John Brazier

John Brazier
Born(1842-09-23)23 September 1842
Died20 August 1930(1930-08-20) (aged 87)
Known forshell collections
Scientific career
Fieldsmalacology
conchology
WorkplacesAustralian Museum

John William Brazier (23 September 1842 – 20 August 1930) was a malacologist from Australia.

Early life

He was born to Captain John Brazier and his wife Mary nee McMillan. His father commanded whaling vessels out of Sydney, Australia, and during his voyages he collected sea shells as a hobby. His son, John, accompanied him to sea on at least one of those voyages and he too became interested in collecting sea shells.

Professional life

In 1865 John Brazier junior accompanied Julius Brenchley on the voyage of H.M.S. Curacoa to Norfolk Island, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, the New Hebrides, the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia. After several other shell collecting expeditions in Australasia he joined William John Macleay 's 1875 expedition in the Chevert to New Guinea via the Great Barrier Reef. In the early 1880s Brazier curated the shell collections at the Australian Museum and at first also the ethnological, historical and numismatic collections. By 1891 the shell collections had grown so large that Brazier curated only marine shells.

Personal life

He married first Sophia Sarah Jane, after whom he named several species of shells. She had three daughters before dying in 1882. He next married Eliza Emma Heinze, with whom he had eight children.

Works

References

  1. 1 2 3 D. F. McMichael, 'Brazier, John William (1842–1930)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/brazier-john-william-3046/text4479