Kenneth Morton Explained

Kenneth J. Morton (185829 January 1940)[1] was a Scottish entomologist, with a particular interest in the study of Odonata and Neuroptera. He was born at Carluke, Lanarkshire, Scotland, and he died at Edinburgh.[1]

His collections are held at the National Museums of Scotland. They include specimens of dragonflies (from worldwide), caddis flies, lacewings and stoneflies.

Biography

Kenneth John Morton was born on 5 August 1858.[2] His parents were Andrew Morton (b. circa 1820), a cabinet maker, sawmill foreman and Ironmonger who ran a business in Carluke High Street,[3] and Helen Valentine Home (b. circa 1823), who had married in 1847.[4] Morton had sisters named Eleanor and Sarah.[5] In 1940 the Morton family were described as one of the oldest families of Carluke.

Kenneth Morton's regular job was as a secretary and accountant at the British Linen Bank, beginning his employment at the age of 16 in Glasgow but eventually moving to the Bank's head office in Edinburgh.[6] Morton retired from his job at the bank circa 1923.

In 1888 Morton married Agnes Brownlee Forrest Freeland of Glasgow:[7] they had already been acquainted for at least five years as Freeland is recorded as sending Morton a collection of insects from Glaslough, Ireland in 1883, which Morton wrote about in The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine.[8] The couple had four children: Marguerite Forrest Ross Morton (1889-1972[9]), Helena Valentine Morton (c.1890-1906),[10] Andrew Morton (b. and d. 1891)[11] and Kenneth Valentine Morton (c.1907-2003).[12] [13] Later in their marriage, Morton was sometimes accompanied by Agnes on entomological fieldwork e.g. on trips to Norway in 1900 and Switzerland in 1904, and he noted that she was a skilled insect collector in her own right.

Morton was a friend of James Joseph Francis Xavier King,[14] and they went on entomological study trips together, e.g. to Killarney, Ireland in August 1887[15] and Rannoch in the Scottish Highlands in June 1889.[16]

Morton became known as an authority in Trichoptera, particularly the family Hydroptilidae, and entomologist Robert McLachlan noted in 1902 that Morton was a reliable person to consult once his own worsening eyesight had affected his work: "Mr Morton has kindly given me the benefit of his good eyes by examining the materials in this family."[17]

Many of Morton's collecting localities were in Scotland: in one paper he commented on the relative increase in smoke pollution when he had needed to move himself for a period in 1896 from Carluke to Uddingston (where his wife Agnes's family came from), and how this had influenced which insects he was able to find, however despite his assumption that the river Clyde would have picked up more impurities further along its route, he found that Trichoptera were still plentiful.[18]

On 22 February 1893 Morton was elected a Fellow of the Entomological Society of London.[19]

Death and legacy

Morton died at his home at Blackford Road, Edinburgh, on 29 January 1940.[20] Morton and his wife Agnes, who died in 1943, are laid to rest together in a Freeland family plot at Old Carluke Cemetery in South Lanarkshire.[21]

Morton's entomological collections were bequeathed to the Royal Scottish Museum (precursor to the National Museum of Scotland), where they were later curated by Andrew Rodger Waterston (1912-1996).[22] Some of Morton's specimens are also in the collection of the Natural History Museum, London: these are specimens which were originally sent by Morton to other entomologists like Robert McLachlan or Martin Mosely (e.g. Rhyacophila septentrionis McLachlan, 1865 from Carluke NHMUK014557136,[23] Rhyacophila obliterata McLachlan, 1863 from Cleghorn NHMUK014559270,[24] Hydroptila vectis Curtis, 1834 from Carluke NHMUK014559879)[25] and tubes of Beraeodes minutus (Linnaeus, 1761) from Carluke NHMUK014569545.[26]

Selected works

Notes and References

  1. Fraser. F.C.. 1940. In Memoriam. Kenneth J. Morton. Entomological News. 50. 236–239.
  2. Web site: Kenneth John Morton (1858-1940) - Find a Grave... . 2024-09-25 . www.findagrave.com . en.
  3. 1901 MORTON, ANDREW (Census 629/ 1/ 2) page 2 of 88 [Showing the household of Andrew Morton Ironmonger of Carluke aged 80, Helen V. Morton aged 78, and daughters Eleanor and Sarah] - via Scotland's People
  4. 1847 MORTON, ANDREW (Old Parish Registers Marriages 644/1 Glasgow page 277 of 726 [marriage of Andrew Morton, cabinet maker in Glasgow and Helen Home residing there, married 16th April] - via Scotland's People
  5. News: 10 May 1940 . CARLUKE: Death of Miss Morton . Carluke and Lanark Gazette . 2 . The British Newspaper Archive.
  6. News: 30 January 1940 . The Late Mr K J Morton . Edinburgh Evening News . 2 . The British Newspaper Archive.
  7. News: 7 April 1888 . MARRIAGE: MORTON - FREELAND . The Hamilton Advertiser . 1 . The British Newspaper Archive.
  8. Morton . Kenneth J . November 1883 . Occurrence of Oecetis furva, Ramb., and other Trichoptera in Co. Monaghan, Ireland . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 20 . 142 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  9. 1972 MORTON, MARGUERITE R F (Statutory registers deaths 744/102) [death of Marguerite Ross Forrest Morton, born 3 February 1889] - via Scotland's People
  10. Web site: Helena Valentine Morton (1890-1906) - Find a... . 2024-09-27 . www.findagrave.com . en.
  11. 1891 MORTON, Andrew (Statutory registers Deaths 629/168) - via Scotland's People
  12. MORTON, KENNETH J (Census 685/6 3/ 21) page 21 of 24 [Kenneth J Morton on the 1911 census, showing as a household member his son Kenneth Valentine Morton aged 3] - Via Scotland's People
  13. MORTON: KENNETH VALENTINE FREELAND: date of death 17 January 2003 [probate at Winchester] - via probatesearch.service.gov.uk
  14. Morton . Kenneth J . July 1884 . On the Larva, &c., of Beraeodes minuta, Linné . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 21 . 27-29 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  15. Morton . Kenneth J . October 1887 . Apatania fimbriata, Pict., a caddis-fly new to the British Isles . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 23 . 118 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  16. Morton . Kenneth J . King . J J F X . September 1889 . Aeschna borealis, Zett. at Rannoch . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 25 . 383 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  17. McLachlan . Robert . October 1902 . A small contribution towards a knowledge of the Neuropterous fauna of eastern South Devon . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 38 . 236 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  18. Morton . Kenneth J . October 1896 . Allotrichia pallicornis, Eaton, and other Trichoptera from Clydesdale . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 32 . 231-232 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  19. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London: February 22, 1893: Election of Fellows . Transactions of the Entomological Society of London . 1893 . iii . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  20. News: 2 February 1940 . Former British Linen Bank Secretary . Midlothian Advertiser . 3 . The British Newspaper Archive.
  21. Web site: Agnes Brownlee Freeland Morton (1863-1943) - Find... . 2024-09-27 . www.findagrave.com . en.
  22. News: Shaw . Mark R . 9 August 1996 . Obituaries: Rodger Waterston: Andrew Rodger Waterston, former keeper of Natural History at the Royal Scottish Museum . The Scotsman . 15 . The British Newspaper Archive.
  23. Web site: Collection specimens - Specimens - NHMUK014557136 - Data Portal . 2024-09-27 . data.nhm.ac.uk . en-GB.
  24. Web site: Collection specimens - specimens - NHMUK014559270 - Data Portal . data.nhm.ac.uk.
  25. Web site: Collection specimens - Specimens - NHMUK014559879 - Data Portal . 2024-09-27 . data.nhm.ac.uk . en-GB.
  26. Web site: Collection specimens - specimens - NHMUK014569545 - Data Portal . data.nhm.ac.uk.
  27. Morton . K J . July 1882 . Voluntary submergence by the female of Phryganea . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 19 . 28 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  28. Morton . K J . December 1883 . Note on the development of Phryganea striata . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 20 . 168 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  29. Morton . Kenneth J . November 1884 . Notes on the Larva, &c., of Asynarchus coenosus, Curt. . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 21 . 125-126 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  30. Morton . Kenneth J . May 1886 . On the Case, &c., of Agraylea multipunctata, Curt. (=Hydroptila flabellifera, Bremi) . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 22 . 269-272 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  31. Morton . Kenneth J . November 1887 . Another Caddis-fly new to the British Isles: Tinodes maculicornis, Pict. . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 24 . 136 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  32. Morton . Kenneth J . January 1888 . The larva and case of Ithytrichia lamellaris, Eaton, with references to other species of Hydroptildae . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 24 . 171-173 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  33. Morton . Kenneth J . September 1888 . The larva, &c., of Philopotamus . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 25 . 89-91 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  34. Morton . Kenneth J . February 1890 . Notes on the metamorphoses of two species of the genus Tinodes . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 26 . 38-42 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  35. Morton . Kenneth J . July 1890 . Notes on the metamorphoses of British Leptoceridae (No. 2): Section of Odontocerum: II: Odontocerum albicorne, Scop. . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 26 . 181-184 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  36. Morton . Kenneth J . September 1890 . Notes on the metamorphoses of British Leptoceridae (No. 3): Section of Beraea . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 26 . 231-236 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  37. Morton . Kenneth J . April 1892 . Hydroptila maclachlani, Klapálek, a caddis fly new to Britain . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 28 . 108 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  38. Morton . Kenneth J . December 1892 . Notes on Trichoptera and Neuroptera from Ireland . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 28 . 301 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  39. Morton . Kenneth J . 1893 . Notes on Hydroptilidae belonging to the European Fauna, with descriptions of new species . Transactions of the Entomological Society of London . 1893 . 75-82 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  40. Morton . Kenneth J . 1894 . Palearctic Nemourae . Transactions of the Entomological Society of London . 1894 . 557-574 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  41. Morton . Kenneth J . November 1895 . Neuroptera observed in Glen Lochay . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 31 . 260-263 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  42. Morton . Kenneth John . 1896 . New and little-known Palearctic Perlidae . Transactions of the Entomological Society of London . 1896 . 55-63 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  43. Morton . Kenneth J . January 1897 . Lepidoptera observed in Glen Lochay . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 33 . 1-4 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  44. Morton . Kenneth J . December 1899 . Neuroptera and Trichoptera observed in Wigtownshire during July, 1899, including two species of Hydroptilidae new to the British List . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 35 . 278-281 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  45. Morton . Kenneth J . May 1900 . Some old Records of the Occurrence of certain Dragon-flies in Scotland . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 36 . 108-110 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  46. Morton . Kenneth J . 1900 . Descriptions of new species of Oriental Rhyacophilae . Transactions of the Entomological Society of London . 1900 . 1-7 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  47. Morton . Kenneth J . January 1901 . Trichoptera, Neuroptera-Plannipennia, Odonata and Rhophalocera collected in Norway in the summer of 1900 . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 37 . 24-33 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  48. Morton . Kenneth J . February 1902 . Trichoptera, Plannipennia and Pseudo-Neuroptera collected in North Wales in July, 1901 . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 38 . 34-36 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  49. Morton . Kenneth J . March 1904 . Neuroptera and Trichoptera observed in the Lake District . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 40 . 52-54 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  50. Morton . Kenneth J . 1904 . Further notes on Hydroptilidae belonging to the European Fauna, with descriptions of new species . Transactions of the Entomological Society of London . 1904 . 323-328 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  51. Morton . Kenneth J . January 1905 . Dragon-fly hunting in eastern Switzerland . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 41 . 1-4 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  52. Morton . Kenneth J . February 1905 . Dragon-fly hunting in eastern Switzerland (continued from page 4) . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 41 . 33-36 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  53. Morton . Kenneth J . July 1908 . Butterflies and Neuroptera in Perthshire . The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine . 44 . 149-151 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  54. Morton . Kenneth J . 1915 . Some Palaearctic species of Cordulegaster . Transactions of the Entomological Society of London . 1915 . 273-290 . Biodiversity Heritage Library.

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