James Mangles (Royal Navy officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Mangles
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|---|---|
| Born | 1786 |
| Died | 18 November 1867 (aged 81) Fairfield, Topsham Road, Exeter |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands held | HMS Racoon |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society |
James Mangles (1786 – 18 November 1867) was a Royal Navy officer. He was also a naturalist, which means he studied nature, and a horticulturalist, someone who grows plants. He was also a writer. James Mangles served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, becoming a captain. After these wars, he became very involved in growing plants and collecting them in early Western Australia. He shared these interests with his brothers, Robert and George.
Contents
James Mangles joined the navy in March 1800. He served on several ships, including Maidstone and Narcissus. He took part in important events like the capture of the Cape of Good Hope and battles in South America.
In September 1806, he was promoted to lieutenant on Penelope. In February 1809, he helped capture Martinique, an island in the Caribbean.
Later, in 1811, Mangles served on Boyne, and in 1812, on Ville de Paris. This ship was the main ship for Sir Harry Burrard Neale in the English Channel. In 1814, he was the first lieutenant on Duncan. He was sent home in charge of the ship Racoon. On June 13, 1815, he officially became a captain. This was his last time serving on a ship.
Travels and Discoveries
In 1816, after his naval service, James Mangles left England. He went on a long trip with his friend, Captain Charles Leonard Irby. They traveled through Europe, Egypt, Syria, and Asia Minor.
James Mangles was recognized for his knowledge and interests. In 1825, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a group of very important scientists. In 1830, he helped start the Royal Geographical Society. This group focuses on geography and exploration. He was one of its first members.
Contributions to Botany
In 1831, Mangles visited the Swan River Colony in Australia. His cousin, Ellen Stirling, was married to the Lieutenant Governor James Stirling.
When he returned to England, Mangles started a business with his brother Robert. They hired James Drummond to collect seeds, plants, and plant samples from Australia. They then sold these to plant nurseries. Mangles also wrote letters to many people in the Swan River Colony about plants. These people included Georgiana Molloy, George Fletcher Moore, and Sir Richard Spencer.
Several plants from Western Australia are named after the Mangles family. One famous example is Anigozanthos manglesii, also known as the red and green kangaroo paw. This plant is the floral symbol of Western Australia. It was named after Robert Mangles, who grew it from a seed in his garden in England. Other plants named after James Mangles include Melaleuca manglesii, Grevillea manglesii, Rhodanthe manglesii, and Ptilotus manglesii (also called pom poms).
James Mangles passed away in Exeter on November 18, 1867, at the age of 81.
Published Works
James Mangles was also a writer. His travel letters with Captain Irby were first printed in 1823. They were later published as a book in 1844.
He also wrote other books, including:
- The Floral Calendar (1839): A short book about gardening in towns and in windows.
- Synopsis of a Complete Dictionary ... of the Illustrated Geographically and Hydrography of England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland (1848).
- Papers and Despatches relating to the Arctic Searching Expeditions of 1850-1-2 (1852).
- The Thames Estuary, a Guide to the Navigation of the Thames Mouth (1853).
