Joseph Banks

The naturalist who sailed around the world with Captain Cook and presided over Britain's Royal Society for more than forty years.

Life

Son of a wealthy family

Banks came from a wealthy landowning family and loved botany. In 1768 he led, at his own expense, a team of naturalists and artists aboard Captain Cook's "Endeavour."

Endeavour

During the voyage he collected about 30,000 plant specimens, more than 1,400 of them species never before seen by Europeans. The Endeavour's anchorage on Australia's east coast was named "Botany Bay" for the wealth of plants found there.

Botany Bay

After returning to Britain he became a celebrity. From 1778 he served as President of the Royal Society for forty-one years, oversaw Kew Gardens and promoted the founding of British colonies in Australia. He died in 1820.

Legacy

Banks was one of the pioneers of modern scientific exploration; more than 80 plant species are named after him, including Australia's genus Banksia.

Did you know? He was one of the first to propose founding a penal colony around Botany Bay in Australia.

Key dates

• 1768Boarded the Endeavour
• 1770Collected specimens at Botany Bay
• 1771Returned to Britain
• 1778Became president of the Royal Society
• 1820Died