Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bloxam, Andrew
BLOXAM, ANDREW (1801–1878), naturalist, was born at Rugby 22 Sept. 1801, and was fourth son of Rev. R. R. Bloxam, one of the masters of Rugby School, which school he entered in 1809, leaving it in 1820 for Worcester College, Oxford, of which he afterwards became a fellow. In the autumn of 1824 he accepted the situation of naturalist on board the Blonde frigate, Captain Lord Byron, his eldest brother being the chaplain. The vessel conveyed the bodies of the King and Queen of the Sandwich Islands, who had died in this country, to their native land, the voyage lasting eighteen months. A large collection of natural history specimens were made, and these were deposited in the British Museum on his return in 1826.
He took holy orders a few months later, and settled in Leicestershire at Twycross, afterwards removing to Harborough Magna, where he died 2 Feb. 1878. His labours were not confined to any one department; he wrote on conchology, ornithology, flowerless and flowering plants, and he possessed a critical knowledge of British ‘Rubi’ and ‘Rosæ,’ of which he published dried sets. In conjunction with Mr. Churchill Babington he wrote an account of the botany of Charnwood Forest for Potter's history of that district. He may be regarded as perhaps the last of the all-round British naturalists.
Bloxam married Ann, daughter of Rev. J. Roby, of Congerstone, and by her had a numerous family. A water-colour drawing by Turner, in the National Gallery, represents the six brothers Bloxam attending the funeral of their uncle, Sir T. Lawrence, R.A.
[Midland Naturalist, April 1878, pp. 88–90.]