George Blundell Longstaff

George Blundell Longstaff (2 February 1849 – 7 May 1921) was a British physician and civil activist who worked for the London Borough of Wandsworth. He was also an amateur entomologist and writer. He was a fellow of several learned societies including the Linnean Society, the Geological Society and the Entomological Society.

The Aurelians (1900), painted by John Cooke (1866-1932) depicting Longstaff (left) with Selwyn Image

George was the second son of George Dixon Longstaff, a physician in Wandsworth, and Maria Blundell. He was educated at Rugby and New College, Oxford and after obtaining a degree in 1871 in natural science he studied medicine at St. Thomas's Hospital, obtaining a Mead Medal, and graduated B.M. in 1876 but he never practiced medicine. He married Sara Leam Dixon of Southampton in 1875 and they had two sons and two daughters. He worked for fourteen years as the representative for Wandsworth in the London County Council. An interest in entomology was sparked at an early age, influenced by his uncle William Spence. An injury to his eye while studying at Oxford however put an end to his entomological studies but he took a keen interest on a trip through India and Sri Lanka in 1903-4 accompanied by his second wife, the geologist Mary Jane Longstaff (m. 1906). He collected some 14000 specimens which were donated to the Hope collection at Oxford and he wrote a book Butterfly Hunting in Many Lands (1912). He also took an interest in demographic statistics and published Studies in statistics, social, political, and medical (1891).

Longstaff died at his home Highlands in Putney Heath after a long illness. He donated £1000 to the Entomological Society before his death.

External links

• Butterfly-hunting in many lands (1912)
• Rural Depopulation (1893)