Susan Fereday (botanical artist) facts for kids
Susan Fereday (born Apthorpe) was a talented artist and scientist. She was born in 1815 in Leicestershire, England. Susan moved to Australia and became famous for her detailed paintings of plants. She also collected many important plant and algae samples. Susan Fereday passed away in 1878 in Sale, Victoria, Australia.
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Susan Fereday's Life and Work
Susan Fereday, whose full name was Susan Georgina Marianne Apthorpe, was born in England in 1815. In 1837, she married Reverend John Fereday. Nine years later, in 1846, Susan and her husband sailed to Australia on a ship called the Aden.
Living in Tasmania
The Fereday family settled in a place called "The Grove" in George Town, Tasmania. Susan found lots of inspiration for her art in the plants around her home. She was very good at painting the local flowers and trees. Her artwork was so good that it was shown at a big event called the Melbourne Intercolonial Exhibition in 1866-1867.
Studying Algae
Susan Fereday was not just an artist; she was also a keen scientist. She loved collecting different types of algae, which are simple plant-like organisms often found in water. Her collection of algae was very important for science. A famous scientist named William Henry Harvey was so impressed by her work that he named two new species of algae after her. These were Dasya feredayae and Nemastoma feredayae.
Honoring Susan Fereday
To remember her important contributions, a street in Australia was named after her. You can find Fereday Place in the Canberra suburb of Conder.