Francis Charles Fraser (1903 - 1978)

Born 16 Jun 1903 in Dingwall, Ross-shire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Annie Nuttall — married 1938 in Pembroke, Dyfed, Wales

Died 21 Oct 1978 at age 75 in Bromley, Kent, England

Biography

Dr Francis C Fraser awarded CBE in 1962. FRS. for Antarctic Research Work, 1929-1931.

Biographical Memoir of F.C.Fraser, Fellow of the Royal Society (Vol25, November 1979), Copied photograph of Fraser and other explorers aboard ship and a hand written log dated 18-1-1965 to 1-3-1965.

Francis Charles Fraser (1903-1978), a Scott from Ross and Cromarty, Educated Glasgow University, Department of Geology, spent three seasons in the Antarcitic, served as a zoologist in Discovery 1926-27, and Discovery II during 1929-31, concerned with thebetter understanding of whalebone whales. Employed at the British Museumon mammalian osteology 1933-48; Deputy Keeper of Zoology 1948-57, Keeper of Zoology 1957-64, engaged at the shore station in South Georgia, member of a Danish Expedition, West Africa 1945-46. Elected F.R.S. 1966. Scientific advisor on Blue Whale model at the Natural History Museum.

He was quite a well known scientist in his day, specialising in the study of whales and dolphins. He was a curator at the Natural History Museum in Kensington and was the scientific advisor who helped to build the giant Blue Whale model there.

Francis was the youngest on of James and Barbaa Anne Fraser. There were 6 boys and 4 girls i n the family. His father was a master-saddler with a business (founded 1817) in Dingwall. Like his brothers and sisters, Francis went to school from infants to Higher Learning Certificate grades at Dingwall Academywhere “Homework ws plentiful and in this family it was seen to that it was done. One might have an hour or so free before 5 PM tea and then homework was the rule and I can’t tremember that anyone expresed objection to that.”

Francis was seven when his father died. The managment of the business then passed to the second son (Louie) who was barely out of his apprenticeship. The oldest son, James, had alrady gone to university. Like his two brothers just older than himself, Francis had to do his stint in the saddling and harness workshop, where hands were most busy just before harvest time. Here he learned the skills of “Fraser the Saddler”.

Occupation

Occupation:

Place: Keeper of Zoology, NHM

Francis's marriage to Annie Nuttall was registered in the Apr-May-Jun quarter of 1938 in the Pembroke district.^[1]

Sources

• WikiTree profile Fraser-890 created through the import of doug english.ged on Oct 16, 2012 by Katharine E. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Katharine and others.

1. ↑ Marriage Registration: "England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005"
   General Register Office; United Kingdom; Volume: 11a; Page: 2708
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record ONSmarriage1984 #55385064 (accessed 12 May 2023)
   Francis C Fraser marriage to Annie Nuttall registered Apr-May-Jun 1938 in Pembroke.