Charles Spence Bate, (16 March 1819 – 29 July 1889) was a British
zoologist
Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the structure, embryology, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct, and how they interact with their ecosystems. Zoology is one ...
and
dentist
A dentist, also known as a dental doctor, dental physician, dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry, the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. The dentist's supporting team aids in provi ...
.
Life
Charles Spence Bate was born at Trenick House near
Truro, the son of Charles Bate (1789–1872) and Harriet Spence (1788–1879).
Charles adopted "Spence Bate" as his
surname
In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...
, perhaps to distinguish himself from his father, and used that name consistently in his publications; it was also used consistently by his contemporaries to refer to him.
He practiced dentistry first at
Swansea
Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...
, and then at
Plymouth
Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
, taking over his father's practice. He was president of the Odontology Society.
He was an authority on the
Crustacea, for which he was elected a
fellow of the Royal Society
Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...
in 1861,
[ and a frequent correspondent of ]Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English Natural history#Before 1900, naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all speci ...
, mostly concerning their shared interest in barnacle
Barnacles are arthropods of the subclass (taxonomy), subclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacean, Crustacea. They are related to crabs and lobsters, with similar Nauplius (larva), nauplius larvae. Barnacles are exclusively marine invertebra ...
s. Together with John Obadiah Westwood
John Obadiah Westwood (22 December 1805 – 2 January 1893) was an English people , English entomologist and archaeologist noted for his artistic talents. He published several illustrated works on insects and antiquities. He was among the first ...
, he wrote "''A history of the British sessile-eyed Crustacea''" in 1868. He wrote reports on the crustaceans collected during the HMS ''Challenger'' expedition of 1872–1876.
He died on 29 July 1889, at The Rock, South Brent, Devon
Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...
and was buried in Plymouth cemetery.[
]
Family
On 17 June 1847, at Littlehempston church, near Totnes, he married Emily Amelia, daughter of John Hele and sister of the Rev. Henry Hele, the rector; she died on 4 April 1884, leaving two sons and a daughter.
Bate married for a second time in October 1887.
Legacy
A number of species are named in his honour:
Bibliography
* (in 2 volumes)
References
;Attribution
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spence Bate, Charles
1819 births
1889 deaths
People from Swansea
British carcinologists
British zoologists
Welsh dentists
Fellows of the Royal Society
Fellows of the Linnean Society of London
19th-century dentists