Robert D. FitzGerald

This article is about the early Australian botanist. For his poet grandson, see R. D. Fitzgerald.

Robert D. FitzGerald
File:Robert D FitzGerald00.jpg
Born	30 November 1830 Tralee, Co. Kerry
Died	12 August 1892 Hunter's Hill, Sydney, New South Wales
Occupation	surveyor, ornithologist, botanist and poet
Spouse(s)	Emily Blackwell
Children	three sons and three daughters
Parent(s)	Robert David FitzGerald & Mary Ann, née Bell

Robert David FitzGerald (or possibly Robert Desmond FitzGerald) (30 November 1830 – 12 August 1892) was an Irish-Australian surveyor, ornithologist, botanist and poet. His father, also Robert David FitzGerald, was a banker, and his mother was Mary Ann, née Bell.

Whilst working as a public servant FitzGerald's private passion and ability regarding ornithology and botany became so skillful that he communicated directly with Charles Darwin regarding Australian species of plant and was referred to several times in the book The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species of 1877. He also collected orchids for the great German-Australian botanist Ferdinand von Mueller.

His extraordinary skills gave rise to a volume of work completed over seven years called Australian Orchids which J. D. Hooker another botanist, considered would be an honour to any country and to any Botanist.

Biography

Early life

FitzGerald was born in Tralee, Co. Kerry, Ireland. He studied civil engineering at Queen's College, Cork, (now known as University College Cork), and emigrated to Australia.

Working as a surveyor

FitzGerald arrived in Sydney, Australia in 1856 and a short time later was appointed to the Department of Lands as a draftsman for the crown.

Working steadily until 1868 FitzGerald was then promoted to control the roads branch of that department.

By 1873 he had become Deputy Surveyor General, and by 1874 he had been given responsibility as the Chief Mining Surveyor as well as controller of Church and School Lands for New South Wales. Following the advent of the Crown Lands Act of 1884 part of his duty was to analyse and consider the future roles of his department and ironically that analysis resulted in a number of retrenchments including his own.

Ornithology and botany

In his private life FitzGerald developed his skills as an ornithologist. Coupled with his skills as a taxidermist he initially (during 1855-56) contributed a number of articles on the birds of his hometown Kerry to that town's magazine.

Mor specifically FitzGerald had an enormous interest in botany and in 1864 he travelled to Wallis Lake, north of Newcastle in New South Wales to collect ferns and orchids which he intended to cultivate around his Hunter's Hill home.

This interest in orchids was maintained throughout his life and in 1869, 1871 and 1876 he visited Lord Howe Island to collect further botanical samples. It was during this time that he discovered Dracophyllum fitzgeraldii F. Muell, which was later to be named in his honour.

Marriage and children

FitzGerald married Emily Blackwell, daughter of Edward Hunt, M.L.C., at Balmain in 1860. FitzGerald had three sons and three daughters who survived his death.

His grandson was the Australian poet R. D. Fitzgerald.

Death

FitzGerald died on 12 August 1892 at Hunter's Hill, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and he was buried in the Presbyterian section of the old Balmain Cemetery.

Published works

Australian Orchids

From 1875 until 1882 in association with Arthur James Stopps who was a lithographer in the same public offices that he worked at, FitzGerald published seven parts of his work Australian Orchids

The exquisite lithograph plates detailing FitzGerald's dissections of orchids, were hand-coloured by artists following his samples and instructions.

Australian Orchids made FitzGerald famous in the botanical world and J. D. Hooker another botanist, considered the work one which would be an honour to any country and to any Botanist.

Manuscript notes

Manuscript notes on botanical species including watercolour sketches and diagrams with botanical annotations which were completed by hand by Fitzgerald between 1870 and 1890, and are held by National Library of Australia.

Published drawings

The originals of FitzGerald's drawings completed in Sydney published between 1874–94, of Australian orchids including 196 water-colour and pencil drawings with the artists pencilled notes in 2 volumes is held as a part of the Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales.

Published letters

A number of letters dated between 1871-92 from FitzGerald to the German/Australian botanist Ferdinand von Mueller about Australian plants and their identification with references to Herbarium specimens as well as a single letter from G.H. Druce to FitzGerald are held at the National Herbarium of Victoria, Melbourne.

Honours and awards

Eponyms

1. The spider orchid, Caladenia fitzgeraldii Rupp is named in his honour.
2. The ravine orchid, Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii F. Muell. is named in his honour.
3. The giant Ericacea, Dracophyllum fitzgeraldii F. Muell., which he discovered on Lord Howe Island is named in his honour.
4. The orchid, Eugenia fitzgeraldi F.Muell. & F.M.Bailey is named in his honour.

Medals

1. Received bronze medal from Agricultural Society of NSW in 1871 for his work on orchids.
2. Received gold medal from the Exhibition Internationale de Paris in 1878 Australian Orchids.
3. Received bronze medal from the Sydney International Exhibition in 1879.
4. Received silver medal from the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880.
5. Received the Amsterdam Medal D'Or in 1883.
6. Received bronze medal from the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London in 1886.

Memberships

1. Made an honorary member of Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria.
2. Elected a fellow of the Linnean Society of London in 1874.
3. Elected a member of the Royal Society of New South Wales in 1876.

Other honours

1. Fitzgerald County, New South Wales is named in his honour.