Person Biffen; Sir; Rowland Harry (1874 - 1949); geneticist and agricultural botanist Biffen Rowland Harry Sir geneticist and agricultural botanist 1874 - 1949 British Male Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom 28 May 1874 18740528 Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, United Kingdom 12 July 1949 19490712

Geneticist; Agricltural botanist Mycology Plant genetics Agriculture Botany Education: Cheltenham Grammar School; Emmanuel College, Cambridge; Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge MA Career: Accompanied a small expedition to Brazil, Mexico, and the West Indies to study rubber production (1896); university demonstrator in botany under Harry Marshall Ward (FRS 1888), Cambridge, investigating fungi and developing a new method of handling rubber latex (1898); lecturer in agricultural botany, in the newly established school of agriculture in the University of Cambridge, elevated to professorship (1899-1931); retired (1931). Honours: Kt 1925 Parents: Henry John Biffen, headmaster of the Christ Church higher grade school at Cheltenham, and Mary. Spouse: (m. 1899) Mary (d. 1948), eldest daughter of Edmund Hemus of Holdfast Hall, Upton upon Severn. Distinguished for his mycological investigations and for researches into the breeding of cereals. Founded the Journal of Agricultural Science. Expert in the identification of British wild flora in photography and in archaeology. Medals and prizes: Darwin Medal 1920 Fellow 07/05/1914 40 Francis Wall Oliver Hans Friedrich Gadow Alfred Daniel Hall Reginald Crundall Punnett Otto Stapf David Prain Frederick Frost Blackman Francis Darwin Horace Tabberer Brown William Bateson Albert Charles Seward Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB Obituaries: Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society 1950-1951 vol 7 pp 9-25, plate, by F L Engledow International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbm.1950.0002 RCN 16695 28 May 1874 - 12 Jul 1949 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 11/06/2025 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA1725 21/11/2001 Andyg pmab 08/09/2025 RS_NET\VirginiaM Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/290924917 9e7c7d70-5867-431c-85f0-d03f2e3bd5e1