Richard Thomas Baker
Encyclopedia
Richard Thomas Baker was an Australia
n economic botanist
, museum curator and educator.
, England
, son of Richard Thomas Baker, a blacksmith, and his wife Sarah, née Colkett. The boy was educated at Woolwich National School and Peterborough Training Institution, later gaining science and art certificates from South Kensington Museum.
He was engaged as a senior assistant-master by the School Board for London in 1875 but resigned in July 1879 to emigrate to Australia.
, Sydney
, as science and art master in June 1880.
On 15 January 1888 Baker was appointed assistant curator to Joseph Henry Maiden at the Technological Museum
, and in 1901 succeeded Maiden as curator and economic botanist. In 1902 Baker published an important work, A Research on the Eucalypts especially in regard to their essential oil
s, prepared in collaboration with Henry George Smith
, second and enlarged edition, 1920.
Baker published a small book, Building and Ornamental Stones of New South Wales (1908), and, again in collaboration with Henry Smith, another valuable piece of research, The Pines of Australia (1910). In 1913 Cabinet Timbers of Australia appeared, and in 1915 two more books Building and Ornamental Stones of Australia, and Australian Flora in Applied Art. An important work, The Hardwoods of Australia and their Economics, was published with many illustrations in 1919. Baker retired from the Technological Museum on 30 June 1921. With H. G. Smith he published Woodfibres of Some Australian Timbers (1924).
Baker was lecturer on forestry at the University of Sydney
1913–1925, was a member of the Royal and Linnean Societies of New South Wales, and published over 100 papers in their journals. He was a member of the council of the Linnean Society 1897–1922.
in 1921, and the Clarke Medal
of the Royal Society of New South Wales
in 1922. He collected both old and modern china and in 1938 joined the Royal Australian Historical Society
. Baker died at Cheltenham, New South Wales
on 14 July 1941 and was buried in Rookwood Cemetery
.
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...
n economic botanist
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, museum curator and educator.
Early life
Baker was born in WoolwichWoolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
, England
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...
, son of Richard Thomas Baker, a blacksmith, and his wife Sarah, née Colkett. The boy was educated at Woolwich National School and Peterborough Training Institution, later gaining science and art certificates from South Kensington Museum.
He was engaged as a senior assistant-master by the School Board for London in 1875 but resigned in July 1879 to emigrate to Australia.
Career in Australia
Baker arrived in Australia in September 1879 and joined the staff of Newington CollegeNewington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, as science and art master in June 1880.
On 15 January 1888 Baker was appointed assistant curator to Joseph Henry Maiden at the Technological Museum
Powerhouse Museum
The Powerhouse Museum is the major branch of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney, the other being the historic Sydney Observatory...
, and in 1901 succeeded Maiden as curator and economic botanist. In 1902 Baker published an important work, A Research on the Eucalypts especially in regard to their essential oil
Essential oil
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils or aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove...
s, prepared in collaboration with Henry George Smith
Henry George Smith
Henry George Smith was an Australian chemist whose pioneering work on the chemistry of the essential oils of the Australian flora achieved worldwide recognition....
, second and enlarged edition, 1920.
Baker published a small book, Building and Ornamental Stones of New South Wales (1908), and, again in collaboration with Henry Smith, another valuable piece of research, The Pines of Australia (1910). In 1913 Cabinet Timbers of Australia appeared, and in 1915 two more books Building and Ornamental Stones of Australia, and Australian Flora in Applied Art. An important work, The Hardwoods of Australia and their Economics, was published with many illustrations in 1919. Baker retired from the Technological Museum on 30 June 1921. With H. G. Smith he published Woodfibres of Some Australian Timbers (1924).
Baker was lecturer on forestry at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
1913–1925, was a member of the Royal and Linnean Societies of New South Wales, and published over 100 papers in their journals. He was a member of the council of the Linnean Society 1897–1922.
Later life and legacy
Baker was awarded the von Mueller medal by the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of ScienceAustralian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science
The Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science is an organisation that was founded in 1888 by Archibald Liversidge as the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science to promote science. It was modelled on the British Association for the Advancement of Science...
in 1921, and the Clarke Medal
Clarke Medal
The Clarke Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of New South Wales for distinguished work in the Natural sciences.Named in honour of the Reverend William Branwhite Clarke, one of the founders of the Society...
of the Royal Society of New South Wales
Royal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. It was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1821...
in 1922. He collected both old and modern china and in 1938 joined the Royal Australian Historical Society
Royal Australian Historical Society
The Royal Australian Historical Society is a voluntary organisation founded in Sydney, Australia in 1901 to encourage Australians to understand more about their history...
. Baker died at Cheltenham, New South Wales
Cheltenham, New South Wales
Cheltenham is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Cheltenham is located 21 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Hornsby Shire...
on 14 July 1941 and was buried in Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery is the largest multicultural necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
.