Guide to the Papers of Sir Maurice Yonge (as filmed by the AJCP), 23 November 1926-30 September 1986

Summary

Collection number:

M2844 - M2846

Creator:

Yonge, Charles Maurice, Sir

Extent:

112 items

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Citation items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:

Diaries, notebooks, research notes, correspondence, drafts and other papers relating to the Great Barrier Reef expedition and Yonge's extensive travels and research on corals and molluscs. Some of the diaries were kept by his wife Martha, who accompanied him on the Great Barrier Reef expedition.

Correspondents include David Stoddart, G.R. Orme, R.D. Purchon, H.C. Richards and A. Ben-Tuvia.

Biographical / Historical:

Charles Maurice Yonge (1899-1986) was the son of John Yonge, headmaster of Silcoates School, Wakefield. He studied forestry at Edinburgh University, but became interested while there in zoology. After graduating he went to the Marine Biological Association at Plymouth and worked on oysters. He also worked in Naples, Norway, Sweden and France. In 1927 he was offered the Balfour Studentship at Cambridge. At this time an expedition to the Great Barrier Reef was being proposed and Yonge was appointed leader. A total budget of £8580-5s was allocated for a party of 12 for 13 months in Australia. A small laboratory was set up and the team of young experts studied sea water plankton, the reef structure and corals. Yonge had recently married Dr Martha Jane Lennox and she accompanied the expedition as the medical officer.

The Yonges returned to Plymouth, but in 1933 he became Professor of Zoology at Bristol University. He continued to travel extensively, working on corals and molluscs. In 1944 he was appointed Regius Professor of Zoology at Glasgow University, shortly afterwards his first wife died.

He was elected to the Royal Society in 1946 and made a CBE in 1954. He retired in 1964 and was knighted in 1967. He served on the Council of the Royal Society and awarded its Darwin medal in 1968. After retirement he lived in Edinburgh and continued his research and travels. He was the author of A Year on the Great Barrier Reef (1930); Oysters (1960).

Related

Existence and Location of Copies:

The original AJCP microfilm of the records filmed from this collection is available at the National Library of Australia [https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn823961] as well as other institutions holding AJCP microfilm.

Existence and Location of Originals:

General Library, British Museum (Natural History). South Kensington, London. For further information: Sir Maurice Yonge at the British Museum (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/departments-and-staff/library-and-archives.html)

Conditions Governing Access:

Available for Access.

Conditions Governing Use:

Many of the records digitised as part of the AJCP are still in copyright. Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the owner of the original material.

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Citation items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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