Thomas Velley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Velley
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| Born | 15 May 1748 |
| Died | 6 June 1806 |
| Occupation | Botanist |
| Spouse(s) | Jane Cleeve |
| Parent(s) |
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Thomas Velley (born May 15, 1748 – died June 8, 1806) was an English botanist. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants. Thomas Velley was especially interested in studying algæ, which are simple plant-like organisms often found in water, like seaweed.
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About Thomas Velley's Life
Thomas Velley was born in a town called Chipping Ongar in Essex, England, on May 15, 1748. His father was also named Thomas Velley and was a reverend.
Thomas Velley went to St. John's College, Oxford, a famous university. He studied there and later became a lieutenant-colonel in the Oxford militia. He also earned a special degree called D.C.L. (Doctor of Civil Law) in 1787.
For many years, he lived in a city called Bath. This is where he spent a lot of his time studying plants, especially algæ. He would often collect these plant-like organisms along the southern coast of England.
His Friends and Fellow Scientists
Thomas Velley had many friends who were also important scientists and botanists of his time. These friends included Sir James Edward Smith, who was a very famous botanist, along with Dawson Turner, John Stackhouse, and others.
In 1792, Thomas Velley became a member of the Linnean Society. This is a very old and respected group for people who study natural history, especially plants and animals.
How He Died
Sadly, Thomas Velley died on June 8, 1806. He was traveling in a stage-coach near Reading. The coach became out of control, and he jumped out. He was hurt from the fall and passed away a few days later.
Thomas Velley's Legacy
Thomas Velley left an important mark in the world of botany. In 1798, his friend Sir James Edward Smith named a group of flowering plants Velleia in his honor. These plants are mostly found in Australia.
Thomas Velley also had a large collection of dried plants, called a herbarium. He had carefully organized these plants in eight big books. He also included detailed drawings and notes, especially of algæ. After he died, his wife sold this valuable collection to William Roscoe. It was then used for the Liverpool Botanical Garden.
Today, this important collection of plants is kept safe at the Liverpool World Museum.
His Published Work
Thomas Velley wrote one main book by himself. It was called Coloured Figures of Marine Plants found on the Southern Coast of England, illustrated with Descriptions. This book was published in Bath in 1795. It had 38 pages and included five colorful pictures of marine plants.
He was also thought to have written four papers for the Royal Society, a famous scientific group. However, it was later found that the last of these papers was actually written by his friend, Sir James Edward Smith.
