Octavius Pickard-Cambridge

Who was Octavius Pickard-Cambridge?

The Reverend Octavius Pickard-Cambridge FRS was an English clergyman and zoologist.

Pickard-Cambridge was born in Bloxworth rectory, Dorset, the fifth son of Revd George Pickard, rector and squire of Bloxworth: the family changed their name to Pickard-Cambridge in 1848. Octavius was tutored at home by William Barnes, then studied theology at the University of Durham. He was ordained in 1858, succeeding his father at Bloxworth in 1868. In 1857 he presented the Pickard-Cambridge Challenge Cup to University College Boating Club, University of Durham for a skiff race; it was re-presented in 1895 for college second trial fours.

His main interest was in spiders, though he wrote also on birds and lepidoptera. This passion for arachnids was probably fostered in 1854 in which year he both accompanied the entomologist Frederick Bond on a visit to the New Forest in Hampshire and was introduced to the writings of the arachnologist John Blackwall, with whom he struck up a correspondence, meeting first in 1860. Pickard-Cambridge assisted Blackwall between 1861 and 1864 in the publication of Blackwell's great work, British and Irish Spiders.