Thomas Knowlton (botanist) facts for kids
Thomas Knowlton (born 1692, died 1782) was an English gardener and a plant expert. He also loved studying old things and history.
His Life Story
Thomas was born in Chislehurst, Kent. His parents were William and Ann Knowlton. In 1720, he worked at Offaly Palace in Hertfordshire. Later, he managed the plant garden for James Sherard in Eltham, Kent. From 1728, he worked for Richard Boyle, the Earl of Burlington, at Londesborough Hall in Yorkshire. He stayed there for a long time. Thomas Knowlton lived to be 90 years old.
A Plant Expert
Thomas Knowlton became well-known for his knowledge of plants. He wrote letters to other famous scientists like Mark Catesby and Emanuel Mendes da Costa. He even impressed Sir Hans Sloane, who was a very important doctor and collector. In Yorkshire, Thomas found special "moor balls" in the water. These are a type of algae that look like green balls. A famous scientist named Carl Linnaeus also knew about them. A group of plants from South Africa, called Knowltonia, was named after him. This happened in 1796, thanks to Richard Anthony Salisbury.
Exploring History
Thomas Knowlton was also an antiquarian. This means he studied old things and history. He believed that an ancient Roman site called Delgovicia was located near Pocklington in Yorkshire. He shared his ideas about this and other topics in a science magazine called Philosophical Transactions.
His Family
In 1720, Thomas Knowlton married Elizabeth Rice. She passed away in 1738. They had two children, Elizabeth and Charles. Their son, Charles, became a priest. In 1753, he was given a job at a church in Keighley, Yorkshire.
