Whitley, Gilbert Percy (1903 - 1975)

Summary

Gilbert Whitley was Ichthyologist at the Australian Museum for nearly 40 years, but he also had a passion for entomology. The fish of New Zealand, New Guinea and the South Pacific were of particular interest to him as were the insects of Tasmania, Eastern Australia and Lord Howe Island which he collected widely. Throughout his illustrious career, Whitley published over 500 works and assisted A. Musgrave in compiling the Bibliography of Australian Entomology 1775-1930 (1932). He also served on the councils of the Royal Australian Historical Society and the Anthropological Society of New South Wales and on the Great Barrier Reef Committee. Whitley was President of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales (on three separate occasions) and the Linnean Society of New South Wales. He retired in September 1964, but continued his research and field trips.

Details

Chronology

1921

Life event - Migrated to Australia (Sydney) with his family

1922 - 1925

Career position - Staff member, Australian Museum, Sydney

1925 - 1964

Career position - Ichthyologist, then Curator of Fishes, Australian Museum

1932

Career event - Elected Associate Member (Zoology), Australian National Research Council

1934 - 1975

Award - Fellow, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales

1936

Career position - Joint-Founder, Society for the Bibliography of Natural History

1940 - 1941

Career position - President, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales

1942 - 1946

Career position - Seconded to the Division of Fisheries, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

1959 - 1960

Career position - President, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales

1963 - 1964

Career position - President, Linnean Society of New South Wales

1967

Award - Australian Natural History Medallion, Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria

1970

Award - Clarke Memorial Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales

1972

Career position - President, Australian Society for Fish Biology

1973 - 1974

Career position - President, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• Gilbert Percy Whitley - Records, 1942 - 1964, MS 022; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

Australian Museum

• Gilbert Percy Whitley - Records, 1922 - 1965, Series 136; Australian Museum. Details
• Gilbert Percy Whitley - Records, c. 1922 - 1965, Series 139; Australian Museum. Details

Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales

• Gilbert Percy Whitley - Records, 1831 - 1933, ML MSS 1032; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Gilbert Percy Whitley - Records, 1942, ML DOC 888; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
• Gilbert Percy Whitley - Records, 1919 - 1975, ML MSS 3069; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, 2012, http://www.eoas.info/basser_browse.html. Details

Books

• Musgrave, A., Bibliography of Australian entomology, 1775-1930: with biographical notes on authors and collectors (Sydney: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 1932), 380 pp. Details
• Whitley, Gilbert P., More early history of Australian zoology (Sydney: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 1975), 92 pp. Details
• Whitley, Gilbert; and Allan, Joyce, The sea-horse and its relatives (Melbourne: Georgian House, 1958), 84 pp. Details

Book Sections

• Murray, Maree; Roach, John, 'Whitley, Gilbert Percy (1903-1975), Ichthyologist and Author' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 16: 1940 - 1980 Pik-Z, John Ritchie and Diane Langmore, eds (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2002), pp. 542-543. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A160645b.htm. Details
• Paxton, J. R.; and McGrouther, M. A., 'A history of the fish collection at the Australian Museum (1860-1968), with a summary of current Australian fish collections' in Collection Building in Ichthyology and Herpetology, Peitsch, T. W.; and Anderson, W., eds (Lawrence, Kansas: American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, 1997), pp. 183-205. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Lhotsky, John (b. 1800), naturalist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 2: 1788 - 1850 I-Z, Douglas Pike, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1967), pp. 114-115. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A020100b.htm. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Laporte, Francois Louis Nompar De Caumont, Comte De Castelnau (1810-1880), naturalist and diplomat' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 5: 1851 - 1890 K-Q, Douglas Pike, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1974), pp. 64-65. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A050073b.htm. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Masters, George (1837-1912), entomologist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 5: 1851 - 1890 K-Q, Douglas Pike, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1974), pp. 223-224. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A050253b.htm. Details
• Whitley, G. P.; Rutledge, Martha, 'Krefft, Johann Ludwig (Louis) Gerard (1830-1881), zoologist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 5: 1851 - 1890 K-Q, Douglas Pike, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1974), pp. 42-44. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A050051b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Obituary: Gilbert Percy Whitley', Australian Zoologist, 19 (1) (1976), 111-112. Details
• Anderson, C.; and Whitley, Gilbert P., 'Allan Riverstone McCulloch, 1885 - 1925 [obituary and bibliography]', Records of the Australian Museum, 15 (2) (1926), 141-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.15.1926.804. Details
• Iredale, T. and Whitley, G. P., 'Blandowski.', The Victorian naturalist, 49 (1932), 90-96. Details
• Iredale, T.; and Whitley, G.P., 'Sir William Dennison as a Conchologist', Proceedings of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales (1964), 27-30. Details
• Iredale, T.; and Whitley, G.P., 'John Roach, the Budgerigar, and the Unfortunate Officer', Proceedings of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 89 (1968), 36-39. Details
• McMichael, D. F.; and Whitley, G. P., 'A Bibliography of Charles Francis Laseron with an Index to his New Genera and Species', Proceedings of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 1958/9 (1961), 114-130. Details
• McMichael, Donald F.; and Whitley, Gilbert P., 'The Published Writings of Tom Iredale with an Index of his Scientific Names', The Australian Zoologist, 12 (1956), 211-250. Details
• McNeil, F. A., 'Thomas Whitelegge, 1850-1927', Records of the Australian Museum, xvii (1929), 265-277. Details
• Paxton, J. R.; and Hoese, D.F., 'Gilbert P. Whitley 1903 - 1975', Copeia, 4 (1975), 792-3. Details
• Ponder, W. F.; and Whitley, G. P., 'Tom Iredale (1880 - 1972)', Nautilus, 68 (1972), 60-2. Details
• Vallance, T. G., 'Gilbert Percy Whitley, 1903 - 1975 (Memorial series, no. 23)', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 101 (4) (1977), 256-60. Details
• W., G. P. [i.e. Whitley, Gilbert Percy], 'Anthony Musgrave, 1895-1959 (Memorial series, no. 18)', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 86 (1961), 122-125. Details
• W., G. P. [ie Whitley, Gilbert Percy], 'Obituary: Anthony Musgrave, F.R.E.S., F.R.Z.S.', Australian Museum magazine, 13 (3) (1959), 101-2. Details
• W., G. P. [ie Whitley, Gilbert Percy], 'Theodore Cleveland Roughley, 1888-1961 (Memorial series, no. 19)', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 86 (1962), 295-298. Details
• Whitley, G., 'Some Founders of Australian Fish Science', Australian Museum Magazine, 9 (1948). Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'The late W. E. J. Paradice and the Australian Museum', Australian Museum magazine, 3 (5) (1928), 169-70. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'George Tobin, a Neglected Naturalist', The Australian Museum Magazine, 5 (1933), 44-50. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'John Gould's Associates', Emu, 38 (2) (1938), 141-67. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'James Stuart, Ichthyologist', The Australian Zoologist, 12 (1955), 129-131. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'The Life and Work of Gerard Krefft', Proceedings of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales (1958), 21-34. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Charles Darwin in Australia', The Australian Museum Magazine, 13 (1959), 120-121. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Obituary: Francis Alexander McNeill [with bibliography]', Australian Zoologist, 15 (2) (1960), 214-223. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Tribute to Anthony Musgrave. With bibliography compiled by G. P. Whitley and Kathleen Pope', Proceedings of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales (1961), 9-20. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'William Holmes the Australian Museum's First Custodian', The Australian Museum Magazine, 13 (1961), 306. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'The First Hundred Years', Australian Natural History, 14 (4) (1962), 111-115. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'A Survey of Australian Ichthyology', Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 89 (1964). Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'William Sheridan Wall and the Australian Museum', Proceedings of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales (1965), 42-44. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Francois Laporte, Count Castelnau, 1810-1880 [includes bibliography of writings]', Australian Zoologist, 13 (2) (1965), 93-102. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'John Lhotsky and the Australian Museum', Australian Natural History, 15 (3) (1965), 92-96. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'William Galvin 1787-1873, an Early Australian Museum Custodian', Australian Zoologist, 13 (4) (1966), 356. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'T. J. Lempriere, an Early Tasmanian Naturalist', Australian Zoologist, 13 (4) (1966), 350-355. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Hereward Leighton Kesteven (1881-1964) as a Conchologist', Proceedings of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 89 (1968), 33-35. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Dr. E.A. Briggs, 1890-1969', Australian Zoologist, 15 (2) (1969), 224. Details
• Whitley, G. P., ''Endeavour's' Naturalists in Australia', Australian Natural History, 16 (8) (1970), 241-288. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Obituary. Sir Edward Hallstrom (1886-1970)', Australian Zoologist, 15 (3) (1970), 403-405. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'George Masters, Naturalist', Australian Zoologist, 16 (2) (1971), 25-32. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Life and Work of Tom Iredale (1880-1972) [includes lists of writings and proposed new names of species]', Australian Zoologist, 17 (2) (1972), 65-125. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Early Naturalist in Queensland [John MacGillivray]', North Queensland Naturalist, 41 (162) (1973), 3-4. Details
• Whitley, G. P., 'Memorial Notice and Bibliography: Ellis Le Geyt Troughton, CMZS, FRZS (1893-1974)', Australian Zoologist, 18 (3) (1975), 219-238. Details
• Whitley, Gilbert P., 'Bibliography of James Douglas Ogilby', Records of the Australian Museum, 15 (2) (1926), 149-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.15.1926.805. Details
• Whitley, Gilbert P., 'Some Early Naturalists and Collectors in Australia', Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society, xix (1933), 291-304. Details
• Whitley, Gilbert P., 'Conchologists of the past: George French Angas (1822 - 1886)', Journal of the Malacological Society of Australia, 1 (12) (1969), 48-56. Details
• Whitley, Gilbert P.; and Ponder, Winston F., 'Obituary Tom Iredale (1880 - 1972)', Journal of the Malacological Society of Australia, 2 (4) (1973), 361-4. Details

Resources

• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/38159532. Details
• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1524045. Details
• 'Whitley, Gilbert P (1903-1975)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-618687. Details
• Whitley, Gilbert Percy (England-Australia 1903-1975), Some Biogeographers, Evolutionists and Ecologists: Chrono-Biographical Sketches, http://www.wku.edu/%7Esmithch/chronob/WHIT1903.htm. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Whitley, Gilbert Percy - Ms 22', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms022.html. Details

See also

• 'Whitley, Gilbert Percy (1903 - 1975)', Hall of fame, Australian Society for Fish Biology, 2022, https://www.asfb.org.au/gilbert-percy-whitley. https://www.asfb.org.au/hall-of-fame. Details
• Kruta, V. et al., Dr. John Lhotsky : the turbulent Australian writer, naturalist and explorer Melbourne (Melbourne: Australia Felix Literary Club, 1977), 176 pp. Details
• McCulloch, Allan R., The fishes and fish-like animals of New South Wales (Sydney: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 1934), 104 pp. Details
• Prince, J. H., The first one hundred years of the Royal Zoological Society of N.S.W. 1879 - 1979 (Sydney: Royal Zoolgical Society of New South Wales, 1979), 81 pp. Details