Person
Fleming, Charles Alexander (1916 - 1987)
KBE FRS FGS FRSNZ FRAOU
- Born
- 9 September 1916
Auckland, New Zealand - Died
- 11 September 1987
Wellington, New Zealand - Occupation
- Palaeontologist and Ornithologist
Summary
Sir Charles Fleming was one of New Zealand's most famous and revered naturalists who made major contributions to many fields especially in the knowledge of local bird and mollusc species. One of his pet subjects was the influence of past climates on the distribution of birds. His professional career, which spanned over thirty years, was spent in the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research on the New Zealand Geological Survey team. Fleming joined the team in 1940 as an Assistant Geologist and retired in 1977 at the level of Chief Palaeontologist. He was a prolific fieldworker, researcher and writer who contributed to all the major natural history publications and wrote numerous books including the Checklist of New Zealand Birds(1953), The Geological History of New Zealand and its Life (1979) and George Edward Lodge: The Unpublished New Zealand Bird Paintings (1982). Fleming was also actively involved in conservation of endangered animals serving on the National Parks Authority, The Outlying Islands Reserves Committee and on the New Zealand Native Animals Advisory Council / Fauna Protection Advisory Council almost continuously from 1955. Throughout his illustrious career he received a great many awards including Fellowships to some of the world's most prestigious professional societies and a Knighthood in 1977.
Details
Chronology
- 1938
- Education - Bachelor of Arts (BA), Auckland University College
- 1940
- Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), Auckland University College
- 1940 - 1942
- Career position - Assistant Geologist with the Geological Survey of New Zealand
- 1941
- Education - Master of Science (MSc), Auckland University College
- 1942 - 1943
- Career position - Coastwatcher (war service) on Auckland Island
- 1942 - 1945
- Assistant Palaeontologist with the Geological Survey of New Zealand
- 1943
- Award - Hamilton Award, Royal Society of New Zealand
- 1945 - 1952
- Career position - Palaeontologist in New Zealand
- 1948 - 1949
- Career position - President, Ornithological Society of New Zealand
- 1951
- Award - New Zealand Research Medal, New Zealand Scientific Workers Association
- 1952
- Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), Auckland University College
- 1952 - 1987
- Award - Fellow, Royal Society of New Zealand (FRSNZ)
- 1953 - 1977
- Career position - Chief Palaeontologist with the Geological Survey of New Zealand at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
- 1956
- Award - Hutton Memorial Award, Royal Society of New Zealand
- 1957
- Award - McKay Hammer Award, Geological Society of New Zealand
- 1961 -
- Career position - Corresponding Fellow of the American Ornithologists Union
- 1961
- Award - Mt Fleming in Victoria Land, Antarctica named in his honour
- 1962 - 1966
- Award - President, Royal Society of New Zealand
- 1963
- Award - Hector Memorial Medal and Prize, Royal Society of New Zealand
- 1964
- Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
- 1965
- Award - Walter Burfitt Prize, Royal Society of New South Wales
- 1967
- Education - Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc), Victoria University in Wellington
- 1967 - 1987
- Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)
- 1968
- Award - William Smith Lecturers presented to the Geological Society, London
- 1968 - 1969
- Career position - President of ANZAAS (Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science)
- 1968 - 1987
- Award - Foreign Fellow, Geological Society of London (FGS)
- 1969
- Award - New Zealand Association of Scientists Medal
- 1972
- Award - ANZAAS Medal (Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science)
- 1973 - 1987
- Career position - Foreign Member of the American Philosophical Society
- 1974
- Education - Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Auckland
- 1974 - 1987
- Award - Fellow, Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union (FRAOU)
- 1977
- Award - Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)
- 1988
- Award - Charles Fleming Award for Environmental Achievement established by the Royal Society of New Zealand to commemorate his achievements
Related entries
Published resources
Books
- Fleming, C. A., Science, settlers and scholars: the centennial history of the Royal Society of New Zealand (Wellington: The Society, 1987), 353 pp. Details
- McEwen, Mary, Charles Fleming: Environmental Patriot (Nelson, NZ: Craig Potton Publishing, 2005), 382 pp. Details
- Whittell, H. M., The Literature of Australian Birds: a History and a Bibliography of Australian Ornithology (Perth: Patterson Brokensha, 1954), 140, 788 pp. Details
Journal Articles
- 'RAOU Fellows: Citations', The Emu, 74 (4) (1974), 259. Details
- 'Charles Alexander Fleming', Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1987-1988, 116 (1988), 22-41. Details
- Fleming, C. A., 'The Contribution of New Zealand Geoscientists to the Development of Scientific Institutions', Earth Sciences History, 5 (1) (1986), 3-11. Details
- Turbott, E.G., 'Obituary: Charles Alexander Fleming 1916-1987', The Emu, 88 (4) (1988), 269-270. Details
Resources
- Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5077706. Details
- VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/110462859. Details
- 'Fleming, C A (1916-1987)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1011699. Details
Reviews
- McEwen, Mary, Charles Fleming: Environmental Patriot (2005)
Robin, Libby, Historical Records of Australian Science, 17 (1), (2006), 117-119, https://doi.org/10.1071/HR06003. Details
See also
- Robin, Libby, The Flight of the Emu: a Hundred Years of Australian Ornithology 1901-2001 (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2001), 492 pp. Details
Rosanne Walker & Annette Alafaci
Created: 30 June 1997, Last modified: 27 July 2022
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