The Times/1894/Obituary/George Pycroft

OBITUARY.

Mr. M.R.C.S.E., L.S.A., late of Kenton, Devon, who died a few days ago, at Torquay, was one of the initiators of the Volunteer movement of 1852–3. When the idea of starting a Volunteer corps of rifleme occurred to Dr. Bucknill, Mr. Pycroft and Mr. G. Haydon were the two friends whom he consulted before asking Lord Fortescue's sanction to his scheme. After recruiting for the 1t Devon Rifles Mr. Pycroft joined the 1st D.A.V., in which he continued to serve till he left Devonshire in 1887 with the rank of surgeon-major. Mr. Pycroft was also well known in Devonshire as a lover of art and science ad was one of the promoters of the Art Department of the Bath and West of England Society, and was the author of "Art in Devon" and of a Life of Samuel Cousins, R.A. He was a brilliant and popular lecturer on subjects connected with art and science, and was the anonymous author of the skit, "A Recent Bone Case—Owen versus Huxley," mentioned in Darwin's Life. He also helped to found the Devon Association for the Advancement of Science and Art.