Hickman, Vernon Victor (1894 - 1984)

Summary

Vernon Hickman was Professor of Biology, University of Tasmania, from 1943 to 1959. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of invertebrates but specialised in arachnids and became known as Australia's leading araneologist. Hickman described many new species, his papers being illustrated with his own photos and skilled drawings. His collection of spiders was deposited in the Australian Museum, Sydney. In 1991 his collection of Tasmanian insects and other arthropods, together with those of his son John, were donated to the Australian National Insect Collection. The 30,000 specimens, largely from remote rainforest areas of Tasmania, were accompanied by an extensive collection of literature. The spider genus Hickmania, and the family in which it was placed, Hickmaniidae, were named in his honour.

Details

Chronology

1915

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Tasmania

1915 - 1916

Career position - Lecturer in chemistry and mineralogy, Zeehan School of Mines, Tasmania

1917 - 1919

Military service - Served with the Australian Imperial Forces

1920 - 1932

Career position - Head of Chemistry, Launceston Technical College

1927

Education - Bachelor of Arts (BA), University of Tasmania

1932 - 1943

Career position - Ralston Lecturer in Biology, University of Tasmania

1937

Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Tasmania

1939

Career position - Vice-President, Zoological Section, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science Congress, Canberra

1940

Award - Elected Fellow, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science

1940

Award - Royal Society of Tasmania Medal

1943 - 1959

Career position - Professor of Biology, University of Tasmania

1947 - ?

Career position - Fellow, Royal Entomological Society of London

1951

Award - Anders Retzius Medal, Royal Physiographical Society of Lund, Sweden

1959 - 1984

Career position - Emeritus Professor, University of Tasmania

1960

Award - Clive Lord Memorial Medal, Royal Society of Tasmania

1967 - 1984

Award - Life Member, Royal Society of Tasmania

1977 - 1984

Award - Honorary Life Member, Entomological Society of New South Wales

1979

Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for service to zoological science and education

Related entries

Published resources

Book Sections

• Guiler, Eric, 'Hickman, Vernon Victor (1894 - 1984), zoologist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 17: 1981 - 1990 A-K, Diane Langmore, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2007), p. 527. http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hickman-vernon-victor-12631. Details

Journal Articles

• Halliday, R. B.; and Gray, M., 'Hickman collections move north', Myrmecia: News Bulletin of the Australian Entomological Society, 28 (2) (1992), 16-7. Details
• Hickman, V. V., 'Obituary: Noel Lee Roberts, 1890-1967 [bibliography]', Journal of the Entomological Society of Australia (New South Wales Branch), 4 (1967), 43-44. Details
• McQuillian, P. et al., 'Vernon Victor Hickman, August 28 1894 - November 20, 1984', Australian Entomological Society News Bulletin, 21 (1985), 24. Details
• Smithers, C. N., 'Tribute to V. V. Hickman', General and Applied Entomology, 17 (1985), 3-4. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q13409670. Details
• 'Hickman, V V (1894-1984)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-572758. Details

Resource Sections

• Davies, Lynn, 'Vernon Victor Hickman', in The Companion to Tasmanian History, Centre for Tasmanian Historical Studies, University of Tasmania, 2006, http://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/H/VV%20Hickman.htm. Details

See also

• Upton, M. S., A Rich and Diverse Fauna: the history of the Australian National Insect Collection 1926 - 1991 (Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing, 1997), 386 pp. Details