BriXKTix 
344 
196 
35 
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 Lechmere Guppy was no 
ordinary character. His grandmother was a daughter of Ad- 
miral Lechmere of Plantagenet descent, his paternal ancestors 
date back to the Guy Pigli famih’ 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 
Lechmere Guppy was born in England, August 15. 1836. His 
father was the Hon. R. Gupp3', M.A., Barrister- in-law, and for 
mail}’ 5'ears Ma^'or of San Fernando, Trinidad. After complet- 
ing his studies in Civil Engineering, Guppy traveled in Airstral- 
ia, Tasmania and New Zealand but returned to England in 1858. 
Earh' in 1859 he served as assistant to Mr. Curtis, the engineer 
in charge in the construction of the Cipero railway*. Upon cons- 
pletion of this road in Juh', 1859, since no similar work was 
available he accepted an appointment in the Colonial Secretarv’s 
office where he became Chief (Confidential) Clerk and Clerk of 
the Councils in 1861. In 1868 he was appointed Chief Iirspect- 
or of Schools, a position which he held till retirement in 1891. 
The work involved in building up a new s\’stem of education was 
arduous. Little time and strength was left for the delights of 
*Since the foregoing pages of this Bulletin were printed and read^' for 
distribution, (March 1921) we have been awaiting a biographic sketch of 
Mr. Gupp3' b3' a member of the familv-, one v.ho natural!}' could do justice 
to the subject. Bulletins 36 and 37 have long been read}' for mailing but 
have been withheld till this Appendix could be written, and hence the.se 
Bulletins could be sent out in their proper order. Fortunatel}'. Mr. Waring 
has been able to borrow a good photograph of Mr. Gupp}', and the same is 
herewith reproduced as Frontispiece but the biographic sketch has as }'et 
(June ’21) failed to appear. The few notes here given are from Newton’s 
Obituan' notice, published in the Geological Magazine, vol. 3, 1916, pp. 
479-480. from a few pamphlets and a letter sent ’D}’ IMr. Gupp}', and from 
conversation with a son in San Fernando. 
