Alexander Macleay

Hon. Alexander Macleay MLC FLS FRS (24 June 1767 – 18 July 1848) was a leading member of the Linnean Society and a fellow of the Royal Society. The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. ... The Linnean Society of London is the worlds premier society for the study and dissemination about taxonomy. ... For other uses, see Royal Society (disambiguation). ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1767 (MDCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1848 (MDCCCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Linnean Society of London is the worlds premier society for the study and dissemination about taxonomy. ... For other uses, see Royal Society (disambiguation). ...

Macleay was born on Ross-shire, Scotland, eldest son of William Macleay, provost of Wick. Alexander had a classical education, went London and became a wine merchant. In 1795 he was elected a fellow of the Linnean Society and was also appointed chief clerk in the prisoners of war office. When the office was linked with the Transport Board after war broke out, Macleay became head of the correspondence department and by 1806 secretary. The Board was abolished in 1815 and Macleay retired on an annual pension of £750. Ross-shire (Siorrachd Rois in Gaelic), or simply Ross, is a traditional county of Scotland bordering on Sutherland, Cromartyshire (of which it contains many enclaves), Inverness-shire and on an exclave of Nairnshire. ... This article is about the country. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Macleay's chief natural history interest was entomology and he had the finest and most extensive collection then existing of any private individual in England. This included the British Collection of John Curtis now housed in Melbourne, Australia. James Francis Stephens referred to Alexander Macleay as "my friend" and talks about his philosophical views on insect structure and arrangement. This is a euphemistic reference to Macleay’s curious quinary system , a classication schema based on the number 5. Not to be confused with Etymology, the study of the history of words. ... John Curtis (1791-1862) was an English entomologist and illustrator. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... James Francis Stephens (September 16, 1792 - December 22, 1852) was an English zoologist. ...

On 14 June 1825, Macleay was appointed Colonial Secretary for New South Wales and brought his collection and family with him to Australia[1] arriving in January 1826. He was soon working twelve hour days and in July 1826 was made a member of the Executive and Legislative Councils. is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1825 (MDCCCXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... NSW redirects here. ...

His extensive entomological collections formed the basis of the Macleay Museum at the University of Sydney. Macleay Museum The Macleay Museum, devoted to the History of Science, is located on the Main Campus of the University of Sydney, Australia. ... The University of Sydney, established in Sydney in 1850, is the oldest university in Australia. ...

He was also very active beyond his scientific pursuits and was the foundation president of the Australian Club. The Australian Club is an exclusive private club founded in 1838 and located in Sydney at 165 Macquarie Street. ...

He was the father of the entomologist William Sharp Macleay who expanded his father's collection and of George Macleay, also a zoologist. His daughter Rosa Roberta married Arthur Pooley Onslow; her children included Arthur Alexander Walton Onslow and Sir Alexander Onslow. William Sharp Macleay ’s father Alexander Macleay was a leading member of the Linnean Society. ...

References

• About the Macleay Museum. University of Sydney (2006-06-12). Retrieved on 2007-07-03.
• 'McLeay (Macleay), Alexander (1767 - 1848)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 2, MUP, 1967, pp 177-180.
• Serle, Percival (1949). "Macleay, Alexander". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus and Robertson.