Book Launch and Lecture

John Scouler (c1804-1871), Scottish Naturalist: A life, with two voyages.~

The author, Charles Nelson, will deliver a lecture “Home and abroad with the nineteenth century Scottish naturalist John Scouler of Kilbarchan.”

John Scouler (c1804-1871) made a remarkable two-year journey to Northwest America discovering plants andanimals while travelling through the Atlantic and Pacific  oceans to his destination, the Columbia River.  Hiscompanion  was  the  Glasgow  botanist David  Douglas  where  they  discovered  many plants  new  to  science.Scouler then went to India, adding to his collections which helped found the Andersonian Museum in Glasgow.When  not  travelling  he  was  Professor  at  Anderson’s  College  and  in  Dublin.  His  work contributed  toanthropology, natural history and geology – truly a “man of parts”.  The illustrated lecture will  describe hisadventures and legacy to natural science.

Dr E. Charles Nelson, FLS.  After a PhD in Australia Charles returned to his native Ireland in 1975, to take upthe position of horticultural taxonomist at the Irish National Botanic Gardens, Dublin. He is the author or editorof over 20 books and more than 150 research papers, most recently a prize-wining book on heathers.   Since1996 he has lived in England and worked as a freelance botanist, author and editor, and is currently acting aseditor  for  the  Catesby  Commemorative  Trust’s  intended  book  The  curious  Mister  Catesby  –  A NaturalistExplores New Worlds. In May 2013, he received the Society for the History of Natural History’s Founders’Medal.

Exhibits relating to The Andersonian Museum from the Zoology Museum and Glasgow Museums herbarium can be viewed in The Hunterian (Zoology Museum) where refreshments will be served.