David Prain
Encyclopedia
Sir David Prain FRS (July 11, 1857 – March 16, 1944) was a Scottish
botanist.
. He taught for two years at Ramsgate College and then returned to Scotland to enter the University of Edinburgh
, graduating MD in 1883. He was demonstrator of anatomy at the College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1882 and 1883 and at the University of Aberdeen in 1883 and 1884.
He then went to India as a physician/botanist in the Indian Medical Service
and after a few years was appointed in 1887 curator of the Calcutta
herbarium. In 1898 he was promoted director of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta as well as the Botanical Survey of India
and superintendent of Cinchona Cultivation in Bengal, remaining there until 1905. From 1898 to 1905 he also served as professor of botany at the Medical College of Calcutta
. In 1905 he became Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
.
In 1907 he was awarded an honorary doctorate
of philosophy at the Linnaeus' tercentenary
in Uppsala
, Sweden
, and became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
in 1912. He was also knighted in 1912. He served as president of the Linnean Society from 1916 to 1919 and was awarded the Linnean Medal
in 1935.
He died at Whyteleaf, Kent on 16 March 1944.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
botanist.
Biography
Prain was born to a saddler in Fettercairn, Kincardineshire, Scotland and studied at the local Parish Schhool and the University of AberdeenUniversity of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
. He taught for two years at Ramsgate College and then returned to Scotland to enter the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, graduating MD in 1883. He was demonstrator of anatomy at the College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1882 and 1883 and at the University of Aberdeen in 1883 and 1884.
He then went to India as a physician/botanist in the Indian Medical Service
Indian Medical Service
The Indian Medical Service was one of the military medical services, which also had some civilian functions, in British India. It served during the two world wars, and was in existence until the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947...
and after a few years was appointed in 1887 curator of the Calcutta
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
herbarium. In 1898 he was promoted director of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta as well as the Botanical Survey of India
Botanical Survey of India
The Botanical Survey of India is an institution set up by the Government of India in 1887 to survey the plant resources of the Indian empire.-History:...
and superintendent of Cinchona Cultivation in Bengal, remaining there until 1905. From 1898 to 1905 he also served as professor of botany at the Medical College of Calcutta
Medical College Kolkata
Medical College,Kolkata was established 1835 as Medical College, Bengal in Kolkata, India as the first college of European medicine in Asia...
. In 1905 he became Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
.
Honours and awards
In May, 1905 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.In 1907 he was awarded an honorary doctorate
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
of philosophy at the Linnaeus' tercentenary
Anniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
in Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, and became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
in 1912. He was also knighted in 1912. He served as president of the Linnean Society from 1916 to 1919 and was awarded the Linnean Medal
Linnean Medal
The Linnean Medal of the Linnean Society of London was established in 1888, and is awarded annually to alternately a botanist or a zoologist or to one of each in the same year...
in 1935.
Private life
In 1887 Prain married Margaret Caird Thomson, daughter of Reverend William Thomson of Belhevie, south of Aberdeen. They had one son, Theodore, who was killed in World War I.He died at Whyteleaf, Kent on 16 March 1944.