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95-528: Organized by a dozen titled members of London's upper-class establishment and led by Sir Joseph Banks , the African Association felt that it was the great failing of the Age of Enlightenment that, in a time when men could sail around the world, the geography of Africa remained almost entirely uncharted (leading to the now-offensive nickname, the "Dark Continent"). The Ancient Greeks and Romans knew more about

190-481: A Freemason sometime before 1769. In 1766, Banks was elected to the Royal Society, and in the same year, at 23, he went with Phipps aboard the frigate HMS  Niger to Newfoundland and Labrador with a view to studying their natural history. He made his name by publishing the first Linnean descriptions of the plants and animals of Newfoundland and Labrador. Banks also documented 34 species of birds, including

285-573: A gentleman-commoner at the University of Oxford . At Oxford, he matriculated at Christ Church , where his studies were largely focussed on natural history rather than the classical curriculum. Determined to receive botanical instruction, he paid the Cambridge botanist Israel Lyons to deliver a series of lectures at Oxford in 1764. Banks left Oxford for Chelsea in December 1763. He continued to attend

380-467: A balanced perspective. George Shepperson writes that, beyond Park's romanticized travel exploits, "his writing indicated that Africans were human beings with their own cultures and commerce (and not monstrous creatures), with whom constructive relations would be possible." This "humanizing" of the African people in the minds of Europeans was no doubt a boon to the abolition of the slave trade, since many of

475-620: A bend of 90 deg. and flowed westwards through another lake, Sigisma, or Guarde, to break eventually after another lake system into four rivers, amongst which were the Senegal and the Gambia, which all emptied into the Atlantic at the westernmost point of Africa. Almost all the European theories of the river's course incorrectly hypothesized that it flowed east to west. Up to this point, no European had ever seen

570-659: A commercial dominance there before the French. Sir Joseph Banks was growing ill, and slowly the African Association's influence began to diminish. "The torch was passed from the private to the public sector," though the Association continued its involvement in British exploration until it was absorbed by the Royal Geographical Society in 1831. No explorer sent expressly by the African Association ever did find Timbuktu, though it

665-416: A condition called steatorrhea . Feces lack their characteristic brown color and instead are white or gray, and greasy. Steatorrhea can lead to deficiencies in essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins . In addition, past the small intestine (which is normally responsible for absorbing fat from food) the gastrointestinal tract and gut flora are not adapted to processing fats, leading to problems in

760-438: A condition when bile ducts which deliver bile from the gallbladder or liver to the duodenum become obstructed. The blockage of bile might cause a buildup of bilirubin in the bloodstream which can result in jaundice . There are several potential causes for biliary obstruction including gallstones, cancer, trauma, choledochal cysts , or other benign causes of bile duct narrowing. The most common cause of bile duct obstruction

855-559: A few hours before washing as a traditional and effective method for removing various kinds of tough stains. Pinapaitan is a dish in Philippine cuisine that uses bile as flavoring. Other areas where bile is commonly used as a cooking ingredient include Laos and northern parts of Thailand . During the Boshin War , Satsuma soldiers of the early Imperial Japanese Army reportedly ate human livers boiled in bile. The practice of eating

950-481: A garden in which rare plants can be viewed and purchased. At the 2011 Chelsea Flower Show , an exhibition garden celebrated the historic link between Banks and the botanical discoveries of flora and fauna on his journey through South America, Tahiti, New Zealand, and eventually Australia on Captain Cook's ship Endeavour . The competition garden was the entry of Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens with an Australian theme. It

1045-520: A layer of unclotted erythrocytes ("blood"), a layer of white blood cells ("phlegm") and a layer of clear yellow serum ("yellow bile"). Excesses of black bile and yellow bile were thought to produce depression and aggression, respectively, and the Greek names for them gave rise to the English words cholera (from Greek χολή kholē , "bile") and melancholia . In the former of those senses, the same theories explain

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1140-417: A person's vomit may be green or dark yellow, and very bitter. The bitter and greenish component may be bile or normal digestive juices originating in the stomach. Bile may be forced into the stomach secondary to a weakened valve ( pylorus ), the presence of certain drugs including alcohol , or powerful muscular contractions and duodenal spasms. This is known as biliary reflux . Biliary obstruction refers to

1235-561: A place for the reception of convicts , and advised the British government on all Australian matters. He is credited with introducing the eucalyptus , acacia , and the genus named after him, Banksia , to the Western world . Around 80 species of plants bear his name. He was the leading founder of the African Association and a member of the Society of Dilettanti , which helped to establish

1330-528: Is a major character in Martin Davies' 2005 novel The Conjuror's Bird . Banks's life and influence were explored in a documentary five-part television series The Lost World of Joseph Banks in 2016. Banks's account of the Endeavour's approach to Botany Bay might have been the basis for the invisible ships myth. Herbarium specimens collected by Banks and Solander are cared for in herbaria, including at

1425-411: Is a yellow-green fluid or it could be a green misty colour produced by the liver of most vertebrates that aids the digestion of lipids in the small intestine . In humans, bile is primarily composed of water , produced continuously by the liver, and stored and concentrated in the gallbladder . After a human eats, this stored bile is discharged into the first section of the small intestine . In

1520-714: Is now hanging in the Council Chamber of the Guildhall Museum . The Sir Joseph Banks Centre is located in Horncastle, Lincolnshire , housed in a Grade II listed building , which was recently restored by the Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire to celebrate Banks's life. Horncastle is located a few miles from Banks's Revesby estate and the naturalist was the town's lord of the manor. The centre is located on Bridge Street. It boasts research facilities, historic links to Australia, and

1615-589: Is produced per day in adult human beings. Bile or gall acts to some extent as a surfactant , helping to emulsify the lipids in food. Bile salt anions are hydrophilic on one side and hydrophobic on the other side; consequently, they tend to aggregate around droplets of lipids ( triglycerides and phospholipids ) to form micelles , with the hydrophobic sides towards the fat and hydrophilic sides facing outwards. The hydrophilic sides are negatively charged, and this charge prevents fat droplets coated with bile from re-aggregating into larger fat particles. Ordinarily,

1710-457: Is when gallstone(s) are dislodged from the gallbladder into the cystic duct or common bile duct resulting in a blockage. A blockage of the gallbladder or cystic duct may cause cholecystitis . If the blockage is beyond the confluence of the pancreatic duct, this may cause gallstone pancreatitis . In some instances of biliary obstruction, the bile may become infected by bacteria resulting in ascending cholangitis . In medical theories prevalent in

1805-585: The Gambia and Senegal rivers almost to Sokoto in the east, and from 240 kilometres (150 miles) north of Timbuktu to the headwaters of the Niger. From Timbuktu flowed exports of gold and slaves in such quantities that the city took on the reputation in the outside world of possessing endless wealth. To Europeans fascinated by the discovery of new worlds, Timbuktu was too great a temptation to resist. The Scotsman James Bruce had ventured to Ethiopia in 1769 and reached

1900-735: The Isle of Wight , the Hebrides, Iceland , and the Orkney Islands , aboard Sir Lawrence . In Iceland, they ascended Mt. Hekla and visited the Great Geyser , and were the first scientific visitors to Staffa in the Inner Hebrides. They returned to London in November, with many botanical specimens, via Edinburgh, where Banks and Solander were interviewed by James Boswell . In 1773, he toured south Wales in

1995-625: The Linnean Society . Banks appears in the historical novel Mutiny on the Bounty , by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall . He appears briefly as a contact with British naval intelligence in the historical novel Post Captain , from the Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian . He is also featured in Elizabeth Gilbert 's 2013 best-selling novel, The Signature of All Things , and

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2090-1000: The Napoleonic Wars , and in introducing the British people to the wonders of the wider world. He was honoured with many place names in the South Pacific: Banks Peninsula on the South Island , New Zealand; the Banks Islands in modern-day Vanuatu ; the Banks Strait between Tasmania and the Furneaux Islands ; Banks Island in the Northwest Territories , Canada; and the Sir Joseph Banks Group in South Australia. The Canberra suburb of Banks ,

2185-523: The National Herbarium of Victoria (MEL), Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Following Banks's death in 1820 a "treasure-trove of letters and papers" was passed to Sir Edward Knatchbull, his wife's nephew. In 1828 the latter passed bound volumes of foreign correspondence to the British Library but retained the rest of the papers in the expectation that an official biography would be written. After

2280-571: The Proceedings of 1790 what little information had been gleaned from these two ill-fated journeys: that the Niger was reputed to be practically non-navigable, and what was known about Bornu and the edges of the Sahara. The club's curiosity had been further stimulated and they quickly renewed their search for explorers. In autumn of 1790, an Irish major named Daniel Houghton was commissioned to proceed from

2375-581: The Royal Academy . Banks was born in Argyll Street , Soho , London , the son of William Banks , a wealthy Lincolnshire country squire and member of the House of Commons , and his wife Sarah, daughter of William Bate. He was baptised at St James's Church, Piccadilly , on 20 February 1743, Old Style . He had a younger sister, Sarah Sophia Banks , born in 1744. Banks was educated at Harrow School from

2470-535: The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew , and by sending botanists around the world to collect plants , he made Kew the world's leading botanical garden. He is credited for bringing 30,000 plant specimens home with him; amongst them, he was the first European to document 1,400. Banks advocated British settlement in New South Wales and the colonisation of Australia, as well as the establishment of Botany Bay as

2565-777: The State Library of New South Wales 's Brabourne Collection. The "large quantities of papers" which remained were then auctioned off at Sotheby's in London in March and April 1886. One of the successful bidders was E. A. Petherick . Many of those are now in the Petherick Collection at the National Library of Australia . During the twentieth century the National Library continued to purchase Banks's letters and papers when they came on

2660-571: The Swedish naturalist Daniel Solander , the Finnish naturalist Herman Spöring (who also served as Banks's personal secretary and as a draughtsman), artists Sydney Parkinson and Alexander Buchan , and four servants from his estate: James Roberts, Peter Briscoe, Thomas Richmond, and George Dorlton. In 1771, he was travelling with James Cook and docked in Simon's Town in what is now South Africa. There, he met

2755-626: The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries and the British Museum , where he met the Swedish naturalist Daniel Solander . He began to make friends among the scientific men of his day and to correspond with Carl Linnaeus , whom he came to know through Solander. As Banks's influence increased, he became an adviser to King George III and urged the monarch to support voyages of discovery to new lands, hoping to indulge his own interest in botany. He became

2850-658: The great auk , which became extinct in 1844. On 7 May, he noted a large number of "penguins" swimming around the ship on the Grand Banks , and a specimen he collected in Chateau Bay, Labrador , was later identified as the great auk. Banks was appointed to a joint Royal Navy /Royal Society scientific expedition to the South Pacific Ocean on HMS Endeavour , 1768–1771. This was the first of James Cook's voyages of discovery in that region. Banks funded eight others to join him:

2945-480: The transit of Venus was observed, the overt purpose of the mission), then to New Zealand. From there, it proceeded to the east coast of Australia, where Cook mapped the coastline and made landfall at Botany Bay. The ship then landed at Round Hill (23-25 May 1770), which is now known as Seventeen Seventy and at Endeavour River (near modern Cooktown ) in Queensland , where they spent almost seven weeks ashore while

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3040-400: The villi on the intestine walls. After being transferred across the intestinal membrane, the fatty acids reform into triglycerides ( re-esterified ), before being absorbed into the lymphatic system through lacteals . Without bile salts, most of the lipids in food would be excreted in feces, undigested. Since bile increases the absorption of fats, it is an important part of the absorption of

3135-577: The 16th to 18th century was one in which the river rose from a lake near the Equator in the centre of Africa, the Lacus Niger. From this point it was supposed to flow northwards almost in a straight line to reach another large lake, the Lacus Bornu. Before reaching this, it was said to flow underground for a distance variously given as being between 18 and 60 miles [29 and 97 kilometres]. After Lake Bornu, it took

3230-481: The 19th century and he suffered from gout every winter. After 1805, he practically lost the use of his legs and had to be wheeled to his meetings in a chair, but his mind remained as vigorous as ever. He had been a member of the Society of Antiquaries nearly all his life, and he developed an interest in archaeology in his later years. In 1807, William Kerr named the Lady Banks climbing rose after Banks's wife. Banks

3325-401: The African Association swelled dramatically. Mungo Park's travels and discoveries had the greatest impact upon Western knowledge of the African continent to that point. Frank T. Kryza ( The Race for Timbuktu , 2006), writes: News of Park’s accomplishments thrilled the African Association (and indeed all of England). He was the first white man to penetrate the forbidding interior of Africa for

3420-593: The African Association's members were abolitionists and had ties to William Wilberforce . "By the beginning of the 19th century," Brent wrote, "the attack on the whole appalling business had sharpened, and Africa had become the subject of the day. And still, despite everything, the European ignorance about most of the continent’s interior remained almost unaltered. It was a situation that had to be put right." Joseph Banks Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet , GCB , FRS (24 February [ O.S. 13 February] 1743 – 19 June 1820 )

3515-476: The Cairo path across the Sahara toward Timbuktu while disguised as a Muslim. After finally joining a caravan from Cairo in 1800, he was never heard from again. Nearly 20 years later other explorers learned that Hornemann had died of dysentery after apparently reaching the Niger. Refusing to give up their quest, the African Association sent out a Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1809, tasking him to follow

3610-590: The Commercial Interests of the Empire ." A British presence on the Gambia would "strengthen the bonds of trade", so they proposed to install James Willis as consul in Senegambia . He was to develop good relations with the king of Bambouk by a gift of muskets, thereby opening up communication between the Niger and the Gambia and make inroads for trade with all the "gold-rich lands of the interior which undoubtedly lined

3705-656: The Interior Districts of Africa (1799), which was devoured by readers across Europe. Park would take attempt a second expedition to find Timbuktu in 1805, but died before returning. The Niger had been found and its direction recorded, but its final termination had not been discovered. The "golden city" itself, was discovered by Park, but he died before he was able to share his discovery with the world and so it remained ‘undiscovered’. During Park's first journey, Banks had recruited Friedrich Hornemann to make another trip to Africa. He left in summer of 1797 and planned to travel

3800-549: The Niger and 800 kilometres (500 miles) short of Timbuktu, but in September 1791, he was lured into the desert, robbed, and killed. In May 1792 the African Association decided to capitalize on their discoveries and enlisted the support of the British government . They authorized their committee to make "whatever application to Government they may think advisable for rendering the late discoveries of Major Houghton effectually serviceable to

3895-474: The Niger traffic controlled the flow of trade; with the western Sahara route disused, shipments loaded or unloaded at Timbuctu could be carried along the central and eastern desert routes connecting the Niger with the Mediterranean countries. Domination of the Niger clearly was worth fighting for.... The first explorer recruited for travel to Africa was an American named John Ledyard . He had traveled around

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3990-460: The Niger, however, he fell ill and, trying to relieve his " bilious complaint", inadvertently poisoned himself with a fatal dose of sulphuric acid . While Ledyard was still traveling, the African Association had enlisted Simon Lucas to attempt a mission from the northern end of the continent, starting at Tripoli . He spoke fluent Arabic and, having spent time in Morocco , was already friendly with

4085-556: The Niger’s banks". Mungo Park , a Scottish country doctor, was to travel with Willis to Senegambia, but when Willis’ departure was held up by bureaucratic and logistical problems, Park left England on the trade ship Endeavour and arrived on the Africa coast on June 4, 1795. Park followed Houghton's route along the Gambia, and after surviving near-fatal encounters in Muslim territory he reached

4180-516: The Russians with books and charts for their expedition. He died on 19 June 1820 in Spring Grove House, Isleworth, London, and was buried at St Leonard's Church, Heston . Lady Banks survived him, but they had no children. Banks was a major supporter of the internationalist nature of science, being actively involved both in keeping open the lines of communication with continental scientists during

4275-527: The South Seas. The surrounding district became known as Spring Grove . The house was substantially extended and rebuilt by later owners and is now part of West Thames College . Banks was made a baronet in 1781, three years after being elected president of the Royal Society. During much of this time, he was an informal adviser to King George III on the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, a position that

4370-643: The Tripolitanian ambassador. After arriving in Tripoli in October 1788, Lucas found guides to take him across the Libyan Desert but their journey was continually delayed by tribal wars blocking the route. Soon his guides abandoned him, and he was forced to limp back to England. He had, however, acquired some valuable information about the southern Libyan region. Henry Beaufoy, the Association's recordkeeper, wrote down in

4465-400: The West from classical antiquity to the Middle Ages , the body's health depended on the equilibrium of four "humors" , or vital fluids, two of which related to bile: blood, phlegm , "yellow bile" (choler), and "black bile". These "humors" are believed to have their roots in the appearance of a blood sedimentation test made in open air, which exhibits a dark clot at the bottom ("black bile"),

4560-406: The age of nine and then at Eton College from 1756; the boys with whom he attended the school included his future shipmate Constantine Phipps . As a boy, Banks enjoyed exploring the Lincolnshire countryside and developed a keen interest in nature, history, and botany. When he was 17, he was inoculated with smallpox , but he became ill and did not return to school. In late 1760, he was enrolled as

4655-573: The colony, Arthur Phillip , John Hunter , and Philip Gidley King , were in continual correspondence with him. Banks produced a significant body of papers, including one of the earliest Aboriginal Australian words lists compiled by a European. Bligh was also appointed governor of New South Wales on Banks's recommendation. Banks followed the explorations of Matthew Flinders , George Bass , and Lieutenant James Grant , and among his paid helpers were George Caley , Robert Brown, and Allan Cunningham. However, Banks backed William Bligh to be installed as

4750-408: The company of artist Paul Sandby . When he settled in London, he began work on his Florilegium . He kept in touch with most of the scientists of his time, was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1773, and added a fresh interest when he was elected to the Dilettante Society in 1774. He was afterwards secretary of this society from 1778 to 1797. On 30 November 1778, he

4845-407: The cow pastures, which was later granted by Lord Camden. The next governor, Lachlan Macquarie , was asked to arrest Macarthur and Johnston, only to realise that they had left Sydney for London to defend themselves. He was humiliated that Macarthur and Johnston were acquitted from all charges in London and both later returned to Sydney. Banks met the young Alexander von Humboldt in 1790, when Banks

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4940-424: The death of Knatchbull and his wife, the letters and papers were passed on to their son Edward Knatchbull Hugesson, 1st Baron Brabourne, who offered to sell them to the British Museum . However, in 1884 it declined to purchase them. Following that "notorious" decision the Agent General of New South Wales, Sir Saul Samuel , issued instructions for the purchase of a large portion of the papers, which now form part of

5035-448: The derivation of the English word bilious from bile , the meaning of gall in English as "exasperation" or "impudence", and the Latin word cholera , derived from the Greek kholé , which was passed along into some Romance languages as words connoting anger, such as colère (French) and cólera (Spanish). Soap can be mixed with bile from mammals, such as ox gall . This mixture, called bile soap or gall soap, can be applied to textiles

5130-431: The electoral Division of Banks , and the Sydney suburbs of Bankstown , Banksia , and Banksmeadow are all named after him, as is the northern headland of Botany Bay , Cape Banks. A number of schools and colleges are also named after him, including the Sir Joseph Banks High School in the Sydney suburb of Revesby , and the Joseph Banks Secondary College opened in Perth , Western Australia in 2015. An image of Banks

5225-450: The fat-soluble substances, such as the vitamins A , D , E , and K . Besides its digestive function, bile serves also as the route of excretion for bilirubin, a byproduct of red blood cells recycled by the liver. Bilirubin derives from hemoglobin by glucuronidation . Bile tends to be alkaline on average. The pH of common duct bile (7.50 to 8.05) is higher than that of the corresponding gallbladder bile (6.80 to 7.65). Bile in

5320-464: The gallbladder becomes more acidic the longer a person goes without eating, though resting slows this fall in pH. As an alkali, it also has the function of neutralizing excess stomach acid before it enters the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine . Bile salts also act as bactericides , destroying many of the microbes that may be present in the food. In the absence of bile, fats become indigestible and are instead excreted in feces ,

5415-515: The government on all Australian matters for twenty years. He arranged that a large number of useful trees and plants should be sent out in the supply ship HMS  Guardian , which was unfortunately wrecked, as well as other ships; many of these were supplied by Hugh Ronalds from his nursery in Brentford . Every vessel that came from New South Wales brought to Banks plants or animals or geological and other specimens and, on at least one occasion, human remains. Governor Philip Gidley King sent Banks

5510-446: The great German scientist. Both men believed in the internationalism of science. Banks was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in 1787 and a foreign honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1788. Among other activities, Banks found time to serve as a trustee of the British Museum for 42 years. He was high sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1794. He worked with Sir George Staunton in producing

5605-417: The house with Banks and his wife. He had as librarian and curator of his collections Solander, Jonas Carlsson Dryander , and Robert Brown in succession. Also in 1779, Banks took a lease on an estate called Spring Grove, the former residence of Elisha Biscoe (1705–1776), which he eventually bought outright from Biscoe's son, also Elisha , in 1808. The picture shows the house in 1815. Its 34 acres ran along

5700-438: The human liver , bile is composed of 97–98% water , 0.7% bile salts , 0.2% bilirubin , 0.51% fats ( cholesterol , fatty acids , and lecithin ), and 200 meq/L inorganic salts. The two main pigments of bile are bilirubin , which is orange-yellow, and its oxidised form biliverdin , which is green. When mixed, they are responsible for the brown color of feces . About 400 to 800 milliliters (14 to 27 U.S. fluid ounces) of bile

5795-428: The interior of Africa than did the British of the 18th century. Motivated by desires for scientific knowledge and seeking opportunities for British commerce , the wealthy members each pledged to contribute five guineas per year to recruiting and funding expeditions from England to Africa. The Mali Empire , from the 13th to 15th centuries, dominated the region which stretched from the West African coast between

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5890-423: The land of the friendly Bambara people , who helped guide him to the Niger. The doctor was the first European to lay eyes on the Niger and the first to record that it did in fact flow inland to the east. He vowed to follow the river until it led him to Timbuktu, but the intense heat and besetting of thieves stopped him, and he had to return to England. Upon his return he was an instant national hero, and membership in

5985-471: The large intestine. The cholesterol contained in bile will occasionally accrete into lumps in the gallbladder, forming gallstones . Cholesterol gallstones are generally treated through surgical removal of the gallbladder. However, they can sometimes be dissolved by increasing the concentration of certain naturally occurring bile acids, such as chenodeoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid . On an empty stomach – after repeated vomiting , for example –

6080-442: The market. In his Endeavour journal, Banks recorded 30 years of his life. Letters, invoices, maps, regalia, and watercolour drawings have now been digitised on the State Library of NSW website. This rich research and educational tool provides access to 8800 high-quality digital images. Novels based on a mix of historical fact and conjecture about Banks's early life include: Bile Bile (from Latin bilis ), or gall ,

6175-418: The micelles in the duodenum have a diameter around 1–50  μm in humans. The dispersion of food fat into micelles provides a greatly increased surface area for the action of the enzyme pancreatic lipase , which digests the triglycerides, and is able to reach the fatty core through gaps between the bile salts. A triglyceride is broken down into two fatty acids and a monoglyceride , which are absorbed by

6270-423: The mouth of the river Gambia on Africa's western coast, moving inland towards (hopefully) the Niger. He penetrated farther into Africa than any European before him. From the highest navigable point on the Gambia he continued on foot northeast toward Bundu, where the local authorities delayed his passage. Houghton eventually made his way as far as the north Saharan village of Simbing, 260 kilometres (160 miles) north of

6365-561: The new governor of New South Wales and to crack down on the New South Wales Corps (or Rum Corps), which made a fortune on the trading of rum. This brought him in direct confrontation with post-Rum Rebellion de facto leaders such as John Macarthur and George Johnston . This backing led to the Rum Rebellion in Sydney, whereby the governor was overthrown by the two men. This became an embarrassment for Sir Joseph Banks, also, because years earlier, he campaigned that John Macarthur not be granted 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) of land near Sydney in

6460-423: The north and northwest coasts of Australia to collect specimens. Banks's own time in Australia, however, led to his interest in the British colonisation of that continent. He was to be the greatest proponent of settlement in New South Wales. A genus of the Proteaceae was named in his honour as Banksia . In 1779, Banks, giving evidence before a committee of the House of Commons, had stated that in his opinion

6555-441: The northeastern Pacific ( Pacific Northwest ), and William Bligh 's voyages (one entailing the infamous mutiny on the Bounty ) to transplant breadfruit from the South Pacific to the Caribbean islands. Banks was also a major financial supporter of William Smith in his decade-long efforts to create a geological map of England, the first geological map of an entire country. He also chose Allan Cunningham for voyages to Brazil and

6650-407: The northern side of the London Road, Isleworth , and contained a natural spring, which was an important attraction to him. Banks spent much time and effort on this secondary home. He steadily created a renowned botanical masterpiece on the estate, achieved primarily with many of the great variety of foreign plants he had collected on his extensive travels around the world, particularly to Australia and

6745-422: The official account of the British mission to the Chinese Imperial court . This diplomatic and trade mission was headed by George, Earl Macartney . Although the Macartney Embassy returned to London without obtaining any concession from China, the mission could have been termed a success because it brought back detailed observations. This multivolume work was taken chiefly from the papers of Lord Macartney and from

6840-624: The papers of Sir Erasmus Gower , who was commander of the expedition. Banks was responsible for selecting and arranging engraving of the illustrations in this official record. Banks was invested as a Knight of the Order of the Bath (KB) on 1 July 1795, which became Knight Grand Cross (GCB) when the order was restructured in 1815. Banks was a large landowner and activist encloser, drainer and ‘improver’ in Fens at Revesby . Banks's health began to fail early in

6935-560: The peoples and sub-divisions of the peoples, all the cultures and languages and religions, were forced by the European imagination into one mould . Out of it stepped the "native," the "savage," offering the blood of sacrifice to grinning gods, dancing in lunatic abandon around flames and...making a meal of his enemies. In contrast, according to Brent, "the explorers themselves had no such view of Africans, no simple picture that rejected African reality and denied to Africans their full humanity." Mungo Park's description in particular contributed to

7030-412: The place most eligible for the reception of convicts "was Botany Bay, on the coast of New Holland ", on the general grounds that, "it was not to be doubted that a Tract of Land such as New Holland, which was larger than the whole of Europe, would furnish Matter of advantageous Return". Although Banks remained uninvolved in these colonies in a hands on manner, he was, nonetheless, the general adviser to

7125-429: The river itself. In fact, many Europeans were not even convinced of its existence, though it had been well-known and well-traveled by Muslims for hundreds of years. The Niger had long been the major highway of commerce between the kingdoms of Africa's interior and traders from as far away as Iraq , and offered significant trade opportunities for Europe. According to Peter Brent's Black Nile , The state that controlled

7220-448: The same route from Cairo. Under orders to maintain a Muslim appearance, Burckhardt spent eight years traveling in Syria , learning the language and customs while waiting for a caravan to form. Just as some Arab merchants were ready to depart for the interior in 1817, the perfectly disguised "Euro-Muslim" died of dysentery before leaving Cairo. The most bizarre story of the African Association

7315-406: The severed head of an Aboriginal man named Pemulwuy that Banks had seemingly listed as among his "desiderata." He was continually called on for help in developing the agriculture and trade of the colony, and his influence was used in connection with the sending out of early free settlers, one of whom, a young gardener George Suttor , later wrote a memoir of Banks. The three earliest governors of

7410-600: The ship was repaired after becoming holed on the Great Barrier Reef . While they were in Australia, Banks, Daniel Solander, and Finnish botanist Dr Herman Spöring Jr. made the first major collection of Australian flora, describing many species new to science. Almost 800 specimens were illustrated by the artist Sydney Parkinson and appear in Banks' Florilegium , finally published in 35 volumes between 1980 and 1990. Notable also

7505-432: The sole purpose of finding out what lay there, and to come back alive. He invented a new and glorious calling, creating an adventurous species of hero: the lone, brave African explorer: the African traveler. This beau ideal soon captured the imagination, fed the fantasies, and filled the literature of Europe. Park's expedition lasted two and a half years, and he published the account of the mission in his book, Travels into

7600-567: The source of the Blue Nile . His account of his travels provoked enthusiasm for further exploration into Africa by Europeans, and the men of the African Association were especially inspired to take action toward their own goals. The location and course of the Niger River were almost completely unknown by Europeans in the 18th century, and most of their maps charting it were mere guesses. According to Davidson Nicol , The most popular description from

7695-405: The trader Christoffel Brand and a friendship started. He was the godfather of Brand's grandson Christoffel Brand . The voyage went to Brazil , where Banks made the first scientific description of a now common garden plant, Bougainvillea (named after Cook's French counterpart, Louis Antoine de Bougainville ), and to other parts of South America. The voyage then progressed to Tahiti (where

7790-586: The university until 1764, but left that year without taking a degree. His father had died in 1761, so when Banks reached the age of 21, he inherited the large estate of Revesby Abbey , in Lincolnshire, becoming the local squire and magistrate , and dividing his time between Lincolnshire and London. From his mother's house in Chelsea, he kept up his interest in science by attending the Chelsea Physic Garden of

7885-486: The world with Captain Cook and been acquainted with Thomas Jefferson before attempting a voyage across Russia , Siberia , and North America . Having failed to complete his journey, he called on Sir Joseph and the African Association, who thought him a perfect fit for their enterprise. After setting sail from England on 30 June 1788 he arrived in August at Cairo . While preparing for his westward journey inland in search of

7980-610: The world, including Australia. The conservatory was moved to Woodside Wildlife Park in 2016 and has been named 'Endeavour'. A plaque was installed in Lincoln Cathedral in his honour. In Boston, Lincolnshire , Banks was recorder for the town. His portrait, painted in 1814 by Thomas Phillips , was commissioned by the Corporation of Boston, as a tribute to one whose 'judicious and active exertions improved and enriched this borough and neighbourhood'. It cost them 100 guineas. The portrait

8075-555: Was a major in the Royal African Corps named Alexander Gordon Laing who finally walked through its gates in 1826. The findings of the Association's recruits, however, accomplished much for European knowledge of Africa and its people. Peter Brent describes the common perception of Africa in the years preceding the African Association: Jungle, desert, mountain and savannah swam into one disagreeable continuity...all

8170-562: Was already the president of the Royal Society. Before Humboldt and his scientific travel companion and collaborator Aimé Bonpland left for what became a five-year journal of exploration and discovery, Humboldt requested a British passport for Bonpland, should the two encounter British warships. On their travels, Humboldt arranged for specimens be sent to Banks, should they be seized by the British. Banks and Humboldt remained in touch until Banks's death, aiding Humboldt by mobilising his wide network of scientific contacts to forward information to

8265-623: Was an English naturalist , botanist, and patron of the natural sciences . Banks made his name on the 1766 natural-history expedition to Newfoundland and Labrador . He took part in Captain James Cook 's first great voyage (1768–1771), visiting Brazil, Tahiti, and after 6 months in New Zealand, Australia, returning to immediate fame. He held the position of president of the Royal Society for over 41 years. He advised King George III on

8360-425: Was based on the metaphorical journey of water through the continent, related to the award-winning Australian Garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne . The design won a gold medal. In 1911, London County Council marked Banks's house at 32 Soho Square with a blue plaque . This was replaced in 1938 with a rectangular stone plaque commemorating Banks and botanists David Don and Robert Brown and meetings of

8455-470: Was elected president of the Royal Society , a position he was to hold with great distinction for over 41 years. In March 1779, Banks married Dorothea Hugessen , daughter of W. W. Hugessen, and settled in a large house at 32 Soho Square . It continued to be his London residence for the remainder of his life. There, he welcomed the scientists, students, and authors of his period, and many distinguished foreign visitors. His sister Sarah Sophia Banks lived in

8550-522: Was featured on the paper $ 5 Australian banknote from its introduction in 1967 before it was replaced by the later polymer currency. In 1986, Banks was honoured by his portrait being depicted on a postage stamp issued by Australia Post . In Lincoln , England, the Sir Joseph Banks Conservatory was constructed in 1989 at The Lawn, Lincoln ; its tropical hot house had numerous plants related to Banks's voyages, with samples from across

8645-416: Was formalised in 1797. Banks dispatched explorers and botanists to many parts of the world, and through these efforts, Kew Gardens became arguably the pre-eminent botanical gardens in the world, with many species being introduced to Europe through them and through Chelsea Physic Garden and their head gardener John Fairbairn. He directly fostered several famous voyages, including that of George Vancouver to

8740-824: Was made an honorary founding member of the Wernerian Natural History Society of Edinburgh in 1808. In 1809, he became associated member of the Royal Institute of the Netherlands . In 1809, his friend Alexander Henry dedicated his travel book to him. In May 1820, he forwarded his resignation as president of the Royal Society, but withdrew it at the request of the council. In 1819, Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen , on his First Russian Antarctic Expedition , briefly stopped in England and met Joseph Banks. Banks had sailed with James Cook 50 years earlier and supplied

8835-698: Was that during the period when the Endeavour was being repaired, Banks observed a kangaroo , first recorded as "kanguru" on 12 July 1770 in an entry in his diary. Banks arrived back in England on 12 July 1771 and immediately became famous. He intended to go with Cook on his second voyage , which began on 13 May 1772, but difficulties arose about Banks's scientific requirements on board Cook's new ship, HMS Resolution . The Admiralty regarded Banks's demands as unacceptable and without prior warning, withdrew his permission to sail. Banks immediately arranged an alternative expedition, and in July 1772, Daniel Solander and he visited

8930-497: Was that of Henry Nicholls in 1804. Kryza writes, "Having failed in assaults from the north (Tripoli), the east (Cairo), and the west (Gambia), the membership now proposed that an effort be made from the south. The site chosen from which to strike inland was a British trading post in the Gulf of Guinea ". In the cruelest of ironies, the river mouth that emptied into the Gulf, from whence Nicholls

9025-457: Was to set out in search of the Niger, was precisely the end of the Niger itself—only the Europeans did not know it yet. The starting point of the expedition was in fact its destination. By 1805 Nicholls had died, probably of malaria . Meanwhile, England was preoccupied with its rivalry with France , and the government decided to take on a larger role in Africa's exploration in order to establish

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