Charles Coxen
Encyclopedia
Charles Coxen was an Australia
n naturalist
and politician
. He was a brother-in-law
of John Gould
who had married his sister Elizabeth
.
Coxen was born in Ramsgate
, Kent
, England
. He emigrated
to New South Wales
, Australia, in 1834, to join his elder brother Stephen who had emigrated there seven years previously. During 1834-1835 he travelled through the sparsely settled country between the Hunter and Namoi River
s, including the Liverpool Plains
, collecting specimen
s of birds and mammals.
After gaining experience in pastoral management at his brother’s property “Yarrundi” near Scone
, Coxen was involved in the management of several properties, first in northern New South Wales and later as one of the early settlers of the Darling Downs region of southern Queensland
, along with his nephew Henry Coxen. In 1851 he married Elizabeth Frances Isaac
, a woman who, unusually for the times, became known for her studies in meteorology
and conchology
, later becoming the first woman member of the Royal Society of Queensland
. In 1855 he helped found the Queensland Museum
in Brisbane
, became its first honorary curator and secretary, as well as being a trustee, in association with the explorer Sir Augustus Gregory
. He was also a founder of the Queensland Philosophical Society in 1859, the predecessor of the Royal Society of Queensland.
From 1855 to 1860 Coxen served as a member of a standing jury appointed to try civil cases in Brisbane. In 1860 he was elected the representative of the Northern Downs to Queensland’s first parliament
. In 1867, after losing his parliamentary seat, he visited the new Gympie
goldfield
. In 1868 he was appointed land commissioner for Moreton Bay
; in 1870 he also became land agent for Brisbane and, in 1872, inspecting commissioner for the settled districts, holding the three positions until 1875. In 1874 he was appointed to a commission inquiring into conditions of Aboriginals
in Queensland.
Coxen died at Bulimba
in Brisbane. He is commemorated in the name of Coxen's Fig-Parrot
(Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni), named by his brother-in-law.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n naturalist
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 politician
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
. He was a brother-in-law
Brother-in-law
A brother-in-law is the brother of one's spouse, the husband of one's sibling, or the husband of one's spouse's sibling.-See also:*Affinity *Sister-in-law*Brothers in Law , a 1955 British comedy novel...
of John Gould
John Gould
John Gould was an English ornithologist and bird artist. The Gould League in Australia was named after him. His identification of the birds now nicknamed "Darwin's finches" played a role in the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection...
who had married his sister Elizabeth
Elizabeth Gould (illustrator)
Elizabeth Gould was a British artist and illustrator, married to naturalist John Gould. She produced many illustrations for his ornithological works....
.
Coxen was born in Ramsgate
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He emigrated
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
to New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia, in 1834, to join his elder brother Stephen who had emigrated there seven years previously. During 1834-1835 he travelled through the sparsely settled country between the Hunter and Namoi River
Namoi River
The Namoi River is a major tributary of the Darling River in inland New South Wales, Australia.- Course :The headwaters of the Namoi, including the Macdonald River, the Peel River, the Cockburn River and the Manilla River, rise on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range on the Northern...
s, including the Liverpool Plains
Liverpool Plains
The Liverpool Plains is a geographical area and Local Government Area in the North West Slopes, New South Wales.The Shire was formed on 17 March 2004 by the amalgamation of Quirindi Shire with parts of three other shires: Parry, Murrurundi and Gunnedah.- Main towns :* Quirindi* Ardglen*...
, collecting specimen
Specimen
A specimen is a portion/quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study.BiologyA laboratory specimen is an individual animal, part of an animal, a plant, part of a plant, or a microorganism, used as a representative to study the properties of the whole population of that species or...
s of birds and mammals.
After gaining experience in pastoral management at his brother’s property “Yarrundi” near Scone
Scone, New South Wales
Scone is a town in the Upper Hunter Shire in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, Australia. At the 2006 census, Scone had a population of 4,624 people. It is located on the New England Highway north of Muswellbrook about 270 kilometres north of Sydney, and is part of the Hunter and Upper...
, Coxen was involved in the management of several properties, first in northern New South Wales and later as one of the early settlers of the Darling Downs region of southern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, along with his nephew Henry Coxen. In 1851 he married Elizabeth Frances Isaac
Elizabeth Coxen
Elizabeth Frances Coxen née Isaac was an Australian naturalist and meteorologist.After the death of her husband, Charles Coxen, she became the first female elected a member of the Royal Society of Queensland.- External links :...
, a woman who, unusually for the times, became known for her studies in meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
and conchology
Conchology
Conchology is the scientific or amateur study of mollusc shells. Conchology is one aspect of malacology, the study of molluscs, however malacology studies molluscs as whole organisms, not just their shells. Conchology pre-dated malacology as a field of study. It includes the study of land and...
, later becoming the first woman member of the Royal Society of Queensland
Royal Society of Queensland
The Royal Society of Queensland was formed in Queensland, Australia in 1884, with royal patronage granted in 1885.The aim of the Society is "Increasing awareness of natural sciences in Queensland"....
. In 1855 he helped found the Queensland Museum
Queensland Museum
The Queensland Museum is the state museum of Queensland. The museum currently operates four separate campuses; at South Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba and Townsville.The museum is funded by the State Government of Queensland.-History:...
in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, became its first honorary curator and secretary, as well as being a trustee, in association with the explorer Sir Augustus Gregory
Augustus Gregory
Sir Augustus Charles Gregory KCMG. was an English-born Australian explorer. Between 1846 and 1858 he undertook four major expeditions.-Early years:...
. He was also a founder of the Queensland Philosophical Society in 1859, the predecessor of the Royal Society of Queensland.
From 1855 to 1860 Coxen served as a member of a standing jury appointed to try civil cases in Brisbane. In 1860 he was elected the representative of the Northern Downs to Queensland’s first parliament
Parliament of Queensland
The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. According to the state's constitution, the Parliament consists of the Queen and the Legislative Assembly. It is the only unicameral state parliament in the country, the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, having been...
. In 1867, after losing his parliamentary seat, he visited the new Gympie
Gympie
Gympie may refer to:* Gympie, a city in Queensland, Australia** Gympie Airport** Electoral district of Gympie** Gympie Region, its local government authority* Gympie Gympie , a stinging plant...
goldfield
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
. In 1868 he was appointed land commissioner for Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay on the eastern coast of Australia 45 km from Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources...
; in 1870 he also became land agent for Brisbane and, in 1872, inspecting commissioner for the settled districts, holding the three positions until 1875. In 1874 he was appointed to a commission inquiring into conditions of Aboriginals
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
in Queensland.
Coxen died at Bulimba
Bulimba, Queensland
Bulimba is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia. It is 4 kilometres south-east of the CBD, and is located on the southern bank of the Brisbane River...
in Brisbane. He is commemorated in the name of Coxen's Fig-Parrot
Coxen's Fig-Parrot
Coxen's Fig-Parrot , also known as the Blue-browed, Red-faced or Southern Fig-Parrot or Lorilet, is one of the smallest and least known Australian parrots. It is a highly endangered subspecies of the Double-eyed Fig-Parrot...
(Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni), named by his brother-in-law.