Gustavus Athol Waterhouse
Encyclopedia
Gustavus Athol Waterhouse (21 May 1877 – 29 July 1950), was an eminent Australian entomologist
.
Waterhouse was born at Waverley
in Sydney. His father, Gustavus John, was a Tasmania
n mercantile clerk who also served as an alderman
on the Sydney Municipal Council
. His mother, Mary Jane, was also Australian born. Both parents were avid collectors: Gustavus senior collected Pacific Island artefacts
; and Mary Jane collected shells. They had five children, Athol being the eldest. He was educated at Waverley Public, then at the Sydney Grammar School
, where he was followed by his brothers—Eben Gowrie and Leslie Vickery—and spent lunch hours browsing in the Australian Museum
next door.
After matriculating
from Grammar in 1895, Waterhouse enrolled at the University of Sydney
, where he graduated with bachelor's degrees in science
(1899) and engineering
(1900). His science degree was awarded with first class honours in geology
and palaeontology, having studied volcanic dykes
in the Triassic
rocks around Sydney under Professor (Sir) Edgeworth David
.
Upon graduation, Waterhouse was employed as an assistant assayer
at the Sydney branch of the Royal Mint
until 1926. Early in this period, he married Beatrice Talbot Stretton at Waverley on 12 September 1902 in a Methodist
ceremony. Towards the end of his time at the Royal Mint he was awarded his Doctor of Science
degree in 1924.
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
.
Waterhouse was born at Waverley
Waverley, New South Wales
Waverley is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Waverley is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council....
in Sydney. His father, Gustavus John, was a Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
n mercantile clerk who also served as an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
on the Sydney Municipal Council
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
. His mother, Mary Jane, was also Australian born. Both parents were avid collectors: Gustavus senior collected Pacific Island artefacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
; and Mary Jane collected shells. They had five children, Athol being the eldest. He was educated at Waverley Public, then at the Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, where he was followed by his brothers—Eben Gowrie and Leslie Vickery—and spent lunch hours browsing in the Australian Museum
Australian Museum
The Australian Museum is the oldest museum in Australia, with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. It features collections of vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, as well as mineralogy, palaeontology, and anthropology...
next door.
After matriculating
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
from Grammar in 1895, Waterhouse enrolled at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, where he graduated with bachelor's degrees in science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
(1899) and engineering
Bachelor of Engineering
The Bachelor of Engineering is an undergraduate academic degree awarded to a student after three to five years of studying engineering at universities in Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland , Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Korea,...
(1900). His science degree was awarded with first class honours in geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and palaeontology, having studied volcanic dykes
Dike (geology)
A dike or dyke in geology is a type of sheet intrusion referring to any geologic body that cuts discordantly across* planar wall rock structures, such as bedding or foliation...
in the Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
rocks around Sydney under Professor (Sir) Edgeworth David
Edgeworth David
Sir Tannatt William Edgeworth David KBE, DSO, FRS, was a Welsh Australian geologist and Antarctic explorer. A household name in his lifetime, David's most significant achievements were discovering the major Hunter Valley coalfield in New South Wales and leading the first expedition to reach the...
.
Upon graduation, Waterhouse was employed as an assistant assayer
Assayer
An assayer is a person who tests ores and minerals and analyzes them to determine their composition and value. They may use spectrographic analysis, chemical solutions, and chemical or laboratory equipment, such as furnaces, beakers, graduates, pipettes, and crucibles.An assayer separates metals...
at the Sydney branch of the Royal Mint
Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
until 1926. Early in this period, he married Beatrice Talbot Stretton at Waverley on 12 September 1902 in a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
ceremony. Towards the end of his time at the Royal Mint he was awarded his Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
degree in 1924.