British Naturalist, Patron of Science. He is remembered for his many world-wide expeditions and documenting various species of plants and animals. He acquired a passion for botany while a student at Eton and later as an adult at Christ Church College at Oxford. After inheriting his father's fortune, he devoted himself exclusively to the science. His first expedition voyage was from April 1766 to January 1767 to Labrador and the island of Newfoundland; he published his diary of this trip. Banks was Botanist on Captain James Cook's first South Seas expedition from 1768 to 1771, and in 1772 he ventured to Iceland. After his Labrador expedition, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society; he was the youngest to ever be a Fellow. As President of the Royal Society from 1778 until his death, he commissioned many important scientific ventures and personally financed the voyage of the HMS Bounty, under Commander William Bligh, in 1787. After the infamous mutiny on that ship he vigorously defended Bligh and later recommended his appointment as Governor of New South Wales, which led to another notorious incident, the Rum Rebellion of 1808. Banks is credited with the introduction to the west of the eucalyptus, acacia, and mimosa, and over 75 species bear his name. He was knighted in 1781. In his will he stipulated that he be buried without ceremony and that no monument be raised to his memory, nevertheless, a memorial to Banks was unveiled in Lincoln Cathedral in 2001. His personal library, which is considered on of best on natural history, is located at the Britain Museum in London. His “Florilegium,” a collection of engravings of plants on the Cook voyage, was not published in full until 1989. During King George III of England over 7,000 new exotic plants were introduced to England mainly by Bank's expeditions. He also introduced the merino sheep to England.
British Naturalist, Patron of Science. He is remembered for his many world-wide expeditions and documenting various species of plants and animals. He acquired a passion for botany while a student at Eton and later as an adult at Christ Church College at Oxford. After inheriting his father's fortune, he devoted himself exclusively to the science. His first expedition voyage was from April 1766 to January 1767 to Labrador and the island of Newfoundland; he published his diary of this trip. Banks was Botanist on Captain James Cook's first South Seas expedition from 1768 to 1771, and in 1772 he ventured to Iceland. After his Labrador expedition, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society; he was the youngest to ever be a Fellow. As President of the Royal Society from 1778 until his death, he commissioned many important scientific ventures and personally financed the voyage of the HMS Bounty, under Commander William Bligh, in 1787. After the infamous mutiny on that ship he vigorously defended Bligh and later recommended his appointment as Governor of New South Wales, which led to another notorious incident, the Rum Rebellion of 1808. Banks is credited with the introduction to the west of the eucalyptus, acacia, and mimosa, and over 75 species bear his name. He was knighted in 1781. In his will he stipulated that he be buried without ceremony and that no monument be raised to his memory, nevertheless, a memorial to Banks was unveiled in Lincoln Cathedral in 2001. His personal library, which is considered on of best on natural history, is located at the Britain Museum in London. His “Florilegium,” a collection of engravings of plants on the Cook voyage, was not published in full until 1989. During King George III of England over 7,000 new exotic plants were introduced to England mainly by Bank's expeditions. He also introduced the merino sheep to England.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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