Alexander Collie
Encyclopedia
Dr Alexander Collie was a Scottish surgeon and botanist who journeyed to Western Australia
in 1829, where he was an explorer and Colonial Surgeon.
in Aberdeenshire
, Scotland on 2 June 1793 to Alexander and Christina Collie (née Leslie). The youngest of three sons, Collie studied medicine in Edinburgh
before moving to London to further his studies. In January 1813, he joined the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
and became an assistant surgeon in the navy.
, China and the East Indies
, before returning to Europe to study botany, mineralogy
and chemistry. In 1824 he was a surgeon on board the and travelled to Africa, Brazil, Chile
, the Sandwich Islands
, California
, Kamchatka Peninsula
, Taiwan
and Mexico.
Collie joined the 's February 1829 expedition to Western Australia, where he assisted with the birth of James Stirling
and his wife Ellen's child, Frederick Henry, while at-sea. Upon arriving at Rottnest Island
in June 1829, Collie worked in medical tent at Garden Island
and studied botany in his free time. He received 1500 acres (607 ha) of land on the banks of the Swan River
.
He and Lieutenant Preston explored the south west of Western Australia, discovering two rivers that Lieutenant Governor
Stirling named after them: Collie River
and Preston River
. In 1830 he investigated Peel estate and reported that the estate's manager, Thomas Peel
, was incompetent, which led to government assistance for the settlers.
In 1831, Collie was allotted 500 acres (202.3 ha) of land in Albany
, where he became the town's first government resident. He returned to Perth to be the Swan River Colony
's Colonial Surgeon from 1833 to 1835. He died at King George Sound
on 8 November 1835.
and Collie River
are named in his honour in Western Australia, with a granite
monolith
erected for him in Collie. The Mexican Jay
Calocitta colliei was named after him following his visit to the area on the Blossom in the 1820s.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in 1829, where he was an explorer and Colonial Surgeon.
Early life
Collie was born in InschInsch
Insch is a village in Garioch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located approximately from the city of Aberdeen.-Etymology:The name of the village may have come from the Scottish Gaelic innis, meaning an island, or, as in this context, a piece of terra firma in a marsh...
in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, Scotland on 2 June 1793 to Alexander and Christina Collie (née Leslie). The youngest of three sons, Collie studied medicine in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
before moving to London to further his studies. In January 1813, he joined the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons is a professional qualification to practise as a surgeon in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland...
and became an assistant surgeon in the navy.
Career
He sailed on the frigate to TenerifeTenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
, China and the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
, before returning to Europe to study botany, mineralogy
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
and chemistry. In 1824 he was a surgeon on board the and travelled to Africa, Brazil, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, the Sandwich Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Kamchatka Peninsula
Kamchatka Peninsula
The Kamchatka Peninsula is a peninsula in the Russian Far East, with an area of . It lies between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Sea of Okhotsk to the west...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and Mexico.
Collie joined the 's February 1829 expedition to Western Australia, where he assisted with the birth of James Stirling
James Stirling (Australian governor)
Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...
and his wife Ellen's child, Frederick Henry, while at-sea. Upon arriving at Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island is located off the coast of Western Australia, near Fremantle. It is called Wadjemup by the Noongar people, meaning "place across the water". The island is long, and at its widest point with a total land area of . It is classified as an A Class Reserve and is managed by the...
in June 1829, Collie worked in medical tent at Garden Island
Garden Island (Western Australia)
Garden Island is a slender island about ten kilometres long and one and a half kilometres wide, lying about off the Western Australian coast, to which it is now linked by a man-made causeway....
and studied botany in his free time. He received 1500 acres (607 ha) of land on the banks of the Swan River
Swan River (Western Australia)
The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow....
.
He and Lieutenant Preston explored the south west of Western Australia, discovering two rivers that Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
Stirling named after them: Collie River
Collie River
The Collie River is a river in the South West region of Western Australia.The river was named after Dr Alexander Collie who, along with Lt. William Preston, was the first European explorer to find the river in 1829....
and Preston River
Preston River
The Preston River is a river in the South West region of Western Australia.The river has a total length of and rises near Goonac siding then flows in a North Westerly direction until discharging into the Leschenault Estuary....
. In 1830 he investigated Peel estate and reported that the estate's manager, Thomas Peel
Thomas Peel
Mr. Peel, he moans, took him from England to Swan River, West Australia, means of subsistence and of production to the amount of £50,000. Mr. Peel had the foresight to bring with him, besides, 300 persons of the working-class, men, women, and children. Once arrived at his destination, "Mr. Peel was...
, was incompetent, which led to government assistance for the settlers.
In 1831, Collie was allotted 500 acres (202.3 ha) of land in Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
, where he became the town's first government resident. He returned to Perth to be the Swan River Colony
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
's Colonial Surgeon from 1833 to 1835. He died at King George Sound
King George Sound
King George Sound is the name of a sound on the south coast of Western Australia. Located at , it is the site of the city of Albany.The sound covers an area of and varies in depth from to ....
on 8 November 1835.
Legacy
The town of CollieCollie, Western Australia
-External links:*...
and Collie River
Collie River
The Collie River is a river in the South West region of Western Australia.The river was named after Dr Alexander Collie who, along with Lt. William Preston, was the first European explorer to find the river in 1829....
are named in his honour in Western Australia, with a granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
monolith
Monolith
A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, or a single piece of rock placed as, or within, a monument...
erected for him in Collie. The Mexican Jay
Mexican Jay
The Mexican Jay, Aphelocoma wollweberi, formerly known as the Gray-breasted Jay, is a New World jay native to the Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental, and Central Plateau of Mexico. It reaches north to eastern Arizona, western New Mexico and western Texas in the United States...
Calocitta colliei was named after him following his visit to the area on the Blossom in the 1820s.