Archive Jantina Tammes

Brief overview

Name of the archive: Archive Jantina Tammes

Provenance: I. de Wilde

Dated: 1907-2002

Size: 11 cm

Language of the materials: Dutch

Summary:

Research archive of Dr. I. de Wilde about Jantina Tammes (Professor of genetics and genetic diversity at the University of Groningen).

Collection number: UBG026

Institute: University Library Groningen

Retainer: University Library Groningen

Provenance and acquisition

Biography

Jantina Tammes was born in Groningen in 187, daughter of Beerend Tammes and Swaantje Pot. After studying at the municipal ‘Middelbare School voor Meisjes’ (MSM, Secondary school for girls), Tammes attended lectures at the University of Groningen in preparation for her MO (teaching certification) exams. In 1892 she received her diploma in physics, chemistry and cosmography followed by plant, animal, mineral and soil studies in 1897.

In 1894, Tammes started teaching at the MSM. In 1897 she left this post to become an assistant to botany professor J.W. Moll at the University of Groningen. In this position she was given a chance to do research at the laboratory of professor of botany at the university of Amsterdam, Professor Hugo de Vries. This research introduced her to questions on genetics, variation and evolution. Tammes was one of the first Dutch scientists to publish in this new field of science.

In 1900, Tammes started work as a teacher at the Rijks-HBS (higher secondary school), but she left this position shortly afterwards to accept an unpaid position as a researcher in J.W. Moll’s laboratory. One year later, she was awarded a scholarship from the ‘Buitenzorgfonds’ to do research on Java, but she had to turn the opportunity down for health reasons. She spent the following years doing research and writing influential articles. Some of her most impactful research was on flax, commissioned by the ‘Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen te Haarlem’. In her research, she utilized statistics and probability theory, and she introduced the term ‘gevoeligheidscoëfficiënt’ (sensitivity coefficient). To support herself financially, she lectured at the ‘Vereeniging van Hooger Landbouwonderwijs’ (society for higher agricultural education) between 1908 and 1925. When J.W. Moll started losing his eyesight, Tammes started taking on some of his duties and responsibilities. In 1914 she was named conservator of the laboratory.

In 1911, Jantina Tammes received an honourary doctorate in plant and animal science. In 1919 she was named professor in variability and genetics at the University of Groningen.

Tammes was on the board of several influential periodicals such as Genetica and was also involved with societies for female students and female scientists. She was outspoken against eugenics.

To be able to devote more time to research, Jantina Tammes retired from her professorship in 1937. As farewell gift, she was given money which she used to do further genetic research. In 1947 Jantina Tammes passed away in Groningen.

A selection of published works:

• ‘On the influence of nutrition on the fluctuating variability of some plants’, in Proceedings of the Section of Sciences, Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen te Amsterdam 7 (1904) 398-411.

• ‘Das Verhalten fluktuierend variierender Merkmale bei der Bastardierung’, in Recueil des travaux botaniques néerlandais 8 (1911) 201-288.

• ‘Some correlation phenomena in hybrids’, in Proceedings of the Section of Sciences, Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen te Amsterdam 15 (1912) 1004-1014.

• ‘The explanation of an apparent exception to Mendel’s law of segregation’, in Proceedings of the Section of Sciences, Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen te Amsterdam 16 (1914) 1021-1031.

• ‘Die genotypische Zusammensetzung einiger Varietäten derselben Art und ihr genetischer Zusammenhang’, in Recueil des travaux botaniques néerlandais 12 (1915) 217-277).

• ‘On the mutual effect of genotypic factors’, in Proceedings of the Section of Sciences, Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen te Amsterdam 18 (1915) 1056-1067.

• ‘Ranunculus arvensis nanellus’, in Recueil des travaux botaniques néerlandais 25a (1928) 409-415.

Acquisition

The archive was donated to the University Library in 2006 by Inge de Wilde.

Future additions

No future additions to this archive are expected.

Contents and collation

This archive contains correspondence between I. de Wilde and family of J. Tammes, notebooks and published works by J. Tammes, copies of letters written by J. Tammes and documentation regarding Tammes’ professorship.

Instructions for users of the archive

Accessibility

The archive is accessible for research purposes. To look at the archive, a University Library Access Pass is required.

Limitations to use

The materials in this archive are available for viewing only. They cannot be borrowed. When consulting these materials, the rules set out in the Reglement voor de gebruikers van de Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit Groningen apply. Reproductions, insofar as they are allowed, are to be made in line with the rules set out in the Tarieven en diensten Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.

The copyright for this archive is held by the heirs of J. Tammes. As owners of the collections, the University Library Groningen holds the publishing rights.

Accessing the collection

An inventory of the archive is available.

Citations

When referencing (materials from) this archive, the following information must be provided in full at least once. After this, an abbreviated citation suffices.

• Archive: University Library Groningen, Archive Jantina Tammes.

• Individual items: UB Groningen, Tammes [number]

Requests

The materials in this collection can be requested by sending a mail to the Special Collections department.

Appendix

Literature 

• Inge de Wilde, 'Tammes, Jantina (1871-1947)', in Biografisch Woordenboek van Nederland. URL:http://www.inghist.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/BWN/lemmata/bw