Jacob Bobart the Elder
Encyclopedia
Jacob Bobart or Bobert, the Elder (1599–1680) was a German botanist who came to England to be the first head gardener of Oxford Botanic Garden.
, and was appointed superintendent of the Oxford Physic Garden (as it then was) after its foundation in 1632 as the first such garden in England by Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby
, John Tradescant the Elder
having turned down the position. Bobart arrived by 1641. He had the right to sell fruit and vegetables from the garden, which proved a necessity in the circumstances that Danvers died and the English Civil War
meant that his estates were sequestrated. He planted many yew
trees in pairs.
In 1648 he published an anonymous catalogue, in alphabetical order, of sixteen hundred plants then under his care ('Catalogus plantarum horti medici Oxoniensis, scil. Latino-Anglicus et Anglico-Latinus'); this was revised in 1658 in conjunction with his son, Jacob Bobart the Younger
, Dr. Philip Stephens, and William Brown.
Little seems to be known of his life; there is Granger's statement that 'on rejoicing days he used to have his beard tagged with silver,' and a goat followed him instead of a dog. He died on 4 February 1680 at the garden house, and was buried in the churchyard of St. Peter in the East, where there is a tablet to his memory. He was married twice, leaving houses to his sons Jacob and Tilleman (or Tillemant), and legacies also to six daughters.
Life
He was born at BrunswickBraunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
, and was appointed superintendent of the Oxford Physic Garden (as it then was) after its foundation in 1632 as the first such garden in England by Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby
Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby
Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby, KG was an English soldier. Outlawed after a killing, he regained favour and became a Knight of the Garter.-Life:...
, John Tradescant the Elder
John Tradescant the elder
John Tradescant the elder , father of John Tradescant the younger, was an English naturalist, gardener, collector and traveller, probably born in Suffolk, England...
having turned down the position. Bobart arrived by 1641. He had the right to sell fruit and vegetables from the garden, which proved a necessity in the circumstances that Danvers died and the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
meant that his estates were sequestrated. He planted many yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
trees in pairs.
In 1648 he published an anonymous catalogue, in alphabetical order, of sixteen hundred plants then under his care ('Catalogus plantarum horti medici Oxoniensis, scil. Latino-Anglicus et Anglico-Latinus'); this was revised in 1658 in conjunction with his son, Jacob Bobart the Younger
Jacob Bobart the Younger
Jacob Bobart , the younger, was an English botanist.Bobart was the younger son of Jacob Bobart. He was born at Oxford 2 August 1641, succeeded his father as superintendent of the Physic Garden, and on the death of Dr. Morison in 1683 lectured as botanical professor...
, Dr. Philip Stephens, and William Brown.
Little seems to be known of his life; there is Granger's statement that 'on rejoicing days he used to have his beard tagged with silver,' and a goat followed him instead of a dog. He died on 4 February 1680 at the garden house, and was buried in the churchyard of St. Peter in the East, where there is a tablet to his memory. He was married twice, leaving houses to his sons Jacob and Tilleman (or Tillemant), and legacies also to six daughters.