William Henry Flower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir William Henry Flower
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| Born | 30 November 1831 Stratford-upon-Avon, England
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| Died | 1 July 1899 (aged 67) Kensington, London, England
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| Alma mater | University College London |
| Awards | Royal Medal (1882) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Zoology |
| Institutions | British Army Royal College of Surgeons Natural History Museum |
| Influences | Thomas Henry Huxley |
Sir William Henry Flower (born November 30, 1831 – died July 1, 1899) was an English surgeon and expert on animals. He became a leading authority on mammals and the brains of primates (like monkeys and apes).
He supported Thomas Henry Huxley in a big debate against Richard Owen about the human brain. Later, Sir William took over from Owen as the Director of the Natural History Museum in London.
Contents
Early Life and Education
William Henry Flower was born on November 30, 1831, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. His father, Edward Fordham Flower, started a brewery in the town.
William was taught at home by his mother first. When he was 11, he went to a school in Edgbaston. At 13, he attended a special school in Worksop where science was taught, which was unusual for the time. He loved collecting natural history items and even became the curator (manager) of his school's museum. This was the start of his long career with museums.
He then studied medicine and surgery at University College, London and the Middlesex Hospital. In 1851, he earned his medical degree. He won awards for his studies in physiology (how living things work) and zoology (the study of animals). In 1852, he presented his first paper to the Zoological Society of London.
Military and Medical Career
After finishing his studies, William Flower worked as a junior surgeon at the Middlesex Hospital. In 1854, he became a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS). He also became the Curator of the Middlesex Hospital Museum that year.
When the Crimean War started in 1854, he joined the British Army as an Assistant-Surgeon. He sailed to the Crimea with his regiment. The war was very tough, and many soldiers became sick or were injured. William's own health suffered, and he had to return home.
He received medals for his service, including the Crimea Medal from Queen Victoria. After recovering, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) in 1857. He returned to the Middlesex Hospital to teach anatomy. In 1858, he got married. The next year, he became an Assistant-Surgeon and continued his work with museums and teaching.
The Evolution Debate
By 1860, the idea of evolution was a hot topic in London. William Flower was very interested in natural history. He decided to focus his career on this area. Thomas Henry Huxley, another expert in comparative anatomy, likely influenced him.
Flower joined Huxley in a big debate against Richard Owen. Owen claimed that human brains had unique parts not found in ape brains. Huxley disagreed and promised to prove it. William Flower helped Huxley by showing demonstrations using monkey brains. He published papers on different monkey brains. At a meeting in 1862, after Owen repeated his claims, Flower famously pulled a monkey's brain from his pocket to show his proof!
William Flower believed that accepting the theory of evolution did not conflict with religious beliefs. He even gave a speech about how science and religion could go together.
Focus on Zoology and Museums
In 1862, William Flower became the Conservator (manager) of the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons. He held this important job for 22 years. In 1864, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, a very respected scientific group.
He became a professor of comparative anatomy in 1870, taking over from Huxley. He gave many lectures about mammals, which are animals that feed their young milk. He also wrote books based on these lectures. In 1879, he became President of the Zoological Society of London for life. He received the Royal Medal in 1882 for his scientific work.
Leading the Natural History Museum
In 1884, Sir William Henry Flower was appointed Director of the Natural History departments of the British Museum in South Kensington. This museum is now known as the Natural History Museum. He was very successful in this role because of his strong yet polite personality.
He believed in making science accessible to everyone. In 1889, he arranged for a statue of Charles Darwin to be placed in the museum. Darwin's ideas on evolution were very important to Flower's work. He also became President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.
In 1895, he also took on the role of Keeper of Zoology. He immediately started to reorganize the animal exhibits. He wanted to make them easier to understand for visitors. He removed clutter, made sure labels were clear, and placed skeletons next to stuffed animals to show how they were related.
Other Contributions to Science
Beyond primates, Sir William became an expert on Cetacea, which are whales and their relatives. He studied whale skeletons and fossils. He even went on whaling boats to learn more. He created a special whale room at the Natural History Museum.
He also studied human skulls and made important measurements. He was the first to show that lemurs, small primates, are indeed primates.
William Flower was a leader in how museums should be organized. He believed there should be different types of collections: one for scientists and another for the general public. He thought it was important to show clear examples for the public, not just tiny details that only experts would understand. His ideas greatly improved how museums were set up and managed.
He worked hard to make museums open to more people. He wanted both educated people and ordinary people to learn about science. He even gave tours to groups ranging from royalty to working-class people.
He became a well-known public figure. His lectures were popular, and his opinions were important. He spoke out against the cruel practice of killing birds for feathers to decorate fashionable hats. He said that beautiful birds like the egret were being wiped out just for a passing fashion trend.
Family Life
William Flower married Georgiana Rosetta Smyth on April 15, 1858. They had four daughters and three sons, including the zoologist Stanley Smyth Flower. William and Georgiana had an active social life and met many important people in British society.
He was honored for his work, becoming a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1892. He also received other awards, including the Royal Prussian order "Pour le Mérite".
Due to illness and overwork, he retired from the Natural History Museum in August 1898. He passed away at his home in London on July 1, 1899, at the age of 67.
See also
- "The New Museum Idea"
