Richard Austin Bastow
Encyclopedia
Richard Austin Bastow was an Australian naturalist
and bryologist
.
R.A. Bastow was born in Edinburgh
, Scotland
, the son of a scholarly parson James Austin Bastow
. He was educated at The Royal Grammar School
. In 1862 he eloped with Catherine Broadbent to America, Austin Bastow his son, was born in Cleveland Ohio in 1867. Richard and Catherine returned to England because of Catherine's mother's delicate health, after her death Richard and Catherine decided to emigrate to Tasmania
, Australia
, where in 1884 he became Town Surveyor in Hobart
Town. He had 5 children, 2 dying young, the other three were a son, Austin and 2 daughters, Dorothea Kate and Daisy Winifred. Richard and Catherine were buried in the Booroondara General Cemetery, Melbourne
, Australia
It was in Tasmania that Bastow became interested in bryology
. His definitive work, Mosses of Tasmania, was published in Hobart
. in 1886. Other significant works followed over the years. His last paper was Victorian Hepaticae in 1914, the pioneer paper in the field for that Australian state
In 1888 Bastow moved to Victoria
,arriving aboard the 'Mangana' on 13 March. In Victoria he initially worked privately but later became an employee of the Public Works Department until his retirement. Richard found self employment a task he was not suited to and being employed allowed him the time he felt he needed to follow his true passion "seaweeds and mosses". He was largely responsible for the original Melbourne
Fish Market. In Victoria he continued with his field work and enthusiastic presentation of papers at the Field Naturalists Club and Royal Society of Victoria. He was a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London
between 1885 and 1889
after his death his son Austin donated to the National Museum of Melbourne his collection of more than 10,000 molluscs. His main collection is in the Melbourne Herbarium, other collections in the Museum of Victoria.
The following species are named after Bastow:
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
and bryologist
Bryology
Bryology is the branch of botany concerned with the scientific study of bryophytes . Bryophytes were first studied in detail in the 18th century...
.
R.A. Bastow was born 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...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the son of a scholarly parson James Austin Bastow
James Austin Bastow
James Austin Bastow was a Primitive Methodist MinisterJames A. Bastow was born in Hunslet near Leeds in 1810 and was the eldest child of John Bastow, a weaver, and Mary Wade, As a youth he attended a Primitive Methodist church in Leeds, where he was converted and soon began to work as a lay...
. He was educated at The Royal Grammar School
Royal Grammar School, Newcastle
Royal Grammar School Newcastle upon Tyne, known locally and often abbreviated as RGS, is a long-established co-educational, independent school in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It gained its Royal Charter under Queen Elizabeth I...
. In 1862 he eloped with Catherine Broadbent to America, Austin Bastow his son, was born in Cleveland Ohio in 1867. Richard and Catherine returned to England because of Catherine's mother's delicate health, after her death Richard and Catherine decided to emigrate to 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...
, 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...
, where in 1884 he became Town Surveyor in 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...
Town. He had 5 children, 2 dying young, the other three were a son, Austin and 2 daughters, Dorothea Kate and Daisy Winifred. Richard and Catherine were buried in the Booroondara General Cemetery, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, 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...
It was in Tasmania that Bastow became interested in bryology
Bryology
Bryology is the branch of botany concerned with the scientific study of bryophytes . Bryophytes were first studied in detail in the 18th century...
. His definitive work, Mosses of Tasmania, was published in 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 1886. Other significant works followed over the years. His last paper was Victorian Hepaticae in 1914, the pioneer paper in the field for that Australian state
In 1888 Bastow moved to Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
,arriving aboard the 'Mangana' on 13 March. In Victoria he initially worked privately but later became an employee of the Public Works Department until his retirement. Richard found self employment a task he was not suited to and being employed allowed him the time he felt he needed to follow his true passion "seaweeds and mosses". He was largely responsible for the original Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
Fish Market. In Victoria he continued with his field work and enthusiastic presentation of papers at the Field Naturalists Club and Royal Society of Victoria. He was a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London
Linnean Society of London
The Linnean Society of London is the world's premier society for the study and dissemination of taxonomy and natural history. It publishes a zoological journal, as well as botanical and biological journals...
between 1885 and 1889
after his death his son Austin donated to the National Museum of Melbourne his collection of more than 10,000 molluscs. His main collection is in the Melbourne Herbarium, other collections in the Museum of Victoria.
The following species are named after Bastow:
- Cyclostrema bastowi
- Orbitestella bastowi
- Daphnella bastowi
- Asperdaphne bastowiAsperdaphne bastowiAsperdaphne bastowi is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae....