Ellen Blackwell facts for kids

Ellen Wright Blackwell (born October 7, 1864 – died February 24, 1952) was a writer and a botanist. She made a big difference in how people studied botany (the study of plants) in New Zealand. She was born in Northampton, England.

Ellen Wright Blackwell: A Pioneer Botanist

Early Life and Travels

Ellen Wright Blackwell was born in Northampton to John and Anna Maria Blackwell. She was one of eleven children. Her father, John Blackwell, made and sold socks and stockings. Before she visited New Zealand, Ellen wrote some books about religion for children. She used the pen name "Grace Winter" for these books.

In 1904, Ellen traveled to New Zealand to visit her two brothers, William and Frank. They had moved there earlier. On her ship, the Omrah, she met Robert Malcolm Laing. He was also a botanist. They found out they both loved plants and explored together at some of the ports. They became friends and stayed in touch after reaching New Zealand.

The Famous Book: Plants of New Zealand

After arriving in Auckland, Ellen visited her brother Frank in January 1904. Frank was a very good photographer. Ellen stayed in New Zealand for three more summers, exploring different areas. Then, she and Robert Laing decided to write a book called Plants of New Zealand.

This book was first published in 1906. It was written by both Laing and Blackwell. It included 160 original photographs taken by Ellen and her brother Frank. This was the first time a popular and well-illustrated book about New Zealand's native plants was published. It gave accurate information in an easy-to-understand way.

Many generations of people interested in New Zealand's plants used this book. It helped many future botanists get interested in the field. The book also tried to connect New Zealand's culture, including Maori culture, with its plants for the first time. It is considered a classic book about biology in New Zealand.

The book was published by Whitcombe and Tombs. It had a second updated edition in 1907. Later editions in 1927 and 1940 were updated by Laing. There was a fifth edition in 1949 and a "sixth edition" reprinted in 1957. A seventh edition was updated by Eric Godley.

Later Life and Legacy

Soon after her book was published, Ellen Blackwell went back to England. She never returned to New Zealand. In London, on October 14, 1910, she married Thomas Maidment. She wrote two more religious books for children, which came out in 1923 and 1926. Ellen Wright Blackwell passed away in Portsmouth, England, on February 24, 1952.

In 2017, Ellen Blackwell was honored by the Royal Society Te Apārangi. She was chosen as one of their "150 women in 150 words." This celebrated the important contributions women have made to knowledge in New Zealand.

See also

In Spanish: Ellen Wright Blackwell para niños