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    Pilbeam Obit

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    Pilbeam Obit

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    Pilbeam obituary

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    Pilbeam obituary

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    4 views1 page

    Pilbeam Obit

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    g6n47hd84q
    Pilbeam obituary

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 1

    John Pilbeam †

    Many readers will have heard the sad news that John
    Pilbeam passed away in September, at the age of 92. John
    was well-known internationally as a prolific author of
    books and articles, and he helped popularise the cactus and
    succulent hobby.
    He was a member of the British Cactus and Succulent
    Society for 57 years, and in 2011 was elected as the BCSS
    President. He was made a Fellow of the Cactus & Succulent
    Society of America (CSSA) in 1997 and a year later was
    awarded the Fellowship of the BCSS.
    John was born in June 1931 in Brixton, London. He was
    educated at Alleyn’s Grammar School. Apparently he
    became interested in succulent plants at the age of 17. He worked for 40 years for the British
    Government in the Export Credits Guarantee Department, and took early retirement at the
    age of 57 to open a small retail succulent plant nursery, trading as Connoisseurs’ Cacti.
    He was best known for his books, which were always well-illustrated and were written in a
    witty and easy-to-read style, and were therefore accessible to all readers. His interests in the
    hobby were wide and this is reflected in the books he published which covered genera as
    diverse as Haworthia, Agave, Gymnocalycium, Parodia, Ferocactus, Ariocarpus, Echeveria,
    Echinocereus, stapeliads and the smaller opuntias, to name just a few. Of course, he also
    produced books about Mammillaria and Thelocactus, and these are detailed here:
    Mammillaria. A Collector’s Guide. B T Batsford Ltd, London, 1981. This followed the
    classification of David Hunt and is mainly an alphabetic, annotated checklist, with brief
    descriptions, notes on cultivation, and references to literature elsewhere. It went to three
    impressions.
    Mammillaria. A Colour Supplement (complementary to Mammillaria – A Collector’s Guide).
    Photography by Bill Weightman. Privately published, Orpington, Kent, Sep 1981–Jul 1987.
    Originally issued in 37 sets of 8 plates each, at quarterly intervals. After completion, also
    offered bound by Period Binders, Bath.
    Thelocactus. The Cactus File Handbook 1. Cirio Publishing Services Ltd, Southampton, 1996.
    Mammillaria. The Cactus File Handbook 6. Cirio Publishing Services Ltd, Southampton,
    1999. Describes and illustrates 181 accepted species and 127 subspecies, including two new
    combinations.
    In her online tribute to John, the Mammillaria Society Chair Kathy Flanagan stated, “I can’t
    begin to think how many friends he made through his plants as he always had time for people
    from the mere beginner to others with a lifetime of knowledge of a particular genus. I believe
    his true love was always Mammillaria first and foremost. He shared his knowledge so freely
    with so many people, we are just so lucky to have known him. We will always be grateful for
    his friendship and help. He will be sadly missed by so many people.”
    Rest in peace John.

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