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For aviation pioneer see Sir George Cayley

George Caley (10 June 1770 - 23 May 1829) was an English botanist and explorer in Australia. Sir George Cayley 6th Baronet ( December 27, 1773 &ndash December 15, 1857) sometimes known as "the father of Aerodynamics" was Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 1770 ( MDCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Friday Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne For the game see 1829 (board game. Year 1829 ( MDCCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Botany, plant science(s, phytology, or plant biology is a branch of Biology and is the scientific study of plant Life For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

Early Life

Caley was born in Craven, Yorkshire, England, the son of a horse-dealer. Craven is an area in North Yorkshire, England. The name Craven is Celtic ( Cumbric) in origin and is related to the Welsh word Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland He was educated at the Free Grammar School at Manchester for around four years and was then taken into his father's stables. Coming across a volume on farriery, he became interested in the herbs mentioned in prescriptions and this led to his teaching himself botany. With the encouragement of the noted botanist, Dr William Withering (1744-1799), he became associated with the Manchester School of Botanists. In March 1795 he wrote to Sir Joseph Banks who, after warning him about the small financial rewards to be expected by a botanist for his labour, suggested that he might be able to obtain work for him as a gardener's labourer, which would give opportunities of increasing his knowledge. Sir Joseph Banks 1st Baronet, GCB, PRS (13 February 1743 &ndash 19 June 1820 was an English naturalist, botanist and patron of He worked in Kew Gardens and other gardens. The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, usually referred to simply as Kew Gardens, are extensive Gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and

Australia

Banks appointed Caley as a botanical collector in New South Wales in 1798. He was given a free passage to Sydney aboard the Speedy, where he arrived on 15 April 1800. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year -of the Julian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar until Friday, but 12 days ahead since Saturday. He was paid weekly wage of 15 shillings, was allowed rations by the government and he was also given a cottage at Parramatta. The shilling is a unit of Currency used in current and former Commonwealth countries and was continued to be used in countries that left the commonwealth Parramatta (ˈpærɑːmætɑː is a suburb in the west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Governor King, writing to Banks in September 1800, expressed his intention to establish a botanical garden near the cottage. Philip Gidley King RN (23 April 1758 &ndash 3 September 1808 was an British naval officer and colonial administrator Caley sent many botanical and other specimens to Banks and his letters also kept Banks informed of the general conditions of the colony as well as scientific matters. Cayley was the first to make a serious effort to study the Eucalyptus. Eucalyptus (From Greek ευκάλυπτος meaning "well covered" is a diverse Genus of Trees (and a few shrubs the members of which In 1801 Cayley went with Lieutenant James Grant to Western Port and in 1804 he gave King a long report on "A journey to ascertain the Limits or Boundaries of Vaccary Forest" (the Cowpastures). James Grant ( 1772 - 11 November 1833) was a British Royal Navy officer and Navigator in the early nineteenth century Western Port, sometimes referred to as Western Port Bay, is an inlet on the southern coast of Australia from Bass Strait and the Pacific Ocean Cayley was able to report on the wild cattle, which he found considerably increased in numbers. In November 1804 Caley, with three convict assistants, attempted to cross the Blue Mountains along the northern edge of the Grose Valley. He managed to reach and ascend a mountain he named Mount Banks. However, upon being struck by the awe-inspiring views of the sheer cliffs of the Grose valley stretching away to the south, he decided to turn back, unaware he was only a day's walk away from the western escarpment and the open country lying beyond. In October 1805 he visited Norfolk Island and went to Hobart at the end of November that year. Norfolk Island ( Norfuk: Norfuk Ailen) is a small inhabited island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania.

In August 1808 Banks wrote to Caley offering him an annuity of £50 a year and to release him from all services beyond what he voluntarily wished to perform and to remain in New South Wales if he desired. Cayley was homesick for England, however, and decided to return to England.

Later Life

Caley returned to England in 1810 and in 1816 was appointed curator of the botanic gardens in St Vincent, West Indies. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles chain of the Caribbean Sea. He resigned from this position in December 1822 and was back in England in the following May. He died on 23 May 1829. Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne For the game see 1829 (board game. Year 1829 ( MDCCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display He had married in 1816 but his wife predeceased him without children.

Governor King found Caley 'eccentric and morose', both Banks and King found Caley difficult and at times tactless and unreasonable. He was, however, a good worker, a skilful and accurate botanist and he was thoroughly honest. He did not publish any works, but his collections did much to spread a knowledge of Australian plants in the early years of the nineteenth century.

References

  1. ^ Brummitt, R. K. ; C. E. Powell (1992). Authors of Plant Names. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, usually referred to simply as Kew Gardens, are extensive Gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and ISBN 1-84246-085-4.  


Additional sources listed by the Australian Dictionary of Biography:

Historical Records of New South Wales, vols 3-6; J. Cash, Where There's a Will there's a Way, or Science in the Cottage (London, 1873); J. H. Maiden, Sir Joseph Banks (Sydney, 1909); J. H. Maiden, ‘George Caley, Botanical Collector in NSW’, Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales, 14 (1904); R. Else-Mitchell, ‘George Caley: His Life and Work’, Journal and Proceedings (Royal Australian Historical Society), vol 25, part 6, 1939, pp 437-542; L. A. Gilbert, Botanical Investigation of Eastern Seaboard Australia, 1788-1810 (M. A. thesis, University of New England, 1962); manuscript catalogue under G. Caley (State Library of New South Wales); G. Caley letters (State Library of New South Wales)

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