Charles James Beverley facts for kids
Charles James Beverley (born in 1788, died in 1868) was a British naval surgeon and a keen naturalist. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which means he was a very respected scientist.
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Charles James Beverley was born in Fort Augustus, Scotland. His father was a soldier. Charles started training to be a surgeon at a young age. In 1810, he joined the navy as an assistant surgeon.
He spent four years working in the Mediterranean Sea. He was present at a naval battle near Porto d'Anzo in 1813. After a while, he became unwell and had to be sent home. He helped care for other sick and wounded sailors on the journey.
After getting better, he served on HMS Tiber . In 1818, he was chosen to join an important expedition. He became the assistant surgeon on HMS Isabella. This ship was going to the Arctic with Sir John Ross. They were trying to find a sea route called the Northwest Passage. This first trip was not successful.
However, in 1819-1820, he joined another Arctic trip. He served under Sir Edward Parry on HMS Griper. This expedition was more successful. They spent the winter in a place called Winter Harbour on Melville Island. When he returned from the Arctic, everyone praised his great skill and care for the sick. Because of his excellent work, Beverley was promoted to a full surgeon.
A Respected Scientist
On May 5, 1821, Charles James Beverley became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected group of scientists. Later, in 1835, he also became a Fellow of the Linnean Society. This society focuses on the study of nature, especially plants and animals.
Exploring the Arctic Again
After some time, Charles Beverley had a painful eye problem. Because of this, he was removed from the list of active naval surgeons. But he was still very dedicated! In 1827, he volunteered to go on another dangerous journey. He joined Sir Edward Parry again, this time as a surgeon and naturalist. They traveled to Spitsbergen, an island north of Norway.
From Spitsbergen, they tried to reach the North Pole. They managed to go further north than anyone else had for the next 49 years! During this trip, Charles Beverley helped a lot. He collected and named many different types of plants. He also helped prepare many animal specimens from the Arctic to bring back home for study.
Improving Care for Others
In 1828, Charles Beverley took on a very important job. He became the Medical Superintendent at a hospital in Bethnal Green, London. This hospital cared for people with mental health challenges. He worked there for 20 years. During his time, he made many big improvements to the care and conditions at the hospital.
Later Life
After his work at the hospital, Charles Beverley retired from public service. He then worked in private practice. He passed away in 1868, shortly after his 80th birthday. He had married Harriet, and they had a son named Edward and a daughter named Louisa.
Images for kids
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This picture shows the crews of HMS Hecla and HMS Griper cutting through ice to reach Winter Harbour in 1819.
