Arthur Henry Shakespeare Lucas - University and Science Career

University and Science Career

Lucas did not confine his life to school work, and while at Wesley College also lectured on natural science to the colleges at the University of Melbourne, and in later years lectured on physiography at the University of Sydney. He also took much interest in the various learned societies, and during his early days at Melbourne was president of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria (which was founded by his brother) and edited the Victorian Naturalist for some years. Lucas was a member of the council of the Royal Society of Victoria, and subsequently of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, of which he also became president (1907–1909). Lucas contributed many papers to their proceedings; a list of more than 60 will be found in the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, vol. LXII, pp. 250-2. He wrote with Arthur Dendy An Introduction to the Study of Botany which was published in 1892 (3rd ed. 1915), with W. H. D. Le Souef, The Animals of Australia (1909), and The Birds of Australia (1911). After retiring from school teaching at 70 years of age, Lucas became acting-professor of mathematics at the university of Tasmania for over two years. He afterwards continued his scientific studies, giving particular attention to the algae on which he was the Australian authority. His handbook, Part 1 of The Seaweeds of South Australia was issued just after his death. Lucas developed pneumonia after collecting seaweed from rockpools at Warrnambool, Victoria in May 1936, and during the journey to his home collapsed on the train at Albury, New South Wales. He was taken to a private hospital and died on 10 June 1936. He married in August 1882 Charlotte Christmas who died in 1919. Lucas was survived by three daughters, Mesdames H. F. Cortis Jones and J. J. O'Kcefe, and Miss C. Lucas. His portrait by H. A. Hanke (1935) hangs in the Assembly Hall of the Sydney Grammar School. His autobiography, A. H. S. Lucas, Scientist, His Own Story, was published in 1937.

The standard author abbreviation A.H.S.Lucas is used to indicate this individual as the author when citing a botanical name.