John Obadiah Westwood

John Obadiah Westwood ( born December 22, 1805 in Sheffield, † January 2, 1893 in Oxford ) was an English entomologist, archaeologist and illustrator. He was considered one of the foremost entomologists of his time and was known for his elaborate entomological illustrations.

Life and work

John Obadiah Westwood spent his early childhood in Sheffield and Lichfield. Prior to his academic career he was trained as a lawyer. After his training, he devoted himself, however, the entomology and archeology. His works he published in numerous scientific journals.

At the instigation of Frederick William Hope, founder of the Hope Department of Entomology at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, he became its curator and was later appointed by Hope for the first Professor of Zoology at the University of Oxford. He was also entomological expert for the journal The Gardeners' Chronicle.

Westwood was a member of the Linnean Society of London and President of the Royal Entomological Society of London. In 1855 he was honored by the Royal Society with the Royal Medal.

Works

A selection of his works:

• Arcana Entomologica; or, Illustrations of Rare, Exotic and Interesting Insects (1841-1845)
• The Cabinet of Oriental Entomology (1848 )
• Catalogue of Orthopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum ( 1859)
• Thesaurus entomologicus Oxoniensis. (1874 ) doi: 10.5962/bhl.title.14077