22 7 
3n flDcmonam. 
WILLIAM WEST, F.L.S., 1848—1914. 
(plate xxii.). 
The story of the life-history of our late friend William West, 
the loss of whom by his death on the 14th May is one of the 
greatest which Yorkshire and botanical science have sustaind 
of late years, is the tale of the gradual development of an 
exceptionally keen intellect by its own inherent force and 
vitality, from an excellent observer and all-round naturalist to 
the highest position as a specialist in the study of freshwater 
algae. 
From the beginning he was an ardent nature-lover, a keen 
enthusiastic observer, and one with ever a wide and most 
comprehensive grasp of the subjects he took up. Beginning 
first of all with no special advantages beyond his own person- 
ality, he trained himself as an accurate field-botanist, familiar 
with the whole range of the flowering-plants, and then turned 
his attention to the cryptogams, with all groups of which 
he became familiar — Mosses, Hepatics, Lichens, Fungi, Algae. 
Next, when fully-armed with the literature of the subject, 
he devoted his attention to the study of the freshwater algae, 
and more particularly the Desmidiaceae, on which he speedily 
became one of the greatest living authorities. Later still he 
turned special attention to the investigation of freshwater 
phytoplankton, achieving results of considerable scientific 
importance. 
William West was a native of Leeds, a city which has 
produced not a few naturalists of high distinction. He was 
born on the 22nd of February, 1848, on the edge of Woodhouse 
Moor, his father being George West, of 8 Delph Terrace. 
They were attendants at St. Mark’s Church, and William was 
in its choir, being of a musical turn, and later was an able 
performer both on the flute and piano. 
He studied for the pharmaceutical profession, and was 
apprenticed to a chemist in lower Briggate, Leeds, opposite 
to the shop in which his namesake, William West, F.R.S. 
(who came to Leeds in 1816 and died 1851) founded the business 
which is now carried on by Reynolds & Branson at the same 
address. Even at this time he was a persevering and inde- 
fatigable student, attending evening classes for Latin and 
French. Taking an early interest in microscopical work, he 
used in after years to speak of going without his dinners at this 
time to save money to acquire the ' Micrographic Dictionary.’ 
In 1870 he passed his professional examination and was 
registered on the 16th November ; and in 1872 he removed 
to Bradford and set up in business at 15 Horton Lane. 
In 1874 he married Hannah Wainwright, also a native of 
1914 July 1 
