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Charles Chilton
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TitleCharles ChiltonDescriptionA dedicated scientist, Charles Chilton never let his artificial leg get in the way of his many field explorations at Cass Field Station in the Selwyn District.
Among New Zealand's scientific community, Charles is much admired for establishing the Cass Field Station (formerly Canterbury College Mountain Biological Station) in 1914. Charles and his wife Elizabeth conducted many fieldwork parties at Cass, inspiring a generation of young biologists.
In everyday life, the couple subscribed to the maxim, 'A place for everything and everything in its place'. Due to hip problems in childhood, Chilton's left leg was amputated and he spent the rest of his busy life using an artificial limb and a crutch. Out in the open Chilton's physical disability did not deter him from joining field exploration for plants and animals: he tackled hillsides by casting himself prone on the ground and propelling himself up the slopes with the aid of his crutch.
In 1907, Chilton was selected to be a member of the Sub-Antarctic Islands Scientific Expedition. The main aim of the expedition was to extend the magnetic survey of New Zealand by investigating Auckland and Campbell Islands. The team also conducted botanical, biological and zoological surveys.
In November 1901, Chilton and his fellow scientists were aboard the Hinemoa heading to the Auckland Islands when they happened upon the survivors of a shipwreck. Eight months previous, the Dundonald was sailing from Sydney to England with a cargo of wheat, when she ran aground. Some of the crew managed to reach land and incredibly survived the next eight months, eventually being rescued by the scientific expedition from Disappointment Island. Chilton edited all the scientific reports resulting from the expedition.
A brilliant scholar, Chilton has a string of degrees to his name. In 1881, he graduated Canterbury College with a Master of Art with first class honours, studying the then poorly known southern hemisphere Crustacea. Chilton later gain the first BSc degree from the University of New Zealand in 1887, and was the first person to be award a D.Sc degree in New Zealand. He later studied medicine in Edinburgh, graduating MB, CM with honours in 1898. He turned to New Zealand in 1901 and practised as an ophthalmic surgeon in Christchurch for many years.
Chilton maintained a life-long interest in science. At the time of his death in 1929, the zoologist had published 130 papers on crustaceans, mostly amphipods, isopods and decapods from all around the world - but especially from New Zealand, subterranean and Sub-Antarctic waters.
OccupationZoologist, Ophthalmic Surgeon, University ProfessorDate of Birth1860Date of Death1929Cause of DeathPneumonia
Among New Zealand's scientific community, Charles is much admired for establishing the Cass Field Station (formerly Canterbury College Mountain Biological Station) in 1914. Charles and his wife Elizabeth conducted many fieldwork parties at Cass, inspiring a generation of young biologists.
In everyday life, the couple subscribed to the maxim, 'A place for everything and everything in its place'. Due to hip problems in childhood, Chilton's left leg was amputated and he spent the rest of his busy life using an artificial limb and a crutch. Out in the open Chilton's physical disability did not deter him from joining field exploration for plants and animals: he tackled hillsides by casting himself prone on the ground and propelling himself up the slopes with the aid of his crutch.
In 1907, Chilton was selected to be a member of the Sub-Antarctic Islands Scientific Expedition. The main aim of the expedition was to extend the magnetic survey of New Zealand by investigating Auckland and Campbell Islands. The team also conducted botanical, biological and zoological surveys.
In November 1901, Chilton and his fellow scientists were aboard the Hinemoa heading to the Auckland Islands when they happened upon the survivors of a shipwreck. Eight months previous, the Dundonald was sailing from Sydney to England with a cargo of wheat, when she ran aground. Some of the crew managed to reach land and incredibly survived the next eight months, eventually being rescued by the scientific expedition from Disappointment Island. Chilton edited all the scientific reports resulting from the expedition.
A brilliant scholar, Chilton has a string of degrees to his name. In 1881, he graduated Canterbury College with a Master of Art with first class honours, studying the then poorly known southern hemisphere Crustacea. Chilton later gain the first BSc degree from the University of New Zealand in 1887, and was the first person to be award a D.Sc degree in New Zealand. He later studied medicine in Edinburgh, graduating MB, CM with honours in 1898. He turned to New Zealand in 1901 and practised as an ophthalmic surgeon in Christchurch for many years.
Chilton maintained a life-long interest in science. At the time of his death in 1929, the zoologist had published 130 papers on crustaceans, mostly amphipods, isopods and decapods from all around the world - but especially from New Zealand, subterranean and Sub-Antarctic waters.
OccupationZoologist, Ophthalmic Surgeon, University ProfessorDate of Birth1860Date of Death1929Cause of DeathPneumonia
Connections
PlaceCass
Charles Chilton. Selwyn Stories, accessed 25/05/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/4710