John Coney Moulton
British soldier, zoologist, entomologist, scientific and botanical collector
About John Coney Moulton
Lived 1886 – 1926 (aged 39–40). John Coney Moulton was a British ornithologist, lepidopterist, entomologist, botanical collector and soldier.
John Coney Moulton (11 December 1886 – 6 June 1926) was a British Army officer and amateur zoologist who spent many years in South-East Asia.
Career He was curator of the Sarawak Museum from November 1908 to January 1915, and founding editor of the Sarawak Museum Journal in 1911. He served with the Wiltshire Regiment in India 1915–1916 and as staff officer in Singapore 1916–1919, following which he resigned with the rank of Major. In July 1919, he was appointed Director of the Raffles Museum in Singapore, a position he held until 1923. After this, Moulton returned to Sarawak as the Chief Secretary to the third White Rajah, Charles Vyner Brooke.
Moulton specialised in research on cicadas. He was interested in entomology, birds and mammals. Most of his scientific papers were published in the journals of the Straits, and Malayan branches of the Royal Asiatic Society as well as in the Sarawak Museum Journal.
The genus Moultonianthus Merr. and many species of plants were named after him.
Personal life Moulton was born in St Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex. The inventor Alex Moulton was his son. After returning to England on 29 May 1926 for a three-month break and visit to his Wiltshire ancestral home, The Hall, Bradford-on-Avon, he fell ill on the following day. He was operated on for appendicitis in a London nursing home by Arbuthnot Lane but died there on 6 June at the age of 39. He is buried in a family grave with his parents and widow in the churchyard at Christ Church, Bradford-on-Avon.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Family & relationships
People in John Coney Moulton's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped John Coney Moulton's
Frequently asked questions
Who was John Coney Moulton?
British soldier, zoologist, entomologist, scientific and botanical collector (1886–1926)
When was John Coney Moulton born?
John Coney Moulton was born in 1886 in St Leonards.
When did John Coney Moulton die?
John Coney Moulton died in 1926 in London.
What was John Coney Moulton's occupation?
John Coney Moulton was an ornithologist, lepidopterist, entomologist, botanical collector and soldier.
What nationality was John Coney Moulton?
John Coney Moulton was British.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: John Coney Moulton
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Coney Moulton. https://biography.guide/john-coney-moulton/
MLA: "John Coney Moulton." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-coney-moulton/.
Chicago: "John Coney Moulton." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-coney-moulton/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:21 UTC