jg6 



Bulletin 35 



344 



APPENDIX II* 



Notes on the Life of R. J. L. Guppy 



A glance at the Frontispiece of "this Bulletin will suffice to 

 convince the reader that Robert John Lechrnere Guppy was no 

 ordinary character. His grandmother was a daughter of Ad- 

 miral Lechrnere of Plantagenet descent, his paternal ancestors 

 date back to the Guy Pigli family of Florence. Migrating to 

 France, the family name became Goupil, and finally, after the 

 revocation of the Edict of Nantes when the family fled to Eng- 

 land the name was modified to its present form. Robert John 

 Lechrnere Guppy was born in England, August 15, 1836. His 

 father was the Hon. R. Guppy, M.A., Barrister-in-law, and for 

 many years Mayor of San Fernando, Trinidad. After complet- 

 ing his studies in Civil Engineering, Guppy traveled in Austral- 

 ia, Tasmania and New Zealand but returned to England in 1858. 

 Early in 1859 he served as assistant to Mr. Curtis, the engineer 

 in charge in the construction of the Cipero railway. Upon com- 

 pletion of this road in July, 1859, since no similar work was 

 available he accepted an appointment in the Colonial Secretary's 

 office where he became Chief (Confidential) Clerk and Clerk of 

 the Councils in 1861. In 1868 he was appointed Chief Inspect- 

 or of Schools, a position which he held till retirement in 1891. 

 The work involved in building up a new system of education was 

 arduous. Little time and strength was left for the delights of 



*Since the foregoing pages of this Bulletin were printed and ready for 

 distribution, (March 1921 ) we have been awaiting a biographic sketch of 

 Mr. Guppy by a member of the family, one who naturally could do justice 

 to the subject. Bulletins 36 and 37 have long been ready for mailing but 

 have been withheld till this Appendix could be written, and hence these 

 Bulletins could be sent out in their proper order. Fortunately, Mr. Waring 

 has been able to borrow a good photograph of Mr. Guppy, and the same is 

 herewith reproduced as Frontispiece but the biographic sketch has as yet 

 (June '21) failed to appear. The few notes here given are from Newton's 

 Obituary notice, published in the Geological Magazine, vol. 3, 1916, pp. 

 479-480, from a few pamphlets and a letter sent by Mr. Guppy, and from 

 conversation with a son in San Fernando. 



