Marguerite Winifred Crookes (18 January 1899 – 26 January 1991)[1][2] was a botanist and conservationist from New Zealand and founder of the Auckland Natural History Club. Her best known work is Plant Life in Maoriland: A Botanist’s Note Book.[1]
Early life edit
Crookes was born in Derbyshire, England, one of four children. Her family emigrated to New Zealand in 1906. She earned a B.A. and M.A. from Auckland University College.[3] Her writing career began when she authored articles about native plants in the Auckland Star and the Lyttelton Times.[3]
Career and publications edit
In the 1920s, Crookes founded the Workers Education Association Natural History Club, which became the Auckland Natural History Club.[2] Crookes' early newspaper articles were collected and published as Plant Life in Maoriland: A Botanist’s Note Book in 1926. She published articles on botany in the New Zealand Smallholder[3] and the Auckland Botanical Society newsletter[2] as well as academic articles in journals including the American Fern Journal.[4] Her research on ferns led her to produce three new editions of New Zealand Ferns, first published in 1921 by H. B. Dobbie.[3] In later life, she lectured on native plants at the Auckland Botanical Society and was a member of the Auckland Philosophical Society.[3] She was also active in conservation, arguing against development that would have harmed areas around the Waitākere Ranges.[2] Specimens that Crookes collected remain in the collections of the Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa).[5]
Awards and honours edit
In 2017, Crookes was selected as one of the Royal Society Te Apārangi's "150 women in 150 words", a project celebrating the contributions of women to knowledge in New Zealand.[6]
References edit
- ^ a b "Marguerite Crookes". Royal Society Te Apārangi. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- ^ a b c d Thomson, A. D. (December 1999). "Tribute to pioneer botanical enthusiast, pteridologist and conservationist, Miss Marguerite Winifred Crookes" (PDF). New Zealand Botanical Society Newsletter. 58: 18–20.
- ^ a b c d e Dingley, J. M. (1991). "Marguerite Crookes 1895–1991" (PDF). Auckland Botanical Society. 46: 61–67.
- ^ Crookes, Marguerite (1960). "On the Lava Fields of Rangitoto". American Fern Journal. 50 (4): 257–263. doi:10.2307/1545115. ISSN 0002-8444. JSTOR 1545115.
- ^ "Loading... | Collections Online – Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- ^ "150 Women in 150 Words". Royal Society Te Apārangi. Retrieved 11 November 2020.