On the award of TMS Honorary Membership, 15 November 2006 Dr John Whittaker – an appreciation

Abstract. John Eustace Whittaker was born near Burnley, Lancashire on 25 September 1945 and educated at St Mary’s College, Black-burn. Despite being a devoted Lancastrian, fate has decreed that since leaving school he has spent the rest of his life elsewhere and he is now a resident of south Essex. His interest in earth science was stimulated by the Geography and Geology teacher at St Mary’s College, Ken James, and consequently he entered the then University College of Wales, Aberystwyth to read Joint Geography and Geology in 1964. John was, however, ‘rescued’ from the geographical side of things by the redoubtable Robin Whatley (TMS Honorary Member 2004) and, in 1967, commenced research under his supervision, at the same time striking up what was to become a lifelong friendship with him, and also with John Haynes. John’s doctoral work concerned living ostracods of coastal sites in southern England and his thesis, ‘The taxonomy, ecology and distribution of Recent brackish marine Ostracoda from localities along the coast of Hampshire and Dorset (Christchurch harbour, The Fleet and Weymouth Bay)’, was a monumental two volumes submitted in 1972. From this developed Marine and Brackish Water Ostracods (Athersuch et al., 1989), an important synoptic work still in regular use (if you can find a copy). Fate again took a hand when, in 1971, a position in the Natural History Museum, London became available, working with another formidable character, the late Geoffrey Adams – on foraminifera rather than ostracods! John worked at the NHM until his retirement in . . .