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Richard Chandler Alexander Prior

January 01, 1970

Richard Chandler Alexander Prior (born Richard Chandler Alexander, 6 March 1809, Corsham, Wiltshire – 5 December 1902, Regent's Park, London) was an English physician, botanist, plant collector, author, translator, antiquarian, and landowner.[1] His principal work is On the Popular Names of British Plants: Being an Explanation of the Origin and Meaning of the Names of Our Indigenous and Most Commonly Cultivated Species (1st edition, 1863; 3rd edition, 1879).[2]

Biography edit

In 1830, Richard Chandler Alexander began the study medicine in London at the Windmill Street School of Anatomy headed by Herbert Mayo and also attended Michael Faraday's lectures at the Royal Institution on Albemarle Street. In 1831, Alexander entered St George's Hospital, but he had typhus fever in the winter of 1831–1832. To escape the unhealthy air of London, he went to Belgium and then to Weimar, where he spent the summer of 1832. For the academic year 1832–1833 he studied medicine in Berlin and then in autumn 1833 resumed his medical study at St George's Hospital. During the academic year 1833–1834 he was greatly inspired by the botanical lectures of Dr. Robert Dickson (1804–1875).[1][3] After some study at Edinburgh, Alexander qualified M.B. at the University of Oxford and in 1836 began to practise medicine in Bath, Somerset. However, a sewer problem near his residence in Bath caused severe illness in him and many of his neighbours. Consequently he moved to Chippenham, Wiltshire.[1] He graduated in 1837 with the research degree M.D. Oxon. and became in 1840 F.R.C.P.[4] In the spring of 1841, he abandoned medical practice altogether. He lived in Gratz, Austria for about three years — during that time he contributed two papers to the Botanical Society of Edinburgh[1] and made an extensive collection of the plant species in the region of Styria.[5] In 1844 he collected plants in Dalmatia, passed through France, and briefly visited England. In autumn 1844 he went to Italy. He spent the winter of 1844–1845 in Naples and visited Sicily in the spring of 1845. He spent about a year in Sicily collecting plants and becoming personally acquainted with Giovanni Gussone and other botanists who were investigating Sicily's flora. In April 1846 he voyaged to the Cape of Good Hope and then lived for 13 months in Cape Town. In 1847 he went to Georgetown and Uitenhage (where he encountered heavy rains in the spring of that year). He then travelled across the Karoo in an ox-waggon.[1] He made large botanical collections (numbering about 7,000 specimens)[6] and returned to England in 1848.[1]

In April 1849 he voyaged to the United States and collected plants until November, when he sailed to Jamaica.[1] There he collected several thousand botanical specimens in the Blue Mountains[6] and climbed the Blue Mountain Peak. In the autumn of 1850 he briefly visited New York and Canada before returning to England in November of that year. On the 6th of May 1851 he became a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London. He established a home at Hammersmith, West London, where he lived until 1859, with occasional trips to the European continent, visiting Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, and Italy. From 1851 to the end of his life, his work was more literary than botanical.[1]

On the 5th of March 1859, Richard Chandler Alexander assumed the name "Richard Chandler Alexander Prior", under the will of his maternal uncle Edward Prior.[7] R. C. A. Prior became lord of the manor at Halse, Somerset and one of the four largest landowners in the immediate vicinity.[8] In 1899 Prior wrote that for forty years he mostly spent the six warmer months of the year at Halse, where he often played croquet, and the six colder months of the year at York Terrace, London, where he worked on his literary pursuits.[1]

During the last few years of his life, Prior suffered from a severe case of Parkinson's disease, but his mind remained active and he retained his sense of humour.[5]

Dr. Prior bequeathed his herbarium to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. His heir, Sir Prior Goldney, Bart., donated to Kew about 140 volumes from Dr. Prior's botanical library.[6]

August Grisebach named the genus Prioria in honour of R. C. A. Prior.[9]

The standard author abbreviation Prior is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[10]

Selected publications edit

  • Ancient Danish ballads, translated from the originals. 1860. LCCN 17018201.[11][12]
  • On the Popular Names of British Plants: Being an Explanation of the Origin and Meaning of the Names of Our Indigenous and Most Commonly Cultivated Species. Williams & Norgate. 1863.
    • 2nd edition. 1870.
    • 3rd edition. 1879.
  • Notes on Croquet: and Some Ancient Bat and Ball Games Related to It. Williams & Norgate. 1872.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Obituary. Dr. Richard Chandler Alexander Prior". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London: 35–37. 1898.
  2. ^ "Book-notes, News, &c". The Journal of Botany, British and Foreign. 41: 108–109. 1903.
  3. ^ "Robert Dickson". Royal College of Physicians.
  4. ^ "Biographical Index of British and Irish Botanists by James Britten". Journal of Botany: British and Foreign. 42. West, Newman & Company: 378–385. 1904. (See p. 380.)
  5. ^ a b "Obituary. Richard Chandler Alexander Prior". The Lancet: 339. January 31, 1902.
  6. ^ a b c "Dr. Alexander Prior's Herbarium and Botanical Library". Kew Bulletin. 17 (1). H.M. Stationery Office: 32. 1903.
  7. ^ Howard, Joseph Jackson; Crisp, Frederick Arthur, eds. (1893). "Prior, of Halse House, Taunton, Somerset.". Visitation of England and Wales. p. 9.
  8. ^ Somersetshire, ed. By E.R. Kelly (A repr. Of the description of the places as given in the Post office directory). (County topogr.). Kelly. 1875. p. 263.
  9. ^ Quattrocchi, Umberto (17 November 1999). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology. CRC Press. p. 2167. ISBN 9780849326776.
  10. ^ International Plant Names Index.  Prior.
  11. ^ "Review of Ancient Denmark Ballads". The Athenaeum (1716): 343–345. 15 September 1860.
  12. ^ "Review of Ancient Denmark Ballads". The Atlantic Monthly. 7: 124–125. January 1861.

External links edit

  • "Richard Chandler Alexander Prior olim Alexander". Botanical Society of the British Isles.
  • "Richard Chandler Alexander Prior". National Portrait Gallery.

January 01, 1970
richard, chandler, alexander, prior, born, richard, chandler, alexander, march, 1809, corsham, wiltshire, december, 1902, regent, park, london, english, physician, botanist, plant, collector, author, translator, antiquarian, landowner, principal, work, popular. Richard Chandler Alexander Prior born Richard Chandler Alexander 6 March 1809 Corsham Wiltshire 5 December 1902 Regent s Park London was an English physician botanist plant collector author translator antiquarian and landowner 1 His principal work is On the Popular Names of British Plants Being an Explanation of the Origin and Meaning of the Names of Our Indigenous and Most Commonly Cultivated Species 1st edition 1863 3rd edition 1879 2 Contents 1 Biography 2 Selected publications 3 References 4 External linksBiography editIn 1830 Richard Chandler Alexander began the study medicine in London at the Windmill Street School of Anatomy headed by Herbert Mayo and also attended Michael Faraday s lectures at the Royal Institution on Albemarle Street In 1831 Alexander entered St George s Hospital but he had typhus fever in the winter of 1831 1832 To escape the unhealthy air of London he went to Belgium and then to Weimar where he spent the summer of 1832 For the academic year 1832 1833 he studied medicine in Berlin and then in autumn 1833 resumed his medical study at St George s Hospital During the academic year 1833 1834 he was greatly inspired by the botanical lectures of Dr Robert Dickson 1804 1875 1 3 After some study at Edinburgh Alexander qualified M B at the University of Oxford and in 1836 began to practise medicine in Bath Somerset However a sewer problem near his residence in Bath caused severe illness in him and many of his neighbours Consequently he moved to Chippenham Wiltshire 1 He graduated in 1837 with the research degree M D Oxon and became in 1840 F R C P 4 In the spring of 1841 he abandoned medical practice altogether He lived in Gratz Austria for about three years during that time he contributed two papers to the Botanical Society of Edinburgh 1 and made an extensive collection of the plant species in the region of Styria 5 In 1844 he collected plants in Dalmatia passed through France and briefly visited England In autumn 1844 he went to Italy He spent the winter of 1844 1845 in Naples and visited Sicily in the spring of 1845 He spent about a year in Sicily collecting plants and becoming personally acquainted with Giovanni Gussone and other botanists who were investigating Sicily s flora In April 1846 he voyaged to the Cape of Good Hope and then lived for 13 months in Cape Town In 1847 he went to Georgetown and Uitenhage where he encountered heavy rains in the spring of that year He then travelled across the Karoo in an ox waggon 1 He made large botanical collections numbering about 7 000 specimens 6 and returned to England in 1848 1 In April 1849 he voyaged to the United States and collected plants until November when he sailed to Jamaica 1 There he collected several thousand botanical specimens in the Blue Mountains 6 and climbed the Blue Mountain Peak In the autumn of 1850 he briefly visited New York and Canada before returning to England in November of that year On the 6th of May 1851 he became a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London He established a home at Hammersmith West London where he lived until 1859 with occasional trips to the European continent visiting Germany France Denmark Norway and Italy From 1851 to the end of his life his work was more literary than botanical 1 On the 5th of March 1859 Richard Chandler Alexander assumed the name Richard Chandler Alexander Prior under the will of his maternal uncle Edward Prior 7 R C A Prior became lord of the manor at Halse Somerset and one of the four largest landowners in the immediate vicinity 8 In 1899 Prior wrote that for forty years he mostly spent the six warmer months of the year at Halse where he often played croquet and the six colder months of the year at York Terrace London where he worked on his literary pursuits 1 During the last few years of his life Prior suffered from a severe case of Parkinson s disease but his mind remained active and he retained his sense of humour 5 Dr Prior bequeathed his herbarium to the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew His heir Sir Prior Goldney Bart donated to Kew about 140 volumes from Dr Prior s botanical library 6 August Grisebach named the genus Prioria in honour of R C A Prior 9 The standard author abbreviation Prior is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name 10 Selected publications editAncient Danish ballads translated from the originals 1860 LCCN 17018201 11 12 On the Popular Names of British Plants Being an Explanation of the Origin and Meaning of the Names of Our Indigenous and Most Commonly Cultivated Species Williams amp Norgate 1863 2nd edition 1870 3rd edition 1879 Notes on Croquet and Some Ancient Bat and Ball Games Related to It Williams amp Norgate 1872 References edit a b c d e f g h i Obituary Dr Richard Chandler Alexander Prior Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London 35 37 1898 Book notes News amp c The Journal of Botany British and Foreign 41 108 109 1903 Robert Dickson Royal College of Physicians Biographical Index of British and Irish Botanists by James Britten Journal of Botany British and Foreign 42 West Newman amp Company 378 385 1904 See p 380 a b Obituary Richard Chandler Alexander Prior The Lancet 339 January 31 1902 a b c Dr Alexander Prior s Herbarium and Botanical Library Kew Bulletin 17 1 H M Stationery Office 32 1903 Howard Joseph Jackson Crisp Frederick Arthur eds 1893 Prior of Halse House Taunton Somerset Visitation of England and Wales p 9 Somersetshire ed By E R Kelly A repr Of the description of the places as given in the Post office directory County topogr Kelly 1875 p 263 Quattrocchi Umberto 17 November 1999 CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names Common Names Scientific Names Eponyms Synonyms and Etymology CRC Press p 2167 ISBN 9780849326776 International Plant Names Index Prior Review of Ancient Denmark Ballads The Athenaeum 1716 343 345 15 September 1860 Review of Ancient Denmark Ballads The Atlantic Monthly 7 124 125 January 1861 External links edit Richard Chandler Alexander Prior olim Alexander Botanical Society of the British Isles Richard Chandler Alexander Prior National Portrait Gallery Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Richard Chandler Alexander Prior amp oldid 1216206057, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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