Dr George Bennett and Sir Richard Owen

Abstract

By the early nineteenth century, European naturalists had become increasingly aware of the uniqueness and significance of the flora and fauna of the new British colony in the South Pacific, the colony of New South Wales. The distinctive plants and animals had an immense impact on the biological thought of the day, and specimens were eagerly sought by the leading naturalists. Wealthy English patrons such as Sir Joseph Banks sent their own collectors to the new colony. Banks financed the collectors and botanists George Caley, Allan Cunningham, Robert Brown and George Suttor and sponsored the two voyages of exploration of the Australian coast undertaken by Matthew Flinders. Until the death of Banks in 1820, the main scientific activity in the colony consisted in the collection of material for Banks and other British and European scientists. Ships sailed from Port Jackson loaded to the gunwales with plants and animals. James Hardy Vaux wrote in 1819 his ship was so crowded with kangaroos, emus and black swans that it resembled a Noah’s Ark. Even aborigines, including the famous Bennelong, were ‘collected’ and sent to Britain for exhibition at scientific soirées.²

It is astonishing with what intense feeling of hatred Owen is regarded by the majority of his contem-poraries … The truth is, he is superior of most, and does not conceal that he knows it, and it must be confessed that he does some very ill natured tricks now and then.¹

I should like to thank Dr Evelleen Richards for her assistance and patience in the revision of this paper and the British Museum (Natural History), the Royal College of Surgeons of London, the Mitchell Library and the State Library of New South Wales for the opportunity to study and quote from manuscript material in their keeping.