Ethelwynn Trewavas was a pioneering research scientist who became a leading expert on African freshwater fish.
Born in Penzance, Ethelwynn Trewavas was educated at West Cornwall College, 1917; University College Reading, 1917-1921, BSc Hons 1921. She returned to Penzance to teach biology at several schools including at Miss Meade’s School (1923/4) and at Penzance County School for Girls (1925). She then was awarded a Gilchrist Research Scholarship to undertake a research degree at the University of London, 1926-1928. Her PhD was augmented by the award of a DSc from the University of London in 1934.
She began her long career as an ichthyologist working as research assistant to Tate Regan, director of the British Museum (Natural History), 1928-1935. She was assistant keeper of freshwater fish at the BMNH, 1935-1946; eventually becoming deputy keeper of Zoology, and ‘retiring’ in 1961 (and thus far the only female to hold that post). In fact, she never truly retired and continued active research for the rest of her life.
Dr Trewavas was an important scientist in the development of British and colonial fish science, writing over 100 papers and two books. Her research was recognised by the award of the Gold Medal of the Linnaean Society. She also had a dozen or so species of fish - as well as a research vessel - named after her.
Reference: Lowe, R. (1994) Ethelwynn Trewavas, 1900-1992, Freshwater Forum, 4, 1, 5-7.
