Michael Tweedie
Encyclopedia
Michael Wilmer Forbes Tweedie (2 September 1907 – 1993) was a naturalist and archaeologist working in South East Asia, who was Director of the Raffles Museum in Singapore
.
Tweedie was the son of Maurice Carmichael Tweedie, who was Deputy Inspector-General in the Imperial Indian Police Service
, and his wife Mildred Clarke.
He read Natural Science
at Cambridge University, specializing in zoology and geology, followed by a short spell working as an oil geologist in Venezuela. He became assistant curator
of the Raffles Museum (now the National University of Singapore
's Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research) in 1932 until the Japanese occupation
in 1941. After the war in 1946 he became Director of the museum, remaining in that post until 1971. Tweedie was involved in many biological and archaeological expeditions in South East Asia and collected many specimens himself. Many of Tweedie's collections were of species that proved to be new to science (such as the leech, Phytobdella catenifera
). He also wrote many scientific articles particularly regarding crustacean
s, fish and reptile
s. He also wrote many books to encourage the layman in the study of natural history
and archaeology
. He was made an honorary member of the Malayan Nature Society
.
Tweedie married Elvira Toby, of Hobart
, Australia in 1938, and they had a son and two daughters.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Tweedie was the son of Maurice Carmichael Tweedie, who was Deputy Inspector-General in the Imperial Indian Police Service
Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service , simply known as Indian Police or IPS, is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India...
, and his wife Mildred Clarke.
He read Natural Science
Natural science
The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods...
at Cambridge University, specializing in zoology and geology, followed by a short spell working as an oil geologist in Venezuela. He became assistant curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of the Raffles Museum (now the National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
's Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research) in 1932 until the Japanese occupation
Japanese Occupation of Singapore
The Japanese occupation of Singapore in World War II occurred between about 1942 and 1945 after the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. Military forces of the Empire of Japan occupied Singapore after defeating the combined Australian, British, Indian and Malayan garrison in the Battle of Singapore...
in 1941. After the war in 1946 he became Director of the museum, remaining in that post until 1971. Tweedie was involved in many biological and archaeological expeditions in South East Asia and collected many specimens himself. Many of Tweedie's collections were of species that proved to be new to science (such as the leech, Phytobdella catenifera
Phytobdella catenifera
Phytobdella catenifera is a large terrestrial leech found in Peninsular Malaysia. John Percy Moore chose this species’ epithet ‘catenifera’ after the striking chain-striped pattern on the creature’s back ....
). He also wrote many scientific articles particularly regarding crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s, fish and reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s. He also wrote many books to encourage the layman in the study of natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
and archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
. He was made an honorary member of the Malayan Nature Society
Malaysian Nature Society
Malaysian Nature Society is the oldest and one of the most prominent environmental not for profit, non-governmental organizations in Malaysia. It was first established, as the Malayan Nature Society, with the launch of the Malayan Nature Journal, in 1940...
.
Tweedie married Elvira Toby, of Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, Australia in 1938, and they had a son and two daughters.