William Bernhardt Tegetmeier

Who was William Bernhardt Tegetmeier?

William Bernhardt Tegetmeier FZS was an English naturalist, a founder of the Savage Club, and a writer and journalist of domestic science.

Born in Colnbrook, Buckinghamshire, he was educated by his father and at University College London. Tegetmeier was already a published authority on poultry when he first met Charles Darwin: they became correspondents, and Tegetmeier eventually became a Darwinist.

Initially following a career in medicine, he instead became a journalist and natural history editor of The Field magazine. His work with homing pigeons led to their use in war time.

Whilst living in Fortis Green, near Muswell Hill in north London, in the 1850s Tegetmeier became interested in bee keeping, and discovered how bees created the hexagon-shaped cells in their hives. He died in Hampstead and his remains rest in East Finchley Cemetery.