Rev. Dr. John Ignatius Bleasdale (1822–1884) was an English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

-born Priest

Priest

A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

, Chemist and Mineralogist active in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 and President of the Royal Society of Victoria

Royal Society of Victoria

The Royal Society of Victoria is the oldest learned society in the state of Victoria in Australia.The Royal Society of Victoria was formed in 1859 from a merger between The Philosophical Society of Victoria and The Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science , both founded...

 in 1865.

Bleasdale was born in Lancashire

Lancashire

Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...

, England and was educated at Preston. He trained as a clergyman (1835 to 1845), first at the English College, Lisbon

English College, Lisbon

The English College, Lisbon was a Roman Catholic seminary that existed from the 17th century to the 20th century.-Early history:...

 in Portugal, then at St Mary’s College, Ascot, Birmingham. Following his ordainment by Cardinal Wiseman, Rev. Bleasdale served as a military chaplain in Britain. He arrived in Victoria (Australia)

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

 in 1851 and was appointed to the mission at Geelong.

Bleasdale was a foundation member of the Melbourne Microscopical Society, a fellow of the Geographical and Linnean societies and honorary member of Medical Society of Victoria. He was also one of the leading advocates for wine in Victoria.

Bleasdale migrated to California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

in 1877 and died in San Francisco in June 1884.