Born in 1879, Mr Snelgrove originated from Sutton Veny, near Warminster where his father was a blacksmith. He was educated at Culham College, Oxford and Bristol University. Mr Snelgrove became an assistant master at Weston-super-Mare Central School for Boys in 1900. In 1909 he became headmaster and in 1914 was appointed Inspector of Schools for Somerset Education Committee, a position he held for 31 years.

After several years as an evening student at Bristol University Mr Snelgrove went to Queen's University, Belfast, as a graduate. In 1907 he took an honours science degree in physics and chemistry

and in 1920 was awarded a M.Sc. degree for research on the etiology of the then named "Isle of Wight Disease of Bees". As a result of his research in Latin literature relating to Roman Bee Lore he obtained his MA degree in 1922. This volume is a copy of a previously unpublished typescript dated 1922 based on his MA research which was presented by his daughter Miss I Snelgrove to the IBRA

(Biographical information taken from Somerset Beekeepers and Beekeeping Associations by David Charles 2005)