

After spending a year in England, Hopkins accepted an appointment under the British
Colonial Service The Colonial Service, also known as His/Her Majesty's Colonial Service and replaced in 1954 by Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service (HMOCS), was the British government service that administered most of Britain's overseas possessions, under the aut ...
as an entomologist in the Medical Department in
Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...
Colony, which took effect in February 1927. He was transferred to
Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
as Government Entomologist (Medical) in August 1929. Among his duties was responsibility for determining "the incidence of plague by ascertaining the distribution of fleas ( Xenopsylla spp) carrying the plague bacterium (
Yersinia ''Yersinia'' is a genus of bacteria in the family Yersiniaceae. ''Yersinia'' species are Gram-negative, coccobacilli bacteria, a few micrometers long and fractions of a micrometer in diameter, and are facultative anaerobes. Some members of ''Ye ...
). To this end, between 1932 and 1945, he visited all districts collecting those rodents, living in association with humans, that were known to carry the fleas. These collections led Hopkins a stage further. He produced a comprehensive, authoritative review, which was never published, on the wild rodents of Uganda. Like Pitman, Hopkins made his contributions to the BM(NH) donating 472 specimens, mainly rodents" (Delany). During the nineteen thirties Hopkins established himself in the Entomological Section of the Agricultural Laboratories in
Kampala Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...
. In 1936 he published a major study, ''
Mosquitoes Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are members of a group of almost 3,600 species of small flies within the family Culicidae (from the Latin ''culex'' meaning "gnat"). The word "mosquito" (formed by ''mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish for "litt ...
of the Ethiopian Region. I. Larval bionomics of mosquitoes and taxonomy of culicine larvae''. He was also responsible for publishing many articles in learned journals on fleas, lice, mammals and birds. He served as President of the Uganda Society during 1945–1946. Hopkins retired from the Colonial Service, and left Uganda in 1947. ''En route'' home to England he visited South Africa and spent some days with the staff of the Medical Ecological Centre in
Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...
, "laying out the foundation and format for their book on fleas and plague in South Africa" (Hubbard). In recognition of his considerable contribution to medical entomology in Uganda he was created an Officer of the Civil Division of the
Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
.B.E.in the King's
Birthday Honours The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are presen ...
in June 1947. His paper, "Report on Rats, Fleas, and Plague in Uganda", appeared in 1949.


Tring

In 1948 Hopkins commenced his last great work of scholarship. He was appointed as an Honorary Associate of the
British Museum (Natural History) The Natural History Museum in London is a museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history. It is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, the others being the Science Museum an ...
, Zoological Museum,
Tring Tring is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Dacorum, Hertfordshire, England. It is situated in a gap passing through the Chiltern Hills, classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, from Central London. Tring is linked to ...
in Hertfordshire, to collaborate with
Miriam Rothschild Dame Miriam Louisa Rothschild (5 August 1908 – 20 January 2005) was a British natural scientist and author with contributions to zoology, entomology, and botany. Early life Miriam Rothschild was born in 1908 in Ashton Wold, near Oundle in No ...
(Mrs. George Lane) in bringing out ''An Illustrated Catalogue of the Rothschild Collection of Fleas''. He moved to live near his place of work, acquiring "''Shire House''" in West Leith, on the south-west edge of Tring, where he continued to live for more than twenty years After moving to Tring, Hopkins described five new species of fleas: '' Xenopsylla philoxera'', Hopkins 1949; '' Plocopsylla ulysses'', Hopkins 1951; '' Peromyscopsylla draco'', Hopkins 1951; '' Cratynius crypticus'', Hopkins and Traub 1955; and '' Demeillonia miriamae'', Hopkins and De Meillon 1964. In 1963 Robert Traub erected a new genus which he named after Hopkins – '' Hopkinsipsylla''. Scholarly journal articles, papers and books continued to flow from his pen. He contributed "Notes on Medical Entomology" for ''Tropical Hygiene and Sanitation. A Course of Study and a Reference Book for Sanitary Inspectors in the Tropics'' in 1950, and ''A Check List of the Genera and Species of Mallophaga'' in collaboration with Dr.
Theresa Clay Theresa Rachel "Tess" Clay (7 February 1911 – 17 March 1995) was an English entomologist. She was introduced to zoology by her older relative, the ornithologist and adventurer Richard Meinertzhagen, with whom she had an unusually close relati ...
in 1952. In addition, in 1958 and 1961, Hopkins donated his collection of 11,000
Phthiraptera Louse ( : lice) is the common name for any member of the clade Phthiraptera, which contains nearly 5,000 species of wingless parasitic insects. Phthiraptera has variously been recognized as an order, infraorder, or a parvorder, as a result o ...
(lice) specimens to the Natural History Museum.


Retirement and death

C. Andresen Hubbard described the end of Hopkins' career in dramatic terms: "One morning during the end of September 1967 Harry came to the siphonapteran laboratory of the Tring Museum as he had for some years, opened his files for volume 5 of the ‘Catalog,’ worked his laboratory day, went home and never again returned. Two years previously Harry had spent his vacation in Holland, contracted virus pneumonia there and was never again in the health which had been his joy through all his years." He was ultimately admitted to St. Paul's Hospital,
Hemel Hempstead Hemel Hempstead () is a town in the Dacorum district in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of London, which is part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2011 census was 97,500. Developed after the Second World War as a ne ...
in Hertfordshire, and died, aged 74 years, in Hemel Hempstead on 20 February 1973. He bequeathed his collection of
lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...
to the St Albans Museum. The book, ''The Rothschild collection of fleas: the Ceratophyllidae: key to the genera and host relationships, with notes on their evolution, zoogeography and medical importance'', was posthumously dedicated to Hopkins. Harry Hopkins was said to possess all the qualities of an Englishman of the old school, who greatly enriched ecto-parasitic research with a wealth of ideas and sound, painstaking research.


Personal life

Hopkins was married in October 1923 to Doris May Griffin, the daughter of William Jewkes Griffin and his wife, Ellen Forshaw (she was born in St Helens in Lancashire on 14 April 1897.) There were no surviving children of the marriage. Mrs Hopkins survived her husband by many years, dying, aged 92, in 1989.Death registered in Dacorum Registration District in October 1989.


Portrait

A portrait of Hopkins has been published at the website of the International Society of Phthirapterists (ISoP), se
Hopkins, G.H.E.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hopkins, George Henry Evans 1898 births 1973 deaths Alumni of Downing College, Cambridge British Army personnel of World War I English entomologists Fellows of the Royal Entomological Society Officers of the Order of the British Empire People educated at Upholland Grammar School People educated at Rossall School People from Hanley, Staffordshire 20th-century British zoologists