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Phillip Alan Maxwell, 5 April 1940- 5 February 2007
Alan Beu, Lower Hutt
Ewan Fordyce, Dunedin
Bruce Marshall, Wellington
a.beu@gns.cri.nz
ewan.fordyce@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
brucem@tepapa.govt.nz
Phillip (Phil) Alan Maxwell was born in Christchurch, and went to school and university there.
He became New Zealand’s leading early to middle Cenozoic molluscan paleontologist of the
middle to late 20 th century, and it is interesting to follow the career of a scientist who has been,
and will continue to be, such a leading light in New Zealand Cenozoic paleontology.
In his eulogy at Phil’s funeral, Phil’s
brother John provided a revealing
overview of Phil’s background and
upbringing. He particularly followed
Phil’s development through two
streams – books and music. His first
memories include listening together to
“The Goon Show”, “Lost in Space”
and the “Lever Hit Parade”, in that
long-lost time before television. Phil’s
hobbies at that time included stamp
collecting and Meccano, and he was
keen enough on Meccano to subscribe
to the magazine, and to keep a large
Meccano collection in good condition,
part of which was displayed at his
funeral (among evidence of many
other surprisingly diverse interests).
But popular (and sometimes rather
subversive) music was perhaps his
greatest passion in life, continuing
until the very end. Folk music was the
most important element of this, and he
was the leading light in the
organisation of a folk music club in
Christchurch during his PhD years.
Another passion was the growing of
cacti and other succulents, particularly
during the seventies and eighties. He
later applied his knowledge of
paleobiogeography and evolution to
their study, and published papers on
cactus evolution. Charles Darwin’s
Phil at Waihao River, South Canterbury, with a
block of presumed Kauru Formation (Early Eocene)
containing fossil turrid gastropods and plants.
Photo by R Ewan Fordyce
GSNZ Newsletter 143 (2007) Page 29