Transcript

of

W.K. Spragge [Obituary]

Transactions of the Devonshire Association, 1875, Vol. VII, pp. 62-63.

Prepared by Michael Steer

Paignton is one of the main holiday resorts of South Devon (a population of 48,000 was recorded in the census of 2001), and is the ‘middle’ town of Torbay, with Torquay to the north and Brixham to the south. Quarry House, public benefactor W.K. Spragge’s residence, is situated high on a hill, just outside the town,  over-looking Torbay. It was in the 1850’s the home of Charles Henry Spragge, Captain in the Royal Artillery. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

W. K Spragge, long resident at the Quarry, Paignton, was well known for the interest and zeal he displayed in promoting the study of Natural History. By careful and laborious efforts he succeeded in collecting a valuable series of insects, which, in 1846, he presented to the Torquay Natural History Society, thus laying the foundation of the rich and extensive Entomological Collection now possessed by that society. He was one of the founders of the society itself, and had long been a proprietory and life member. He became a member of this Association in 1864 He died at his residence at Paignton, October 7th, 1874.