Thomas Dancer facts for kids
Thomas Dancer (born around 1750, died 1811) was a British doctor and a plant expert who studied plants in colonies. He is known for his important work with plants in Jamaica.
A Life Studying Plants
Thomas Dancer finished his medical studies at Edinburgh University in 1771. He then moved to Jamaica in 1773. From 1787 to 1804, he was in charge of Jamaica's special garden for plants, called a botanic garden. This meant he looked after all the plants there.
Dancer worked closely with a famous scientist named Sir Joseph Banks. In 1791, Dancer received an award to help him continue his work. He focused on finding plants that could be useful for people, especially for the economy.
In 1793, a large collection of plants arrived in Jamaica. These plants were from the Second Breadfruit Voyage led by William Bligh. Thomas Dancer, along with Arthur Broughton, helped add more plant samples to this collection for Sir Joseph Banks. Dancer also wrote down important information about these plants.
Thomas Dancer passed away in Kingston, Jamaica, on August 1, 1811.
What He Wrote
Thomas Dancer wrote several books and reports during his life. Here are some of his important works:
- A Brief History of the Late Expedition Against Fort San Juan (1781): This book was about a military trip called the San Juan Expedition (1780).
- Catalogue of Plants, Exotic and Indigenous, in the Botanical Garden (1792): This was a detailed list of all the different plants, both from Jamaica and other countries, that were growing in the botanic garden.
- Medical Assistant, or, Jamaica Practice of Physic (1801): This book was like a guide for doctors, explaining how to practice medicine in Jamaica.
