Transcript

of

John Stevens [Obituary]

Trans. Devon Assoc., vol. 46, (1914), p. 45.

by

Maxwell Adams (Ed.)

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1914 Tavistock meeting. Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum has a fulsome tribute (archived copy) to John Stevens, FRMS, who was a draper by trade, but in his spare time, a keen biologist. 
After his death his wife donated his invaluable collection of microscope and lantern slides to the museum. She also donated three bound volumes of his notes and drawings for use by the University College’s students. Today this collection forms an important record of marine biology in the Devon. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

John Stevens, who died on 22 March, 1914, at his residence 50 St. David's Hill, Exeter, was born at St. Erth, Cornwall, in 1850, and joined the Association in 1901, and was elected a member of the Council in 1912.
About the year 1894 he commenced to use the microscope and very soon devoted himself with great enthusiasm to the study of the Rotifera. It is a matter for congratulation that the results of his labours in this field of research were embodied in a paper published in the Transactions of the Association for 1912. Two hundred and seventeen species were there recorded for Devon, including one (Distyla stokesii) new to Britain.
Mr. Stevens was for many years an active member of the Exeter University College Field Club, and took a constant interest in the work of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. He joined the Quekett Club in 1899, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society in 1904.
The personal qualities of Mr. Stevens endeared him to all those with whom he was brought into contact. He was an ardent lover of Nature, always ready to assist a brother naturalist to the utmost of his ability. Many friends will long cherish the memory of his sunny, unselfish and hospitable disposition.