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Fanny Macleay
Frances Leonora "Fanny" Macleay (9 November 1793 – 8 August 1836) was an English-born Australian botanical illustrator, and member of the prominent Macleay family.
Macleay was born on 9 November 1793 in London, England to Alexander Macleay and Elizabeth "Eliza" Macleay (née Barclay). Her father worked in the British civil service, taking up a position of Secretary of the Transport board. Of her many brothers and sisters, Fanny was closest to her brother William, who she wrote to often throughout her life.
While she grew up in an intellectual household, Macleay was not afforded the same kind of education as her older brother, and often bemoaned the ineptitude of her governesses in her letters to him. Her father, a noted entomologist and Fellow of the Linnean Society, encouraged his daughters to learn botany, entomology, zoology, and ornithology from the books in his library.
Of the many skills she learned as a girl, Macleay loved most to draw. Alexander sent Fanny for lessons with the French natural history artist Pelletier, to better improve her drawing to assist with his scientific collections. Travelling between their residence in London and country house in Surrey gave her access to the best drawing masters, and she soon became an accomplished flower painter. Her drawings and still-life paintings were exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1816, 1819, and 1824.
Her father's position in the science community meant Macleay met such prominent scientists as Robert Brown and William Kirby. It was Kirby who first recognised her ability to draw, noticing her talent and requesting she draw specimens for him.
When the Transport Board was abolished 1815, Alexander Macleay was left with a meager pension to support his large family. As his scientific pursuits brought the family into more debt, it was Fanny who encouraged her father to accept the offer of a position as Colonial Secretary of New South Wales. The Macleay family sailed from England in 1825, arriving in Sydney in January 1826 on board The Marquis of Hastings.
Their elite position in the new colony ensured their frequent attendance at many balls and parties. Macleay wrote to her brother about being invited to Government House at least twice a week. She became good friends with the Governor's wife, Eliza Darling, who tried unsuccessfully to arrange a match between Fanny and her brother, Henry Dumaresq.
At the behest of Eliza, Fanny and her sisters helped to establish and take positions at the newly opened Female School of Industry. The institution was intended to take young girls living in poverty and educate them to become domestic servants. As Macleay became more involved in the running of the school, she lamented that her position, along with her home duties, took away from her love for drawing.
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Fanny Macleay
Frances Leonora "Fanny" Macleay (9 November 1793 – 8 August 1836) was an English-born Australian botanical illustrator, and member of the prominent Macleay family.
Macleay was born on 9 November 1793 in London, England to Alexander Macleay and Elizabeth "Eliza" Macleay (née Barclay). Her father worked in the British civil service, taking up a position of Secretary of the Transport board. Of her many brothers and sisters, Fanny was closest to her brother William, who she wrote to often throughout her life.
While she grew up in an intellectual household, Macleay was not afforded the same kind of education as her older brother, and often bemoaned the ineptitude of her governesses in her letters to him. Her father, a noted entomologist and Fellow of the Linnean Society, encouraged his daughters to learn botany, entomology, zoology, and ornithology from the books in his library.
Of the many skills she learned as a girl, Macleay loved most to draw. Alexander sent Fanny for lessons with the French natural history artist Pelletier, to better improve her drawing to assist with his scientific collections. Travelling between their residence in London and country house in Surrey gave her access to the best drawing masters, and she soon became an accomplished flower painter. Her drawings and still-life paintings were exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1816, 1819, and 1824.
Her father's position in the science community meant Macleay met such prominent scientists as Robert Brown and William Kirby. It was Kirby who first recognised her ability to draw, noticing her talent and requesting she draw specimens for him.
When the Transport Board was abolished 1815, Alexander Macleay was left with a meager pension to support his large family. As his scientific pursuits brought the family into more debt, it was Fanny who encouraged her father to accept the offer of a position as Colonial Secretary of New South Wales. The Macleay family sailed from England in 1825, arriving in Sydney in January 1826 on board The Marquis of Hastings.
Their elite position in the new colony ensured their frequent attendance at many balls and parties. Macleay wrote to her brother about being invited to Government House at least twice a week. She became good friends with the Governor's wife, Eliza Darling, who tried unsuccessfully to arrange a match between Fanny and her brother, Henry Dumaresq.
At the behest of Eliza, Fanny and her sisters helped to establish and take positions at the newly opened Female School of Industry. The institution was intended to take young girls living in poverty and educate them to become domestic servants. As Macleay became more involved in the running of the school, she lamented that her position, along with her home duties, took away from her love for drawing.
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