Stow, Thomas – Farmer became a keen conchologist

Thomas Stow (1842 – 1929)

Born at Waltham -on-the-Wolds, Thomas Stow was educated at Grantham King’s School.

On leaving he moved to Shropshire, where he took up farming.  He was a hunting, shooting and fishing enthusiast.

He became seriously ill and moved to Shanklin, Isle of Wight, for eight years and was a founder and secretary of the local Conservative Club.

On recovery, he returned to farming, this time at Court Leys, Caythorpe, for 28 years, finally retiring in 1903.

He became long-time secretary of the King’s School Old Boys Association and was the oldest member and served on Kesteven County Council.

He was well known as a field naturalist and became president of Lincolnshire Naturalists Union.

His knowledge of nature was gained by careful and long observations of animals an plants and was thoroughly conversant with the practical side of botany, and studied plants as a farmer.

With his friend John Hawkins, he became an ardent conchologist, recording many previously unknown mollusca to the list of land and fresh water in the county.

In his retirement years, he lived at 28 Avenue Road, Grantham.