Francis Houssemayne du Boulay


Francis Houssemayne "Frank" du Boulay was an Australian musician and naturalist.

History

Du Boulay was born in Sandgate, Kent, England, the third son of Rev Thomas Houssemayne du Boulay..
He left for Western Australia around 1858, and settled at Minnanooka station, Champion Bay, near Geraldton, with his brother Arthur Houssemagne du Boulay, who married Caroline Emily Josephine Howard in 1867.
He began collecting insects there, also in Victoria around 1869; Cooktown and Rockhampton around 1870, and in northern New South Wales and Sydney.
Du Boulay was a talented pianist and concertina player, and was prominent at concerts in Melbourne, 1872–1876 including Robert Sparrow Smythe's Exhibition Concert Company, with singers Mrs Smythe, Samuel Lamble, and Mary Ellen Christian.
His interest in bugs and beetles never waned; he was a member of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria.
He moved to Beechworth, Victoria, around 1888, and soon was immersed in the music scene; he helped organise a concert in aid of the public library and Burke Museum, contributing a fantasia on themes from Faust played on a symphonion. He was also a skilled player on the xylophone and "carillon".
Around 1904 he left Beechworth for Beverley, Western Australia, where he taught music for many years, and died on 12 January 1914.

Recognition

His collection of paintings of Coleoptera in two volumes, is held by the National Museum, Melbourne.
The species Chaetodontoplus duboulayi and Melanotaenia duboulayi were named for him, though both are fishes.

Family

Du Boulay married Mary Jane Lawrance. on 25 May 1879
They had two sons and four daughters, listed as Edgar, William, Amy, Leila, Margaret and Isabel:
  • Edgar married Marjorie Preston on 23 April 1918.
  • William Lawrance du Boulay was a fine violinist. He never married.
  • daughter 9 July 1883
  • daughter 3 June 1886
  • daughter 18 August 1891
Two daughters had notable marriages: