Page 37 - pp-Suter-Miscellany

now (as discussed already) he almost certainly had his
microscope, and probably included microscopy in his
school lessons. He certainly began mounting within a
few years, as evidenced by his 1887 Science Gossip
entry. His brothers were all much younger (Suter was
born in India, where his mother Ann had been a child
bride aged 14) and doubtless grew up listening to
Richard’s talk of things scientific, including
microscopy. Ten years later, two of Richard’s brothers
– William and Harry - were assisting in the mounting
business, and Thomas possibly also helped while still
at 10 Highweek Road.

The Suter household in 1901

By 1901 at 10 Highweek Road the census extract
above shows William and Harry as mounting assistants.
When that census was taken, Thomas was staying with
his aunt Sarah in Hampshire: by 1903 he was married,
and presumably had moved to Bruce Grove. Ten years
later, the census at 10 Highweek Road shows two of
the other boys working for chemists: if they continued
assisting with mounting, perhaps they brought some
chemical knowledge to the activity. (Richard senior is
absent from the entry – at the time of the census he was
visiting his sister in Portsmouth.)

The 1911 census, above, now shows Richard alone as a
mounter: younger siblings may or may not have helped,
part time.