Bertram E. Smythies
Encyclopedia
Bertram Evelyn Smythies (11 July 1912 (Nainital, India
) - 27 June 1999 (Redhill, England
)) was a British
forester and ornithologist.
Smythies was born in India
, to E. A. Smythies
, silviculturist
of Uttar Pradesh
and, in the 1940s, Chief Conservator of Forest of Nepal
, and his wife, Olive, well-known author of The Tiger Lady. After school in the UK, Bill read botany
and forestry
at Balliol College, Oxford
.
Bill's grandfather came to India in 1873 to join the Indian Forest Service
and served until 1902 around Dehra Dun. His father had degrees in forestry and geology from Oxford and served in the Indian Forest Service from 1908 to 1940. He was based in Nainital, where Bill was born in 1912. He wrote:
... "started hill trekking at the age of six months, camping in tents in the hills of Kumaon... brought up within sight of Nanda Devi and Trisul - who could fail to have a love of mountains and natural history?"
Smythies father took up a contract post of Forest Advisor to the Maharaja of Nepal and moved to Kathmandu after 1940 and stayed on till 1947. During this time Bill used to visit his father in Nepal and had access to places that were normally out of bounds for foreigners. Bill Smythies joined the Burma Forest Service in 1934 and during this time he explored the botany and ornithology of these Burmese regions with his Kachin guide and friend Sumdu Mai. He spoke fluent Burmese
, Jingpo
, Malay
and Iban
. He was a great fan of the British botanist and explorer Kingdon-Ward
.
In January 1949 he was appointed to the Colonial Forest Service in Sarawak
where he spent 15 years. At the age of 52, the day he left Sarawak, he married Florence "Jill" Mary who was a talented botanical artist. The next fifteen years were spent in the Spanish Sierras, the mountains of Britain, the Alps
and the Pyrenees
before moving to England. Jill died in 1994. In 1986, in honour of his wife, he established an annual Jill Smythies Award through the Linnean Society of London
"for publishing illustration, such as drawings or painting, in aid of plant identification, with the emphasis on botanical accuracy and accurate portrayal of diagnostic characteristics. Illustrations of cultivars of garden origin are not eligible".
He wrote several major books including
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) - 27 June 1999 (Redhill, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
)) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
forester and ornithologist.
Smythies was born in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, to E. A. Smythies
E. A. Smythies
Evelyn Arthur Smythies, CIE , was a distinguished forester and philatelist, born of British parents in India. Smythies was an expert on the ecology of Uttarakhand and Nepal...
, silviculturist
Silviculture
Silviculture is the practice of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to meet diverse needs and values. The name comes from the Latin silvi- + culture...
of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and, in the 1940s, Chief Conservator of Forest of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, and his wife, Olive, well-known author of The Tiger Lady. After school in the UK, Bill read botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
and forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
.
Bill's grandfather came to India in 1873 to join the Indian Forest Service
Indian Forest Service
The Indian Forest Service is the Forestry service of India. It is one of the three All India Services of the Indian government, along with the Indian Administrative Service and Indian Police Service; its employees are recruited by the national government but serve under the state governments or...
and served until 1902 around Dehra Dun. His father had degrees in forestry and geology from Oxford and served in the Indian Forest Service from 1908 to 1940. He was based in Nainital, where Bill was born in 1912. He wrote:
... "started hill trekking at the age of six months, camping in tents in the hills of Kumaon... brought up within sight of Nanda Devi and Trisul - who could fail to have a love of mountains and natural history?"
Smythies father took up a contract post of Forest Advisor to the Maharaja of Nepal and moved to Kathmandu after 1940 and stayed on till 1947. During this time Bill used to visit his father in Nepal and had access to places that were normally out of bounds for foreigners. Bill Smythies joined the Burma Forest Service in 1934 and during this time he explored the botany and ornithology of these Burmese regions with his Kachin guide and friend Sumdu Mai. He spoke fluent Burmese
Burmese language
The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...
, Jingpo
Jingpho language
The Jingpho language or Kachin language is a Tibeto-Burman language mainly spoken in Kachin State, Burma and Yunnan Province, China...
, Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
and Iban
Iban language
The Iban language is spoken by the Iban, a branch of the Dayak ethnic group formerly known as "Sea Dayak" who live in Sarawak, the Indonesian province of Kalimantan Barat and in Brunei. It belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family, and is related to Malay, more...
. He was a great fan of the British botanist and explorer Kingdon-Ward
Frank Kingdon-Ward
Francis Kingdon-Ward, born Francis Kingdon Ward was an English botanist, explorer, plant collector and author. He published most of his books as Frank Kingdon-Ward and this hyphenated form of his name stuck, becoming the surname of his wives and two daughters...
.
In January 1949 he was appointed to the Colonial Forest Service in Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
where he spent 15 years. At the age of 52, the day he left Sarawak, he married Florence "Jill" Mary who was a talented botanical artist. The next fifteen years were spent in the Spanish Sierras, the mountains of Britain, the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
and the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
before moving to England. Jill died in 1994. In 1986, in honour of his wife, he established an annual Jill Smythies Award through the Linnean Society of London
Linnean Society of London
The Linnean Society of London is the world's premier society for the study and dissemination of taxonomy and natural history. It publishes a zoological journal, as well as botanical and biological journals...
"for publishing illustration, such as drawings or painting, in aid of plant identification, with the emphasis on botanical accuracy and accurate portrayal of diagnostic characteristics. Illustrations of cultivars of garden origin are not eligible".
He wrote several major books including
- The Birds of Burma (first published 1940)
- Birds of Borneo
- Common Sarawak Trees
- Flowers of South-West Europe (with Oleg PoluninOleg PoluninOleg Vladimirovitch Polunin was an English botanist, teacher and traveller. He was one of three brothers with interests in the natural sciences...
and Jill Smythies) - Flowers of Greece