OBITUARY. 



WILLIAM PENGELLY. 

 Born January 12, 1812. Died March 16, 1894. 



ALTHOUGH Mr. Pengelly was for some sixty years a resident in 

 Torquay, he was not a Devonshire man, his birthplace having 

 been in the quiet Httle fishing town of East Looe, in Cornwall. It 

 is not surprising that, with the surroundings of such a place, he should 

 have acquired, as a lad, a strong attachment to the sea. Fortunately, 

 however, the bent of his mind towards scientific studies led him to 

 adopt the profession of a teacher, and while still a young man he 

 established himself at Torquay. Here his enthusiasm for the acquisi- 

 tion of knowledge soon manifested itself in the activity which he 

 displayed in developing the Mechanics' Institute ; and a few years 

 afterwards he suggested the formation of a local society for the study 

 of Natural Science. It was, indeed, mainly due to Mr. Pengelly's 

 energy that the autumn of 1844 witnessed the foundation of the 

 Torquay Natural History Society. Over its early fortunes he 

 exercised the most watchful care, and in 1851 he was induced to 

 accept the office of Honorary Secretary, an office which he continued 

 uninterruptedly to hold, to the unspeakable advantage of the Society, 

 for not less than nine-and-thirty years. Under his guidance it became 

 a scientific power in the county ; year after year he lectured there, 

 tincturing the locality with his own enthusiasm, and from the Society 

 there ultimately sprang the Museum in Babbacombe Road, with its 

 admirable local collections. In the reading-room attached to the 

 Museum there fitly hangs an oil-painting of the man whose indi- 

 viduality is unmistakably stamped upon the entire institution — 

 William Pengelly. 



Everyone identifies Mr. Pengelly with the exploration of Kent's 

 Cavern. To this cave he had been attracted soon after his settlement 

 in Torquay ; and as far back as 1846 he had assisted in its partial 

 examination, as a member of a small and poorly-equipped Committee, 

 appointed by the local Natural History Society. The work of this 

 Committee tended to confirm the conclusions formed by MacEnery and 

 afterwards by Godwin -Austen ; but the age was far from being ripe 

 for the reception of their views. 



Twelve years passed, and a cavern in Devonian limestone was 

 -discovered at Windmill Hill, near Brixham. By this time scientific 

 opinion was veering round to a more favourable quarter, and the 



