Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, GCB, PRS was a botanist and naturalist who opened the way for future botanists. His interest in botany began at a young age and continued throughout his life. He yearned for education his entire life, despite being born into a wealthy household. He was finally able to pursue his interest after inheriting a large family fortune, and he set out to explore previously untapped and unknown territory. He paid a Cambridge professor to come and give a series of botany lectures while a gentleman-commoner at Oxford. He went on a journey with James Cook on the HMS Endeavour, and after returning with a large collection of specimens, he became well-known. He became King George III’s adviser on the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and transformed it into a botanical garden unlike any other in the world. He was also a key figure in England’s colonization of the Australian continent, and he rose to prominence in New South Wales. Later in life, he became a notable supporter and financier for travelers and scientists, claiming that marsupial mammals were more primordial than placental mammals based on his discoveries and investigations. He obtained various fellowships and was a member of a variety of societies throughout his life.
Childhood and Adolescence
Joseph Banks was born to an affluent family in London on February 24, 1743. His father was a doctor, a member of the House of Commons, and a squire of the Lincolnshire county.
Joseph received his early schooling through private tutoring at home. In 1752, he enrolled at the Harrow School in London, and in 1756, he transferred to Eton College in Windsor.
He enrolled as a gentleman-commoner at Christ Church, Oxford University, in 1760. In 1764, he paid Israel Lyons, a Cambridge botanist, to provide botany courses at the university after finding there were none available. In 1764, he dropped out of university without receiving a diploma.
In 1761, his father died, leaving him a substantial inheritance. He inherited his father’s fortunes after reaching the age of 21 and became a very wealthy man. As a result, he was able to devote his spare time to botany.
In 1763, he relocated to Chelsea and visited the Chelsea Physic Garden and the British Museum. He became acquainted with Daniel Solander (a Swedish scientist) and Carl Linnaeus through time, and eventually became King George III’s adviser.
Career of Joseph Banks
Joseph Banks was elected to both the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquities in 1766. He went to Newfoundland and Labrador on the HMS Niger expedition and collected several species of flora and animals, as well as recording 34 species of birds, including the now-extinct Great Auk.
accompanied James Cook on the HMS Endeavour during Cook’s first big expedition of discovery (1768–1771) to view the passage of Venus. The journey was funded by banks for Solander, a Finnish naturalist named Herman Sporing, and five other people.
He made the first scientific description of the plant Bougainvillea while traveling across Brazil. The explorers collected almost 800 plant specimens off the Australian coast, which were later published in Bank’s ‘Florilegium.’
On July 12, 1771, he returned from the expedition as a well-known figure. However, due to his scientific needs, he was unable to gain a spot on Cook’s second journey aboard the ship Resolution.
He didn’t give up hope and led an expedition to the Isle of Wight, Scotland’s western islands, and Ireland aboard the ship Sir Lawrence with Solander. He returned with many more specimens, which he stored at his London home.
In 1773, he traveled to Holland with Charles Greville then to Wales with Solander and an artist named Paul Sandby. To accommodate his ever-growing collection of plant species, he moved to a larger residence back home.
In 1773, he was elected as a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, and in 1774, he was elected as secretary of the Dilettante Society, where he served from 1778 to 1797. In 1778, he was elected President of the Royal Society, a position he maintained for nearly 41 years.
With the help of his numerous samples brought in from foreign nations, he leased a 34-acre estate named the Spring Grove with a natural spring in 1779 and transformed it into a gorgeous floral masterpiece. In 1781, he was made a baronet.
For some years, Joseph Banks had served as the king’s informal adviser on the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and this post became official in 1797. Banks personally dispatched explorers and botanists from all over the world to bring the most unusual and awe-inspiring flora to the garden.
His interest in the colonization of Australia stemmed from his infatuation with the continent, and he was the recognised authority on New South Wales. He ensured that a diverse range of flora was exchanged between the two countries, as well as providing advise on currency, plant diseases, exploration, and other topics.
Major Projects of Joseph Banks
His 1766 expedition to Newfoundland and Labrador with James Cook, his transformation of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, into an unparalleled garden, and his unique position of high authority with the British government on any matter relating to the Australian continent are among Joseph Banks’ major achievements.
Achievements & Awards
In 1766, Joseph Banks was elected to the Royal Society, and in 1778, he was chosen president, a position he held until 1820. He was a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and a foreign honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was also an honorary founding member of the Wernerian Natural History Society of Edinburgh.
Personal History and Legacy
In 1779, Joseph Banks married Dorothea Hugessen, but the couple had no children.
Around 80 plants have his name to honor his contributions and discoveries in the world of botany.
He died at his Spring Grove House in London on June 19, 1820, and was buried at St Leonard’s Church in Heston.
Estimated Net Worth
Joseph is one of the wealthiest explorers and one of the most well-known. Joseph Banks net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.