James Backhouse
Encyclopedia
James Backhouse was a botanist and missionary
for the Quaker church
in Australia
.
, England
. His father died when he was a child and his mother brought him up in a religious atmosphere. He was educated in Leeds and began work in a grocery, drug and chemical business, but he developed tuberculosis
and he decided to adopt an outdoor life. An uncle helped him in the study of botany, and in 1815, with his brother Thomas, he purchased the nursery business of J. and G. Telford at York. In 1822 he married Deborah Lowe, and in 1824 he was admitted as a minister in the Society of Friends. In December 1827 his wife died leaving him with a son and a daughter.
, he sailed for Australia
on a mission to the convicts and settlers. They arrived at Hobart
in February 1832, and the next six years were spent in missionary journeys all over the then settled districts of Tasmania
, New South Wales
, and as far north as the site of Brisbane
. Port Phillip was visited in 1837, and South and Western Australia just before they left.
A Narrative of a Visit to the Australian Colonies (1843) by James Backhouse, tells the story of their travels and has much of interest relating to the aborigines, the convicts, the social conditions of the time, and the botany of Australia.
and South Africa
and continued their missionary work, preaching whenever a few people could be gathered together to hear them. Backhouse even succeeded in learning enough Dutch
to be able to preach in that language. An account of his African experiences will be found in A Narrative of a Visit to the Mauritius and South Africa (1844).
His son, James Backhouse, was the author of A Handbook of European Birds (1890) and other publications. Another son, Robert Backhouse
competed in the archery events of the 1900 Summer Olympics
and was also notable as the breeder of the first "pink" daffodil.
James Backhouse was honored by having the plant genus
Backhousia
named after him.
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
for the Quaker church
Church Body
A local church is a Christian religious organization that meets in a particular location. Many are formally organized, with constitutions and by-laws, maintain offices, are served by pastors or lay leaders, and, in nations where this is permissible, often seek seek non-profit corporate status...
in Australia
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...
.
Early life in England
Backhouse was the fourth child of James and Mary Backhouse a quaker business family of Darlington, County DurhamCounty Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, 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...
. His father died when he was a child and his mother brought him up in a religious atmosphere. He was educated in Leeds and began work in a grocery, drug and chemical business, but he developed tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and he decided to adopt an outdoor life. An uncle helped him in the study of botany, and in 1815, with his brother Thomas, he purchased the nursery business of J. and G. Telford at York. In 1822 he married Deborah Lowe, and in 1824 he was admitted as a minister in the Society of Friends. In December 1827 his wife died leaving him with a son and a daughter.
Australia
In September 1831, with George Washington WalkerGeorge Washington Walker
George Washington Walker was a missionary for the church called Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers.Walker was born to Unitarian parents in London, the twenty-first child of John Walker by his second wife, Elizabeth. He was educated at a school in Barnard Castle...
, he sailed for Australia
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...
on a mission to the convicts and settlers. They arrived at Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
in February 1832, and the next six years were spent in missionary journeys all over the then settled districts of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, 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...
, and as far north as the site of 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...
. Port Phillip was visited in 1837, and South and Western Australia just before they left.
A Narrative of a Visit to the Australian Colonies (1843) by James Backhouse, tells the story of their travels and has much of interest relating to the aborigines, the convicts, the social conditions of the time, and the botany of Australia.
South Africa
Both Backhouse and Walker then went to MauritiusMauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and continued their missionary work, preaching whenever a few people could be gathered together to hear them. Backhouse even succeeded in learning enough Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
to be able to preach in that language. An account of his African experiences will be found in A Narrative of a Visit to the Mauritius and South Africa (1844).
England
Backhouse returned to England and arrived at London on 15 February 1841. He took up the nursery again, and when his brother died in 1845, brought his own son James into the business. He kept up his religious work for the whole of his life, travelling and preaching much in England, Scotland and Ireland. In addition to the works already mentioned Backhouse wrote or edited A Memoir of Deborah Backhouse (1828), Memoirs of Francis Howgill (1828), Extracts from the Letters of James Backhouse (1838-41), The Life and Correspondence of William and Alice Ellis (1849), A Short Record of the Life and Experiences of Thomas Bulman (1851), and numerous sermons, addresses and tracts. With Charles Tylor he wrote The Life and Labours of George Washington Walker (1862).His son, James Backhouse, was the author of A Handbook of European Birds (1890) and other publications. Another son, Robert Backhouse
Robert Backhouse
Robert Ormston Backhouse was a British archer who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.He was born in Darlington, County Durham and died in Sutton St. Nicholas, Herefordshire....
competed in the archery events of the 1900 Summer Olympics
1900 Summer Olympics
The 1900 Summer Olympics, today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1900 in Paris, France. No opening or closing ceremonies were held; competitions began on May 14 and ended on October 28. The Games were held as part of...
and was also notable as the breeder of the first "pink" daffodil.
James Backhouse was honored by having the plant genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Backhousia
Backhousia
Backhousia is a small genus of five species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, native to the rainforests of eastern Australia. They are aromatic shrubs or trees growing to 5-25 m tall, with evergreen leaves 3-12 cm long and 1-6 cm broad, arranged opposite on the shoots.Species...
named after him.