Joseph Banks
1743–1820 · British (London) · Georgian Era
Known for: Naturalist who sailed with Cook, collected thousands of specimens from the Pacific, and ran British science for 42 years as Royal Society president
Banks was a wealthy botanist who funded his own place on Cook's first voyage, collecting thousands of specimens from Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia. Botany Bay is named for his collections.
As Royal Society president for 42 years, he shaped British science, established Kew Gardens as a global institution, and promoted the settlement of Australia. He was enthusiastic, generous, and the most influential scientific patron of his era.
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