Anna Blackburne
Encyclopedia
Anna Blackburne was an English
naturalist
.
Anna Blackburne was born at Orford Hall, Orford, Warrington
, the daughter of Jane (born Ashton) and John Blackburne. Her father was a wealthy Cheshire salt
dealer, who studied natural history
and had famous greenhouses admired by Thomas Pennant
(1726-1798). Inspired by her father, she devoted herself to study natural history in a more systematic way. To improve her understanding of the system developed by Carl von Linné (1707-1778), she learned Latin. She corresponded with Linné and Johann Reinhold Forster
(1729-1798), who encouraged her to publish her entomological
observations and devote herself to the museum
of Oxford Hall. She enriched the collections by insect additions in particular thanks to specimens sent to her by Peter Simon Pallas
(1741-1811). Her brother Ashton, who had gone to live in the United States of America, sent her many specimens, in particular birds, which were described by Pennant. She sent Linné specimens of birds and insects which were not described in his Systema Naturae
. She died in Warrington
.
Johan Christian Fabricius
(1745-1808), the pupil of Linné, dedicated the beetle Geotrupes blackburnii in 1781 to her. Dendroica fusca the Blackburnian Warbler
, described by Philipp Ludwig Statius Müller
(1725-1776) is also named in her honour.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
.
Anna Blackburne was born at Orford Hall, Orford, Warrington
Orford, Warrington
Orford is a suburb of Warrington, England. The "hamlet of Orford" was originally a small area north of the township of Warrington, centred on Orford Green. Orford now describes a large area between the town centre and the M62, incorporating other small communities, such as Longford...
, the daughter of Jane (born Ashton) and John Blackburne. Her father was a wealthy Cheshire salt
Salt in Cheshire
Cheshire is a county in North West England. Rock salt was laid down in this region some 220 million years ago, during the Triassic period. Seawater moved inland from an open sea, creating a chain of shallow salt marshes across what is today the Cheshire basin...
dealer, who studied natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
and had famous greenhouses admired by Thomas Pennant
Thomas Pennant
Thomas Pennant was a Welsh naturalist and antiquary.The Pennants were a Welsh gentry family from the parish of Whitford, Flintshire, who had built up a modest estate at Bychton by the seventeenth century...
(1726-1798). Inspired by her father, she devoted herself to study natural history in a more systematic way. To improve her understanding of the system developed by Carl von Linné (1707-1778), she learned Latin. She corresponded with Linné and Johann Reinhold Forster
Johann Reinhold Forster
Johann Reinhold Forster was a German Lutheran pastor and naturalist of partial Scottish descent who made contributions to the early ornithology of Europe and North America...
(1729-1798), who encouraged her to publish her entomological
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
observations and devote herself to the museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
of Oxford Hall. She enriched the collections by insect additions in particular thanks to specimens sent to her by Peter Simon Pallas
Peter Simon Pallas
Peter Simon Pallas was a German zoologist and botanist who worked in Russia.- Life and work :Pallas was born in Berlin, the son of Professor of Surgery Simon Pallas. He studied with private tutors and took an interest in natural history, later attending the University of Halle and the University...
(1741-1811). Her brother Ashton, who had gone to live in the United States of America, sent her many specimens, in particular birds, which were described by Pennant. She sent Linné specimens of birds and insects which were not described in his Systema Naturae
Systema Naturae
The book was one of the major works of the Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carolus Linnaeus. The first edition was published in 1735...
. She died in Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
.
Johan Christian Fabricius
Johan Christian Fabricius
Johan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others...
(1745-1808), the pupil of Linné, dedicated the beetle Geotrupes blackburnii in 1781 to her. Dendroica fusca the Blackburnian Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
The Blackburnian Warbler, Dendroica fusca , is a small New World warbler. They breed in eastern North America, from southern Canada, westwards to the southern Canadian Prairies, the Great Lakes region and New England, to North Carolina....
, described by Philipp Ludwig Statius Müller
Philipp Ludwig Statius Müller
Philipp Ludwig Statius Muller was a German zoologist.Statius Muller was born in Esens, and was Professor of Natural Science at Erlangen. Between 1773 and 1776, he published a German translation of Linnaeus's Natursystem...
(1725-1776) is also named in her honour.