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Record

CodePX239
Dates1903-1978
Person NameFraser; Francis Charles (1903-1978); Keeper of Zoology
SurnameFraser
ForenamesFrancis Charles
EpithetKeeper of Zoology
ActivityMuseum Staff. Appointed Assistant Keeper in Department of Zoology 1933; Keeper of Zoology 1957-1964; retired 1969.

Francis Charles Fraser was born on 16 June 1903 to parents James and Barbara Ann Fraser of Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty. Educated at Dingwall Academy and the University of Glasgow (2nd class hons BSc in Zoology, 1924). Following this, he became a demonstrator at the University of Glasgow's Department of Geology. Biologist for Discovery Committee 1925-1933 in the Antartic, during this time, his studies were mainly concerned with plankton, and especially krill.

In 1933, Fraser joined the Natural History Museum as Assistant Keeper in the Department of Zoology. He was responsible for the 1938 installation of the blue whale model in the museum's whale hall. Fraser became Deputy Keeper of the Department of Zoology in 1948. He became Keeper of the department in 1957. In 1964, he stepped down from the position of Keeper, to devote his time to research. Fraser retired in 1969 but continued to visit the Museum and continue his research, as a Scientific Associate.

During the Second World War, he took leave from NHM to work for the Admiralty. He also joined the Danish ‘Alantide’ Expedition to the Tropical Eastern Atalntic (1945-1946).

Fraser was awarded the Polar Medal in 1942, made CBE in 1962, and made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1966. He was Fellow of the Zoological Society of London and served as the society’s Vice-President from 1965-1967.
Fraser's dolphin and Fraser Point are named in his honour.
Catalogue
RefNoTitle
DF/ZOO/206/28Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research: correspondence of F C Fraser
DF/ZOO/208/51Staff file: Fraser, Francis C
DF/ZOO/206/26Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research: Symposium on Antarctic Biology: correspondence of F C Fraser
DF/ZOO/200/133/23Royal Society Symposium
DF/ZOO/232/6/15/8/6Johnston, H H
DF/ZOO/232/5/19/11/12Wentworth, Baroness
DF/ZOO/206/27Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research: Symposium on Antarctic Biology: correspondence and papers of F C Fraser
DF/ZOO/200/136/3Cave, Professor A J E
DF/ZOO/208/93Staff file: Fraser, Francis C
DF/ADM/1005/33Fraser, Dr Francis C
DF/PH/2/6/7/6Staff Group Photograph: Judith Eveleigh King, Francis Fraser and Dr Hishiwaki, on the donation of Lissodelphis Borealis
DF/PUB/516/7/30Stranded Whales and Turtles
DF/ADM/1004/702/2Stranded Cetaceans (whales and dolphins)
DF/PH/2/6/7/3Staff Group Photograph: Zoology Department
DF/PAL/140/2/1Correspondence
DF/PAL/131/1/136Royal Geographic Society Persian Gulf Expedition
DF/PH/2/6/11Staff Group Photograph: Zoology Department
DF/ZOOZoology
DF/PAL/140Anthropology Sub-Department Staff Correspondence and Papers
DF/PAL/141Anthropology Sub-Department: Subject Files
DF/PAL/140/2/2Correspondence
DF/PAL/140/2/3Correspondence
DF/ZOO/238/5/5SF5 Head. Iron age pit bones Bledlow
DF/ZOO/238/5/10SF10 Miss D. M. A. Bate
DF/ZOO/238/5/45SF45 Trade 1938-1940
DF/ZOO/238/5/19SF19 Transparent plastics
DF/ZOO/238/5/22SF22 Aberdaron Bay collecting
DF/ZOO/238/5/12SF12 Tetley papers
DF/ZOO/238/5/29SF29 Jonah etc
DF/ZOO/238/5/28SF28 Harpoon gun
DF/ZOO/238/5/31SF31 P. Deraniyagala Ceylon 1936
DF/ZOO/238/5/21SF21 Cetacean and turtle pamphlet (Stranded whales and turtles pamphlet)
DF/ZOO/238/5/42SF42 Ambergris (I. L. N. article)
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/7SF14A Bank statements
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/4SF14A A. Loveridge St. Helena
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/9SF14A Dr J. F. G. Wheeler. Zanzibar
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/6SF14A Dominica - H. A. L. Francis. St. Lucia - C. M. S. Cadet. Dolphin collecting
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/11SF14A Mrs Rowan Tristan da Cunha
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/8SF14A Sir John Ellerman
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/20SF14A Dolphin collecting form
DF/ZOO/238/5/30SF30 Zoo. Soc. [Zoological Society]
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/13SF14A A. Webb Esq Nigeria
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/16SF14A Angus Taylor Sierra Leone
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/14SF14A Martin Routh
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/10SF14A A. Fraser-Brunner Esq
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/19SF14A Mrs O. Tattersall
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/18SF14A Dolphin collecting, China seas. W. J. Stuttard Esq.
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/29SF14A P. I. R. Maclaren Esq Nigeria
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/22SF14A Dr. R. A. Falla
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/26SF14A Indian Ocean Trading Co
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/25SF14A Surgeon Lt. J. E. Fay RN Dolphin collecting
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/17SF14A Rev Murdoch MacLeod
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/27SF14A Dr E. Edwards Gold Coast
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/2SF14A Major N. V. L. Rybot Jersey
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/3SF14A C. G. Dixon Esq (E. J. Wagstaff Esq) St. Helena
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/21SF14A Dr C. F. Hickling
DF/ZOO/238/5/33SF33 British Council. Staff Ass. [Association] matters
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/28SF14A Prof. Spaerck Denmark
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/5SF14A Vorley Harris Esq Black Sea coast of Turkey
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/12SF14A Dr K. Barnard Cape Town
DF/ZOO/238/5/36SF36 Ray Society
DF/ZOO/238/5/39SF39 Trade
DF/ZOO/238/5/38SF38 Zoo. Soc. [Zoological Society]
DF/ZOO/238/5/53SF53 British Mammals
DF/ZOO/238/5/20SF20 Macerating tank
DF/ZOO/238/5/14/2/15SF14A V. T. Hinds Berbera later Aden
DF/ZOO/238/5/2SF2 Council for British Archaeology, Natural Sciences Committee
DF/ZOO/238/5/4SF4 Griffin, F. J. (Royal Entomological Society) (Jenkins bibliography)
DF/ZOO/238/5/7SF7 Linnean Society
DF/ZOO/238/5/8SF8 Coastal Command
DF/ZOO/238/5/44SF44 Photographic letters
DF/ZOO/238/5/50SF50 Manihine
DF/ZOO/238/5/47SF47 Vacuum pump motor
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