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Talk:Henry Edwards (entomologist)

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Featured articleHenry Edwards (entomologist) is a featured article; it (or a previous version of it) has been identified as one of the best articles produced by the Wikipedia community. Even so, if you can update or improve it, please do so.
Main Page trophyThis article appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page as Today's featured article on September 25, 2011.
Did You KnowOn this day... Article milestones
DateProcessResult
January 2, 2010Good article nomineeListed
January 30, 2010Featured article candidatePromoted
Did You Know A fact from this article appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the "Did you know?" column on August 2, 2009.
The text of the entry was: Did you know ... that a farewell gathering for entomologist Henry Edwards in the woods of Marin County in 1878 was the beginning of the Bohemian Club's tradition of a yearly encampment at the Bohemian Grove?
On this day... Facts from this article were featured on Wikipedia's Main Page in the "On this day..." column on August 27, 2023, and August 27, 2024.
Current status: Featured article

Wife

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What was Edwards' wife's name? He mentioned her a few times in his writings, but never by name. He was married sometime before the 27th of December, 1874, when he and his wife sailed to Mazatlan, Mexico, and upon his death, his widow received money from the sale of his insect collection, so she outlived him. Her name is on one or two insects, as "Mrs. Hy. Edwards." Binksternet (talk) 04:43, 24 July 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The obituary in The New York Times says that while in Australia, Edwards married the widow of Gustavus Vaughan Brooke, lost at sea in 1863. However, Brooke married in 1861 the much-younger American actress Avonia Stanhope Jones (1830s–1867) who died of consumption while working in England. Edwards could not have married her. Perhaps he married Marianne Bray, Brooke's first wife, about whom very little is known. Or maybe the obituary is dead wrong. Binksternet (talk) 17:12, 17 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Another source that offers more conflicting facts about Edwards is this book which says Edwards was born in 1824 and agrees that he married Avonia Jones-Brooke. Binksternet (talk) 17:43, 17 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Both of the above sources share too many quirks to be completely independent of one another. The Histrionic Montreal book was first published in 1897, then in 1902 for the second edition, so it must have tapped The New York Times obit of 1891 for its (slipshod) coverage of Edwards. Binksternet (talk) 04:33, 18 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

In 1886, Edwards reported he and his wife having a Chinese servant for 17 years. This places the servant in Edwards' employ from 1869 when he was living in San Francisco. Binksternet (talk) 23:37, 24 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The name of Henry Edwards’ wife was Marianne – presumably Marianne Bray, first wife of Gustavus Brooke. No evidence has yet been found to indicate if/when/where Henry and Marianne married. The 1870 San Francisco census lists: Henry Edwards, comedian, age 40, born England; Mariana Edwards, keeping house, age 40, born England; Wm E Edwards, law student, age 16, born at sea; Heng Gim, domestic servant, age 16, born China. The 1880 Boston census lists: Henry Edwards, actor, age 45, born England; Marian Edwards, wife, keeping house, age 40, born England; Gim Hing, servant, age 22, born China. Clearly these given ages are unreliable. Henry generally erred on the side of youth. He was actually christened on 14 September 1827 at Ross, Herefordshire, and the 1851 English census gives his age as 24. However, thereafter his given age generally reflected a birth year of 1830, which is incorrect. Even his death certificate in 1891 gave his age as 61.--Merri7 (talk) 02:15, 9 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Marvelous information! I did not check the census reports, so thank you for that. Funny how the ages are a complete fabrication... How did you come about his christening date? The law student named William, would that have been Mariana's son by Brooke, adopted by Edwards? Binksternet (talk) 03:26, 9 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Henry’s christening can be found on the IGI (familysearch.org). I have seen a microfilm of the original parish records, so can confirm that date. If, as you suggest, his birthday was 27 August, this would fit with him being christened on 14 September, but in 1827 not 1830. When Henry arrived in Australia on the Ganges in June 1853, his age was given as 25, which would be correct. I don’t know who Wm E Edwards the law student was. Almost certainly not Henry’s son. If he was the son of Gustavus and Marianne, his age would fit with him being ‘born at sea’, as the Brookes left England in Nov 1854 and arrived in Melbourne in Feb 1855. Unfortunately the inward passenger list only shows Mr and Mrs GV Brooke, but no infant. Do you know if they had any children? A paper by Andrew Brown-May and Tom W May: “‘A Mingled Yarn’: Henry Edwards, Thespian and Naturalist, in the Austral Land of Plenty, 1853-1866”, from the Historical Records of Australian Science, 11(3) June 1997 provides some interesting details of Henry’s time in Australia.--Merri7 (talk) 12:34, 9 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I have the work by Brown-May and May and I will be incorporating its details as appropriate. Thanks for the tip! Binksternet (talk) 17:53, 9 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Another possibility for William born-at-sea Edwards is that may have been the namesake son of Edwards' brother William. Binksternet (talk) 00:58, 10 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I think I can rule that one out, although I would love it to be true. Henry’s brother William was my gr gr grandfather (hence my interest in Henry - and I’m an entomologist too!). William’s children were born in Victoria in 1852, 55, 57 and 60 – so little chance of one born at sea around 1854. I think William (born-at-sea) is more likely to be Marianne’s son – pity he was not on the shipping list. Henry’s brother William ran off the rails a bit around 1860. He abandoned his wife - I don’t know where he went or what became of him. Do you have access to any of Henry’s letters?--Merri7 (talk) 04:21, 10 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

No, I haven't touched any of his letters. What a fine thing to have your great-great-granduncle in the encyclopedia! Once I see the census pages from 1870 or 1880, I will insert the wife's name into the article. I must have a source for the addition, as this is a featured article, and its citations must be solid. Binksternet (talk) 09:13, 10 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I have copies - but how to get them to you? And congratulations on a fine article!--Merri7 (talk) 05:46, 11 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

You can email me here, or I will pay for a year's worth of Ancestry.com membership. Binksternet (talk) 12:44, 11 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Okay, I incorporated the information from Brooke's biography, the New York Times obit, and the two census pages you sent me. I hope that I conveyed all that is truthful without straying into a synthesis of disparate sources reporting conflicting facts. Binksternet (talk) 05:12, 16 February 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Dates for Wikipedia:Today's featured article

[edit]

At Wikipedia:Today's featured article, this article could be selected some day. On a points basis, an anniversary of his birth or death would be good, or an anniversary of an important event in his life.

  • August 27, 1827 (birth)
    • August 27, 2017: 4 points
      • decennial, 2 points
      • promoted longer than two years prior, 2 points
    • August 27, 2027: 8 points
      • Centennial, 6 points
      • promoted longer than two years prior, 2 points
  • June 9, 1891 (death)
    • June 9, 2011: 3 points
      • decennial, 2 points
      • promoted between one and two years prior, 1 point
    • June 9, 2016: 4 points
      • quinvigintennial, 2 points
      • promoted longer than two years prior, 2 points
    • June 9, 2041: 6 points
      • semicentennial, 4 points
      • promoted longer than two years prior, 2 points
    • June 9, 2091: 8 points
      • Centennial, 6 points
      • promoted longer than two years prior, 2 points
  • June 29, 1878 (Bohemian Club party in his honor, the start of the Bohemian Grove tradition. Note that the Bohemian Grove article itself could be promoted to FA and then be worthy of taking these dates.)
    • June 29, 2018: 4 points
      • decennial, 2 points
      • promoted longer than two years prior, 2 points
    • June 29, 2028: 6 points
      • semicentennial, 4 points
      • promoted longer than two years prior, 2 points
    • June 29, 2078: 8 points
      • Centennial, 6 points
      • promoted longer than two years prior, 2 points

The first 8-point date to arrive is August 27, 2027. The first 6-point date arrives later, so why bother? The first 4-point date is June 9, 2016. The first 3-point date is June 9, 2011. Binksternet (talk) 18:49, 31 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It turns out that the article was shown on the main page on 25 September 2011, unrelated to any significant dates for Edwards. Binksternet (talk) 16:18, 25 September 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Note on Brown-May, May source

[edit]

There appears to be a citation conflict which your possession of the actual article should clarify. At this url=http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9971130407.htm, the cite states, "Historical Records of Australian Science 11 (3) 407 - 418", but the 'Bibliography' for the article has "3 (3)". Cheers! Marshallsumter (talk) 21:32, 18 June 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the note. I don't have immediate access to the hard copy source so I will assume a minor mistake on my part, listing the journal volume as "3" instead of "11". If I gain access again I will re-check the volume to make certain it was not CSIRO Publishing making the mistake. Cheers! Binksternet (talk) 02:28, 21 June 2011 (UTC)[reply]
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