George Crawford Hyndman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Crawford Hyndman
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| Born | 1796 |
| Died | 1867 |
| Nationality | Irish (1796-1800) and British (1801-1867) |
| Occupation | Botany, Zoology |
George Crawford Hyndman (born 1796, died 1867) was an Irish businessman who loved studying nature. He worked as an auctioneer, but his true passion was biology, especially learning about plants and animals in the sea.
Contents
Early Life and Business
George's parents were Cherry Crawford Hyndman and James Hyndman. His father was a wool merchant in Belfast. George went to the Belfast Academy for his education. When he was 14, he started working for his father's business.
After his father passed away in 1825, George took over the family business. Even though he was busy with work, he spent all his free time studying the natural world of Ireland.
Discovering Marine Life
George Hyndman was very interested in marine zoology (animals that live in the sea) and marine botany (plants that live in the sea). He especially loved studying molluscs (like snails and clams) and algae (seaweed).
The specimens he collected, which are examples of these plants and animals, can now be seen at the Ulster Museum.
The Belfast Dredging Committee
George Hyndman was a founding member of the Belfast Dredging Committee. This group worked from 1857 to 1859. They used special tools called dredges to pull up samples from the bottom of the sea. This helped them find and study marine animals and plants. The committee received money from the British Association for the Advancement of Science to help with their research.
Other important scientists on the committee included George Dickie, Edward Waller, and John Gwyn Jeffreys.
Animals Named After Hyndman
Many new species were discovered by George Hyndman or named in his honor. For example, William Thompson named a type of hermit crab called Panningia hyndmani after him. This crab was found in Belfast Lough.
Other hermit crab species named for Hyndman include:
- Anapagurus hyndmanni (discovered by Bell, 1845)
- Escharina hyndmanni (discovered by Johnson, 1847)
- Iophon hyndmani (discovered by Bowerbank, 1858)
- Pseudione hyndmanni (discovered by Bate & Westwood, 1868)
Contributions to Science
George Hyndman was a founder of the Belfast Natural History Society. This society helped people learn more about nature. He also helped write a book called Flora of the North-east, which listed the plants found in that area.
Much of what Hyndman discovered was written down in a book called The Natural History of Ireland. This book was put together by William Thompson and edited by Robert Patterson.
His Scientific Records
The Ulster Museum has an archive of George Crawford Hyndman's work from 1854 to 1862. It includes 20 letters from other naturalists and scientists he worked with. These letters show how he shared his discoveries and ideas with others.
Works
George Hyndman wrote several reports and notes about his discoveries:
- 1853 Notes on the natural history of Tory Island. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 1: 34–37.
- 1857 Note on a curious monstrosity of the common shell (Fusus antiquus). Nat. Hist. : 250.
- 1858 Report of the Proceedings of the Belfast Dredging Committee. Report for the British Association for the Advancement of Science : 220-237
- 1859 Report of the Belfast Dredging Committee. Report for the British Association for the Advancement of Science : 282-293
- 1860 Report of the Belfast Dredging Committee for 1859. Report for the British Association for the Advancement of Science : 116-119 (The committee was joined by Charles Wyville Thomson this year.)
