George William Francis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

George William Francis (1800–9 August 1865) was an English botanical and general science writer. An emigrant to the colony of South Australia in 1849, he made a reputation there as a horticulturalist, becoming the first director of the Adelaide Botanic Garden in 1860.

George William Francis

Life[]

Born in London, Francis emigrated to Australia for improved prospects of supporting his family; he arrived in the Louisa Baillie 2 September 1849. Shortly he took over the old botanical garden of Adelaide, north of the Torrens River, as a tenant. Subsequently he was appointed director of the Adelaide Botanic Garden, a position he held for the rest of his life.[1]

Francis died after a long illness, of dropsy on 9 August 1865 and was buried the next day. He left a widow and ten children.[1]

Legacy[]

  • The establishment of much of the garden, the pagoda and the first botanical museum in Adelaide, in the Adelaide Botanic Garden.
  • Hakea francisiana, an Australian shrub that grows to 4 metres (13 ft), is named after him.[2]

Works[]

Francis published:[1]

  • Catalogue of British Plants and Ferns, 1835; 5th edition, 1840.
  • Analysis of British Ferns, 1837; 5th edition, 1855.
  • Little English Flora, 1839.
  • Grammar of Botany, 1840.
  • Chemical Experiments, 1842, abridged by W. White, 1851, and republished as Chemistry for Students.
  • Favourites of the Flower Garden, 1844.
  • Manual of Practical Levelling for Railways and Canals, 1846.
  • Art of Modelling Wax Flowers, 1849.
  • Electrical Experiments, 8th edition, 1855.
  • Dict. Practical Receipts, new edition, 1857.
  • Acclimatisation of Animals and Plants, Royal Society, South Australia, 1862.

Francis also edited the first five volumes of the Magazine of Science and School of Arts, 1840–5.[1]

The standard author abbreviation Francis is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[3]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1889). "Francis, George William" . Dictionary of National Biography. 20. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  2. ^ "Hakea francisiana". Australian Native Plants Society. August 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  3. ^ IPNI.  Francis.

Further reading[]

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1889). "Francis, George William". Dictionary of National Biography. 20. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""