Maxwell-Lefroy, H. 1877-1925

Harold Maxwell-Lefroy (20 January 1877 – 14 October 1925) was an English entomologist. He served as a professor of entomology at Imperial College London before moving to India where he took over the position of entomologist to the government of India from Lionel de Niceville. He was later made the first Imperial Entomologist to India. He worked in India for eight years, established entomological research at the Imperial Agricultural Research Institute in Pusa and left India after two of his children died from insect-borne diseases. He worked on applied entomology and initiated experiments on the use of chemicals to control insects. A formula he developed was utilized to save Westminster Hall from destruction by wood-boring beetles, while others were used to control lice in the trenches during the First World War. The success of his chemicals led to increased demand and the founding of Rentokil, a company for insecticide production. He was killed in an accident while experimenting with fumigants to control insects.