James, Peter Wilfred   (1930 - 2014)

Born on 28 April 1930 in Cornwall, UK; Died on 13 February 2014 (aged 83) in Birmingham, UK.

Attended Bishop Vesey's Grammar School in Warwickshire, UK, from 1943 until 1949.

He was awarded a state scholarship that supported his university study. He graduated with a First class BSc in botany from the University of Liverpool in 1952.

There he enrolled as a PhD student with the intention of studying lichenology. However his supervisor, S. Burfield, died. At this time very few scientists specialised in the study of lichens and his new supervisor advised James to take up a vacation studentship in London. The result was that James discontinued his PhD and became employed by the Natural History Museum, London, UK.

In 1955 he was employed by London's Natural History Museum initially as a summer student and then as a lichen specialist.

He spent his career there and became a deputy Keeper of Botany. During his career he had a central role in the development of lichenology in the UK. He built up the lichen collections to be a major international resource as well as expanding the expertise and collaborations within the museum.

He also led visits and expeditions in the UK and abroad including to temperate South America as well as Australia, New Zealand, North Greenland and the Atlantic islands.

In 1962 he was seconded to the University of Otago, New Zealand for 6 months to curate the specimens collected by James Murray. While there, James also collected more specimens. He made a second visit to New Zealand in 1981.

He retired in 1990 and died in 2014. He was never married.

Source: Extracted from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Wilfred_James
Portrait Photo: July 1976, Shetland. Photographer: Bill Syratt.

Collecting localities for 'James, P.W.' from AVH (2024)

Data from 723 specimens in Australian herbaria.