PUBLIC FIGURES PRIVATE COLLECTORS | THE MACLEAY FAMILY AS COLLECTORS OF NATURAL HISTORY DRAWINGS with Anne Harbers

Why, at the age of nearly 60, did Alexander Macleay leave his respected life to accept a position in the far-flung colony of New South Wales bringing himself, his wife, his 6 daughters and his insect collection and library to Sydney?

As a well- educated Scot, Alexander Macleay (1767 – 1848) had commenced his career in the British Civil Service in 1795 as a chief clerk in the War office. When Alexander Macleay arrived in Sydney in 1825, to be Colonial Secretary of New South Wales, he was an experienced British Civil Servant and a respected gentleman entomology collector. 

His interest in Natural History had resulted in his insect collection being without parallel in England, with over 9000 specimens and he had been Honorary Secretary of the Linnean Society of London for 27 years. He had close contact with the established collectors of the day, with his cabinet being used by Kirby and Spence in their publications of 1815 – 1826.

ANNE HARBERS is an independent scholar in Art History. She holds a Master research degree in Chemistry and an MBA and for 25 years worked in the field of biotechnology. She is co-author of Jane Austen – Antipodean Views (2001). In 2014, she completed her Masters degree in Art History from the University of Sydney, and is currently enrolled as an external PhD candidate at Radboud Universiteit in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, working on 17th century Dutch art.

This lecture is generously supported by The Friends of The Johnston Collection.