Hammond, Sir John (1889 - 1964)

He took a degree in pure science and achieved second class honours in his degree exams but subsequently was awarded distinction in biological subjects in his diploma examination. He was awarded a scholarship in Animal Husbandry at Cambridge and, under the influence of F.H.A. Marshall, he worked on 'fertility, milk secretion and growth', taking his MA in 1914.

He spent the war years on active service in France until 1916 and then as Staff Captain in the Infantry Division until the end of the war. He then devoted himself to research on the physiology of farm animals until his retirement in 1954. He became a great authority on the breeding of livestock and taught at the Cambridge School of Agriculture. He was elected to a Readership in Agricultural Physiology in 1943.

Hammond received many awards, honours and honorary degrees during his lifetime and was made a Knight Bachelor in 1960. He served on many important government committees and commissions. His interests in animal physiology were wide and he published an enormous number of papers and wrote three major books, co-writing others.

He was married to Frances Goulder in 1916 and they had three sons. He was a keen rower and gardener who bred a unique collection of polyanthus.

[Brief Biography compiled by Robin Hammond, January/February 2004]

• 'Hammond, Sir John (1889-1964), Knight Geneticist Hammond, Sir John (1889-1964) Knight Geneticist Hammond, Sir John (1889-1964) Knight Geneticist', in National Register of Archives (UK), The National Archives (UK), 2004, http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/pidocs.asp?P=P33987. [ Details... ]