Banks, Joseph, Sir

English naturalist, botanist and science patron.

1743 - Born on the 13th of february in London, England.

1751 - Joseph was educated at Harrow School.

1756 - Educated and graduated at Eton College.  

1760 - Enrolled as a gentleman-commoner at Oxford University.

1764 - He paid Cambridge botanist Israel Lyons to deliver a series of lectures at Oxford.

1766 - He was elected to the Royal Society.

1768-1771 - He took part in Cook's first great voyage, and some 75 species bear Banks' name.

         - Credited with the introduction to the West of eucalyptus, acacia, mimosa, and the genus named after him, Banksia.

1771 - He arrived back in England on 12th of July and immediately became famous.

1778-1797 - He served as secretary of Dilettante Society.

1778 - He was elected president of the Royal Society.

1779 - Married in March with Dorothea. daughter of W. W. Hugesson.

1781 - He was made a baronet, three years after being elected president of the Royal Society.

1797 - Banks was an adviser to King George III on the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

         - Banks's health began to fail early in the nineteenth century and he suffered much from gout every winter.

1820 - Forwarded his resignation as president of the Royal Society but withdrew it at the request of the council.

1820 - Sir Joseph Banks died on 19th June.