Sir Thomas Brisbane – Patron of Colonial Science
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Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, vol. 145, nos. 445 & 446, pp. 128-135. ISSN 0035-9173/12/020128-8 Symposium – Commemorating Governor Sir Thomas Brisbane, National Trust, Observatory Hill, 1 December 2011 Sir Thomas Brisbane – Patron of Colonial Science Dr Peter J. Tyler Historian, Royal Society of New South Wales Abstract British Army office Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane was sworn in as Governor of New South Wales on 1 December 1821. His appointment allowed him to pursue his plans for astronomical observations of the southern sky by setting up an observatory near his residence at Government House Parramatta. He also joined the Philosophical Society of Australasia and became Patron of the newly formed Agricultural Society of New South Wales. These societies were the precursors of many important later professional bodies, so that Brisbane’s connection with them represents his most important contribution to Australian science. Introduction – a good marriage for the girls; a career in the army, or sometimes the navy, for boys. On 1 December 1921 Major-General Sir Governor Brisbane’s father and grandfather Thomas Brisbane was sworn in as the sixth (both also named Thomas) were educated Governor of New South Wales. and well-read men – products of the eighteenth-century Scottish Enlightenment. Lachlan Macquarie was still occupying Young Thomas was born at Brisbane House Government House in Sydney Town, so in 1773, where he was taught first by a Brisbane and his entourage settled in what is governess then by his father and a local now known as Old Government House at clergyman. At the age of fourteen he was sent Parramatta. Governor Brisbane found this to school in London to study the subjects that location so congenial that his family decided a young gentleman needed, including to reside there after Macquarie returned to mathematics, as well as to soften his Scots London early the following year. brogue.1 Like Macquarie, Thomas Brisbane was a Scot At sixteen, he commenced his pre-destined and an army officer, differentiating them military career as an Ensign in the 38th from the first four governors who were all Regiment. He enjoyed the army, and his officers in the Royal Navy. family purchased promotions for him, while he served on several overseas appointments How did this come about? Thomas Brisbane came from an ancient landed family in south- west Scotland, at one stage owning 10,000 1 The information about Brisbane’s early life is largely based on C. Liston, ‘Sir Thomas Brisbane’, in D. acres of grazing land. Over succeeding Clune and K. Turner (eds.), The Governors of New generations with large families to support this South Wales, Federation Press, 2009. See also C. inheritance was gradually dissipated, so that Liston, ‘Sir Thomas Brisbane in New South Wales’, the children were expected to be independent Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society,.71, 2, Oct 1985, pp91-106. 128 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Sir Thomas Brisbane – Patron of Colonial Science until 1802 when he could not accept a posting return he formally adopted the cousin’s to India because of health problems. He was surname, and thereafter became Sir Thomas then placed on half-pay while he helped Makdougall Brisbane. They moved to Ireland manage his father’s estate in Scotland. This where he was appointed to the military staff gave him the opportunity to develop an before being nominated as Governor of New interest in astronomy that had arisen from his South Wales. Thomas Brisbane had been posting to Jamaica some years earlier when angling for this position since at least 1815, the voyage almost ended in disaster due to when he wrote to the Duke of York stating poor navigation. While in the West Indies he that he wanted to carry out astronomical acquired some instruments and began reading observations in the colony, in particular to widely about navigation and astronomy. Back ascertain the shape of the earth. At this time home he built an observatory at Brisbane the stars in the southern hemisphere were House, which he fitted out with specially little-known. He even contemplated designed instruments. This was only the chartering a ship privately, and by 1817 he second observatory to be built in Scotland. had already purchased astronomical (Rosen (2003), Morrison-Low(2004). He instruments in anticipation. Another began an active correspondence with leading attraction of an appointment as Governor astronomers, one of whom was married to a was the salary of $2000 per year, but he cousin in Edinburgh, and in 1810 he was hastened to assure the colonial authorities elected as a member of the Royal Society in that he would not neglect his Vice-regal duties London. while pursuing his astronomical investigations. Living the lifestyle of a gentleman of leisure, and indulging in a very expensive pastime Living at Parramatta had an additional while on reduced salary from the army enticement for Brisbane. Government House strained his resources and he was forced to was situated on a small hill with a clear view borrow large sums of money. Relief came in all directions, and without the smoke from when he was recalled to active service as a fireplaces that polluted the atmosphere in the Brigadier-General in the Peninsula War port of Sydney. It was an ideal location for his against Napoleon, where he distinguished planned observatory. himself and was knighted. During the occupation of Paris, Brisbane prevented the Brisbane’s arrival in the Colony was destruction of the Académie des Sciences, and in welcomed by the small group of men gratitude was elected an honorary member of interested in the natural sciences who earlier that body. This connection enabled him to in 1821 had formed the Philosophical Society broaden his interests through contact with the of Australasia, “with a view to inquiring into leading French astronomers, and he remained the various branches of physical science of a dedicated Francophile. this vast continent and its adjacent regions; and the mineralogical and geological state of After the war, he returned to his estates, these countries”. At this time, the total white which were now so heavily encumbered that population of the Colony was about 31,500 it was necessary to sell half the land. Rescue including children. Nearly 14,000 of the came when at the age of 46 he married population – just under half – were convicts. another cousin, Anna Maria, whose father Of the free settlers and military personnel, provided a generous financial settlement. In 129 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Sir Thomas Brisbane – Patron of Colonial Science 6,300 were adult men.2 Only a small number invitedto join the Society, but declined– Dr of these would have the time, money or Robert Townson, a distinguished scholar who inclination to devote to matters of the mind, was the only “real” scientist in the colony, but so the new Society was a select band. was preoccupied with his pastoral interests, and Rev Samuel Marsden, who was in dispute The members were keenly interested in the over other matters with the secretary of the rocks, plants and animals in their new Society, Dr Douglass. Macquarie described environment, so met once a week at each Samuel Marsden as “discontented, intriguing others’ homes in rotation to discuss their and vindictive” and refused to see him except discoveries, and to exchange books from their on official occasions. personal libraries. The Society asserted its PHILOSOPHICAL exclusive status and serious purpose by MACQUARIE’S SOCIETY OCCUPATION OPINION penalising members the substantial sum MEMBER of£10 ($20) if they failed to present a 1 Alexander Berry Surgeon; scientific paper on the allotted monthly date, landowner 2 Dr James Medical “Dissatisfied” and they were fined five shillings (50 cents) if Bowman practitioner they arrived more than fifteen minutes late 3 Dr Henry Medical for the weekly meeting. Emphasising their Douglass practitioner 4 Judge Barron Supreme “Dissatisfied” seriousness of purpose, refreshments were Field Court judge limited to a cup of tea and a biscuit. Members 5 Major Frederick Colonial also contributed £5 ($10) each towards the Goulburn Secretary 6 Dr Patrick Hill Medical cost of establishing a small museum and practitioner library at the Colonial Secretary’s office, 7 William Howe Farmer and “Dissatisfied” which eventually became the nucleus of the magistrate 8 Captain Francis Army officer; Australian Museum in College Street. So, by Irvine farmer joining this group, Governor Brisbane 9 Lieutenant John Surveyor, “Intriguing & indirectly became the founding patron of the Oxley explorer discontented” 10 Edward Merchant (brother-in-law of A. Museum. Wollstonecraft Berry) Table 1: The original members of the Philosophical Society of The original members of the Philosophical Australasia Society of Australasia, as they styled themselves rather grandly, are shown in Table 1. Governor Macquarie had not been invited to join the Society. The Governor’s willingness Of these ten, Governor Macquarie had to meet with emancipist former convicts already identified four as troublesome and alienated him from the “exclusives”. dissatisfied, together with nine other leading Macquarie was a practical man, a builder and settlers, in his despatches to London dated explorer, rather than a thinker and observer 3 the day before he left office. Undoubtedly like Brisbane. Macquarie was at best a he cautioned his successor to be careful of dilettante and not a serious collector (despite these men, in particular Judge Field, whose the beautiful chests of local curiosities that he name was vigorously underlined three times took home with him, and which are now by Macquarie. Two other members of the treasured artefacts of the Mitchell Library).