William Leigh Williamson Eyre
Encyclopedia
William Leigh Williamson Eyre (17 March 1841–25 October 1914) was an English mycologist and naturalist
.
, Buckinghamshire
. He was educated for the merchant navy and worked as a seaman until his religious convictions led him to enter Lichfield Theological College to study for Holy Orders. He was ordained in 1865 and became curate
of a number of English parishes before being appointed, in 1875, rector
of Swarraton
and vicar
of Northington
, Hampshire
, where he remained for the rest of his life.
, and in land and freshwater molluscs. His botanical and conchological
collections were eventually left to Haslemere Museum in Surrey
, where they remain today. He also joined the Woolhope Club
, as a result of which he developed an expertise in fungi. In 1896 he became a founder member of the British Mycological Society
and was elected its president in 1903, when he gave an address on "mycology as an instrument of recreation". Eyre was also a fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society
, keeping local weather records, and undertook research into local history, publishing an account of his parish.
His collections of new and interesting fungal species, mostly made in the Swarraton area, were for the most part passed on to and described by contemporary mycologists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
, namely M.C. Cooke
, George Massee
, and E.M. Wakefield
. Eyre published few papers himself (mainly a series on Hampshire fungi for the local Field Club), His collections of fungi are now in the mycological herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
now known as Lepiota grangei (Eyre) Kühner, 1934. He named this species after Grange Park
in Northington.
A number of species were named in Eyre's honor, including Melanophyllum eyrei (Massee) Singer, Basidiodendron eyrei (Wakef.) Luck-Allen, and Poria eyrei Bres.
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
.
Background and education
W.L.W. Eyre was born in PadburyPadbury
Padbury is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located on the A413 main road that links Buckingham with Winslow....
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. He was educated for the merchant navy and worked as a seaman until his religious convictions led him to enter Lichfield Theological College to study for Holy Orders. He was ordained in 1865 and became curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of a number of English parishes before being appointed, in 1875, rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Swarraton
Swarraton
Swarraton is a small village in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It lies three miles from New Alresford covers an acreage of . Its nearest railway station is in New Alresford, on the Mid-Hants section of the London and South Western Railway....
and vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Northington
Northington
Northington is a village in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It lies half a mile from the neighbouring village, Swarraton. Its nearest railway station is at New Alresford, on the Mid-Hants railway line.-See also:...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, where he remained for the rest of his life.
Natural history and mycology
Rev. Eyre had a long-standing interest in natural history. He was a member of the Hampshire Field Club and took an interest in local plants, especially species of the genus RubusRubus
Rubus is a large genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae. Raspberries, blackberries, and dewberries are common, widely distributed members of the genus. Most of these plants have woody stems with prickles like roses; spines, bristles, and gland-tipped hairs are...
, and in land and freshwater molluscs. His botanical and conchological
Conchology
Conchology is the scientific or amateur study of mollusc shells. Conchology is one aspect of malacology, the study of molluscs, however malacology studies molluscs as whole organisms, not just their shells. Conchology pre-dated malacology as a field of study. It includes the study of land and...
collections were eventually left to Haslemere Museum in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, where they remain today. He also joined the Woolhope Club
Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club
The Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club is a local society devoted to the natural history, geology, archaeology, and history of Herefordshire, England...
, as a result of which he developed an expertise in fungi. In 1896 he became a founder member of the British Mycological Society
British Mycological Society
The British Mycological Society is a learned society established in 1896 to promote the study of fungi.-Formation:The Society was formed based on the efforts of two local societies, the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club of Hereford and the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union. The curator of the Hereford...
and was elected its president in 1903, when he gave an address on "mycology as an instrument of recreation". Eyre was also a fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society
Royal Meteorological Society
The Royal Meteorological Society traces its origins back to 3 April 1850 when the British Meteorological Society was formed as a society the objects of which should be the advancement and extension of meteorological science by determining the laws of climate and of meteorological phenomena in general...
, keeping local weather records, and undertook research into local history, publishing an account of his parish.
His collections of new and interesting fungal species, mostly made in the Swarraton area, were for the most part passed on to and described by contemporary mycologists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
, namely M.C. Cooke
Mordecai Cubitt Cooke
Mordecai Cubitt Cooke was an English botanist and mycologist.Cooke came from a mercantile family in Horning, Norfolk, and worked as an apprentice to a fabric merchant before becoming a clerk in a law firm, but his chief interest was in botany. He founded the Society of Amateur Botanists in 1862...
, George Massee
George Edward Massee
George Edward Massee was an English mycologist, plant pathologist, and botanist.-Background and education:George Massee was born in Scampston, East Yorkshire, the son of a farmer...
, and E.M. Wakefield
Elsie Maud Wakefield
Elsie Maud Wakefield was an English mycologist and plant pathologist.-Background and education:Miss Wakefield was born in Birmingham, the daughter of a science teacher...
. Eyre published few papers himself (mainly a series on Hampshire fungi for the local Field Club), His collections of fungi are now in the mycological herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Taxa
Eyre named and described the agaricAgaric
An agaric is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus that is clearly differentiated from the stipe , with lamellae on the underside of the pileus. "Agaric" can also refer to a basidiomycete species characterized by an agaric-type fruiting body...
now known as Lepiota grangei (Eyre) Kühner, 1934. He named this species after Grange Park
Northington Grange
Northington Grange is a mansion near New Alresford, Hampshire, England. It is owned by Lord Ashburton's family and is under the guardianship of English Heritage. The exterior of the building is open to the public and the village of Northington is nearby...
in Northington.
A number of species were named in Eyre's honor, including Melanophyllum eyrei (Massee) Singer, Basidiodendron eyrei (Wakef.) Luck-Allen, and Poria eyrei Bres.
Selected publications
- Eyre, W.L.W. (1887). A list of Hampshire fungi. Papers and proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club 1: 49–50.
- Eyre, W.L.W. (1900). Notes on Hants fungi. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 1: 110–112.
- Eyre, W.L.W. (1900). Fungi. In: Doubleday, H.A. (ed.) Victoria County History of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Vol. 1: 82–87. University of London.
- Eyre, W.L.W. (1907). A list of the fungi of Grange Park and neighbourhood, Hampshire. Winchester: Warren & Son.