Anna Constantia Thynne, Lady John Thynne (née Beresford; 1806–1866) daughter of the Rev. Charles Cobbe Beresford and Amelia, daughter of Sir William Montgomery, 1st Baronet, she was a British marine zoologist.Stott, Rebecca, ''Theatres of Glass: The woman who brought the sea to the city'', Short Books, 2003. In 1846, she built the first stable and sustained marine aquarium and maintained corals and sponges in it for over three years. Lady John Thynne's first love was

geology Geology (). is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical objects, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Earth ...

, but in 1846 she encountered her first Madrepore and became enraptured with something that appeared to be a rock, but was a living being. Wanting to take specimens back to London from Torquay, she fixed the Madrepores to a sponge with a needle and thread, within a stone jar. She then transferred them to a glass bowl, changing the water every other day. Not having enough of a supply to continue to replace the seawater, she then switched to aerating it by transferring the water between vessels in front of an open window, a task usually undertaken by her servant. In 1847 she added marine plants to the bowls, and in two years had created the first balanced marine aquarium. In 1859, she published her first piece "Increase of the Madrepores" in the book "The Annals and Magazine of Natural History" regarding the Madrepores. In this she details her work with the Madrepores and how the first marine aquarium came to be. Thynne's work inspired

Philip Henry Gosse Philip Henry Gosse (; 6 April 1810 – 23 August 1888), known to his friends as Henry, was an English natural history, naturalist and populariser of natural science, prolific author, "Father of the Aquarium", scientific illustrator, lecturer, e ...

, who developed the Fish House at

London Zoo London Zoo, previously known as ZSL London Zoo or London Zoological Gardens and sometimes called Regent's Park Zoo, is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828 and was originally intended to be used as a colle ...

in 1853. She was married to Lord John Thynne (1798–1881), a

Canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western canon, th ...

and Sub-Dean of

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

, and the third son of

Thomas Thynne, 2nd Marquess of Bath Thomas Thynne, 2nd Marquess of Bath (25 January 1765 – 27 March 1837), styled Viscount Weymouth from 1789 until 1796, was a British peer. Life Early life Thynne was the eldest son of Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath, and Elizabeth Thy ...

. Her correct style was thus "Lady John Thynne".

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British marine biologists Cnidariologists Marine zoologists 1806 births 1866 deaths Women marine biologists British women zoologists English zoologists Scientists from County Waterford 19th-century British zoologists 19th-century British women scientists Anna Wives of younger sons of peers Fishkeeping {{UK-zoologist-stub

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References