Biography Ernest William Lyons Holt

1 biography

1.1 life
1.2 ichthyological studies
1.3 later life

biography
early life

holt born in london , educated @ eton, won prize in biology. after school, decided on career in british army, enrolling @ royal military college, sandhurst, , after completing officer training commissioned duke of cornwall s light infantry. participated in nile campaign (1884/85) , in third burmese war of 1886/87. during latter campaign, fell sick , invalided home. in civilian life, holt began studying zoology @ university of st. andrews in 1888.

ichthyological studies

two years later, participated assistant-naturalist in fishery survey on west coast of ireland, organized royal dublin society. expedition led william spotswood green, whom holt work of later career. survey made holt s name ichthyologist; published not several papers on eggs , larval stages of fish wrote general report of expedition. result of green s , holt s work, government instituted formal program of fishery surveys under auspice of newly formed congested districts board in 1892. green became board s chief inspector of fisheries, while holt participated scientific advisor, although leave ireland few years.

holt joined marine biological association (mba) , worked until 1894 @ grimsby, in charge of newly opened research station north sea. after brief stint @ station zoologique d endoume @ marseille worked 3 years @ plymouth marine laboratory. nevertheless, e. w. l. holt maintained ties ireland, , in 1895 purchased dismasted brigantine named saturn royal dublin society , had equipped marine biology research station. in 1899, returned ireland, taking charge of saturn , 4 small auxiliary sailing boats used sampling. floating laboratory stationed in connemara district in county galway; lay @ ballynakill in winter , towed inishbofin summer months. in 1900, saturn transferred new department of agriculture , technical instruction ireland. green became chief inspector of fisheries branch; holt @ first scientific advisor , later, of 1908, fisheries inspector. joined other young biologists, among them rowland southern , george philip farrar.

with department s research , fisheries protection vessel helga continued surveys of west coast of ireland. in 1908, ship replaced new one, helga ii, built specifications of green , holt. holt s backing, new ship participated in clare island survey of 1909–1911. when completed, helga ii returned regular fisheries research , protection duties under direction of holt.

later life

when green retired in 1914, holt succeeded him chief inspector. scientific work stopped when world war broke out, , administrative duties of post did not allow holt continue research work of own. after war, political changes in ireland holt s failing health prevented further serious research. in may 1922, holt became ill , left dublin london, died on 10 june year of bright s disease (an old term glomerulonephritis, kidney disease). in 1949, mba put service research vessel named after him.