The Linnean Society of New South Wales promotes the Cultivation and Study of the Science of Natural History in all its Branches and was founded in Sydney, New South Wales (Australia) in 1874 and incorporated in 1884. [1] [2]
The Society succeeded the Entomological Society of New South Wales, founded in 1862 [3] which folded in 1872, [4] with James Charles Cox as its first president. [5] The first issue of Proceedings was in 1875. [4]
The establishment of the Society was largely due to the dedication and financial support of its first President, Sir William Macleay.
Joseph James Fletcher was director and librarian (this title was afterwards changed to secretary) from 1885 and edited 33 volumes of the Proceedings of the society.
In September 1882, a fire destroyed the library and a part of the scientific material of the society. The efforts of William Macleay made it possible nevertheless for the society to continue its activities.
In 1903, the Society created the Macleay bursary, which has since helped many students of the University of Sydney to continue their studies and to engage of the significant research tasks in the fields of botany, zoology or geology.
These included Valerie May although it was discontinued on her marriage. [6]
Notable members and position holders include:
Sir Charles Cowper, was an Australian politician and the Premier of New South Wales on five occasions from 1856 to 1870.
Julian Edmund Tenison-Woods, commonly referred to as Father Woods, was an English Catholic priest and geologist who served in Australia. With Mary MacKillop, he co-founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart at Penola in 1866.
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. The Governor of New South Wales is the vice-regal patron of the Society. It is the oldest learned society in the Southern Hemisphere.
William Aitcheson Haswell was a Scottish-Australian zoologist specialising in crustaceans, winner of the 1915 Clarke Medal.
William Sharp Macleay or McLeay was a British civil servant and entomologist. He was a prominent promoter of the Quinarian system of classification.
Sir William John Macleay was a Scottish-Australian politician, naturalist, zoologist, and herpetologist.
Alexander MacleayMLC FLS FRS was a Scottish-Australian leading member of the Linnean Society, a fellow of the Royal Society and member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.
Sir Francis Bathurst Suttor was an Australian pastoralist, politician, and sheep and horse breeder.
Sir Edward Deas Thomson was a Scotsman who became an administrator and politician in Australia, and was chancellor of the University of Sydney.
Charles Smith Wilkinson was an Australian geologist. He became geological surveyor in charge in New South Wales in 1875 and was president of the Royal Society of New South Wales in 1887.
Joseph James Fletcher was an Australian biologist, winner of the 1921 Clarke Medal.
Walter Wilson Froggatt was an Australian economic entomologist.
Sir George Macleay was an Australian explorer and politician.
James Charles Cox was an Australian physician and conchologist.
James Stuart was an Irish surgeon and medical official in New South Wales and Norfolk Island, as well as a noted illustrator of natural history.
John William Brazier was a malacologist from Australia.
Francis John White was a pastoralist and politician in New South Wales, Australia.
William John Dumaresq was an English-born military officer, civil engineer, landholder and early Australian politician. He is associated with settler colonisation of the areas around Scone and Armidale, in New South Wales.
The Chevert expedition was a scientific expedition to collect natural history samples from New Guinea and the Torres Strait. It was led and financed by William John Macleay, the first president of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. Chevert sailed from Sydney on 18 May 1875 and returned in September that year. Scientific specimens collected included approximately 1,000 birds, 800 fish, reptiles, insects, molluscs, plants and ethnographic objects. There are conflicting accounts of the number of crew members who were present during the expedition, with certain sources there were 30 members, and others claiming 31. The scientific personnel on board were Sir William Macleay, John Brazier, William Petterd and Edward Spalding, Thomas Reedy, and William James.
Mary MacLean Hindmarsh was an Australian botanist who worked at the New South Wales University of Technology in Ultimo as a professor of biology. A graduate of the University of New England in Armidale and the University of Sydney, she did a doctorate study on the effects of certain substances of cell division and root growth and research on a key to rainforest species south of the watershed of the Macleay River. Hindmarsh was a foundation council member of the Linnean Society of New South Wales from 1970 to 1974.
Media related to Linnean Society of New South Wales at Wikimedia Commons| Published works |
|  |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Apostles of Linnaeus | ||
| Related people | ||
| Recognitions |
| |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
