Strange, Frederick (1816? - 1854)

Summary

Frederick Strange was a natural history collector who, except for a visit to the United Kingdom in 1852, was in Australia from c.1836 until his death in 1854. He was an independent collector who relied on the sale of his specimens to generate income. After five years in South Australia, during which time he was in the field with Charles Stuart and make the acquaintance of John Gould, Strange moved to Sydney. Thereafter he collected in New South Wales and Queensland. Strange's specimens, including shells, birds and plants, found they way into major collections such as the British Museum (Natural History) in London and the Australian Museum. His skill in collecting was noted by a number of people including Gould. Strange was murdered on Little Percy Island, Queensland, while on a collecting expedition. The genus Strangea (Proteaceae) was named in his honour.

Related entries

Published resources

Journal Articles

• Comben, P., 'The emergence of Frederick Strange, naturalist', Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland, 122 (2017), 67-77. Details
• Noonan, Patrick, '"Sons of science": remembering John Gould's martyred collectors', Australasian journal of Victorian studies, 21 (1) (2016), 28-42. Details
• Rowland, Michael J., '"By savage hands his steps were stayed": life and death on the Percy Isles, 1854', Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland, 124 (2020), 63-79. Details
• Whittell, H. M., 'Frederick Strange: a Biography', The Australian Zoologist, 11 (1947), 96-114. Details