Frederick Victor Dickins CB (24 May 1838[1] – 16 August 1915) was a British naval surgeon, barrister, orientalist and university administrator. He is now remembered as a translator of Japanese literature.
Dickins was born at 44 Connaught Terrace in Paddington, London[2] to Thomas Dickins and Jane Dickins.[1] He first visited Japan as a medical officer on HMS Coromandel in 1863. For three years he was stationed at Yokohama in charge of medical facilities there. During this time he was in contact with Japanese doctors and culture, and also Ernest Satow who became a lifelong correspondent and friend. He began publishing English translations of Japanese classical works at this time. He left his naval position, returned to England and tried various career choices, but came back to Japan in 1871, having in the meantime married and been called to the Bar. He built up a legal practice in Japan. In the Maria Luz jurisdiction case he represented the Peruvian captain of the ship.[3] He was also widely involved with botany, and journalism in the Yokohama community.
Dickins was especially interested in ferns which he collected at Yokohama and Atami, 1863–65. He sent both living plants and drawings back to Joseph Dalton Hooker at the Royal Botanic GardensatKew.[4]
He returned to England in 1879. After practising law in Egypt for a time, he mostly devoted himself to Japanese studies and administration in the University of London. He was appointed CB in the 1901 New Year Honours.
In 1885, French botanist Adrien René Franchet in Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat., séries 2, Vol.8 on page 244 published and described a plant from China. He named the genus,[5] Dickinsia in honour of Frederick Dickins.[6]
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