Daniel Solander 1733 – 1782 (pictured on the right)
Swedish botanist [Plot 122 Swedish Church Ground]. Solander was born in Piteå/Öjebyn in the north of Sweden. At the age of
17, he commenced studies at Uppsala University for the famous botanist Carl von Linné. Solander was one of Linné’s disciples in working on the book Systema Naturae. In Systema Naturae, Linné outlined his ideas for the hierarchical classification of the natural world.
In 1760, Solander arrived in London as English scientists had long requested for one of LInné’s disciples to come to England and share knowledge about Linné’s new classification system and this fell on Solander. He soon learned English and established himself in England. In 1762, he declined a professorship in St Petersburg, in favour of cataloguing the natural history specimens at the British Museum and he became the keeper of the natural history collections at the British Museum in 1773.
Solander made lots of influential friends, one of whom was Sir Joseph Banks and Solander travelled together with him on the voyage of Captain James Cook on the HMB Endeavour to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific 1768-1771. Solander and Banks returned to London as heroes, they were the sought after celebrities of the day and botanists from all
over the world came to see them.
Solander became a British citizen and continued living in London until his death in 1782.