James Ebenezer Bicheno facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Ebenezer Bicheno
Born	(1785-01-25)25 January 1785 Newbury, Berkshire, England
Died	25 February 1851(1851-02-25) (aged 66) Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land
Scientific career
Fields	Botanist

James Ebenezer Bicheno (born January 25, 1785 – died February 25, 1851) was a British writer and government official. He was known for his love of nature, especially plants.

James was born in Newbury, Berkshire, England. His father, Rev. James Bicheno, was a Baptist church minister. James studied law and became a lawyer in 1822. However, he spent most of his time studying nature and writing. He was very interested in the Linnean Society, a group for people who study nature. In 1827, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a big honor for scientists.

Life in Wales and Nature Studies

In 1832, James Bicheno moved from London to a place called Ty Maen in South Cornelly, Wales. He had helped start an ironworks there a few years earlier. During his time in Wales, he continued his studies of nature. He was a friend of another naturalist, Lewis Weston Dillwyn.

James was a very keen amateur botanist, meaning he loved studying plants as a hobby. He even did experiments with plants on his small farm. He wrote many articles about plants and nature. These articles were published in scientific journals. He also helped Sir William Jardine create a book called Illustrations of Ornithology, which was about birds.

Government Work in Van Diemen's Land

In 1842, James Bicheno was given an important job. He became the colonial secretary of Van Diemen's Land. This place is now known as Tasmania, Australia. In this role, he helped manage the colony's government.

Even with his busy job, he kept up his love for learning. He gave talks about botany at the Mechanics' Institute. This was a place where people could learn about science and other subjects. He also had more of his writings published by the Royal Society of Tasmania.

Interests and Personality

James Bicheno enjoyed many things in life. He loved books and had a huge library of 2,500 books. This was considered the best collection of books in the whole colony! He also enjoyed good food, wine, music, and art.

He was a very large man. People used to joke that he was so big, he could fit three full bags of wheat in his trousers!

Commemoration

James Bicheno is remembered in a few ways:

• The town of Bicheno on the east coast of Tasmania, Australia, was named after him.
• A type of bird, the Bicheno's finch (Taeniopygia bichenovii), was named in his honor.