TITLE: THE TRAVELS OF JOSEPH DALTON HOOKER
2000 15 X 31 INCHES

Joseph D. Hooker:
1817-1911: British, botanist, artist

His first voyage was to the Antarctic. Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker was an eminent botanist,
and the son of an eminent botanist, Sir William Jackson Hooker. He graduated as a doctor at twenty two.

Through strong persuasion by his famous father, Joseph Hooker was able to
become a botanist on James Clark Ross’ expedition to Antarctica, 1839-43. Ross
had no authority to carry civilians, but enlisted Hooker as a botanist. He
concealed this title by calling Hooker an assistant surgeon. To conserve space and
food, it was not uncommon for crews to perform multi tasks. The second
master of the Terror, John E. Davis was also a skilled artist and cartographer.
During the landing at the newly discovered Franklin Island in the Ross Sea,
Hooker slipped and was almost crushed to death between the ship and the rocks.

His three year voyage to Antarctic was to be the first of many expeditions
to various dramatic parts of the world. His botanical collections on the
voyage with Ross, and later in India, Nepal, Morocco and North America established
him as one of the 19th century’s most distinguished natural scientists. His
published florae are among the finest in botanical literature. Hooker became a
friend and supporter of Charles Darwin. In 1865 he succeeded his father as
director of Kew Gardens, London.

In later years he became a mentor to a new generation of Antarctic explorers.
Prior to departure for the Antarctic in1910, Captain Robert F. Scott asked
Hooker to come aboard the Terra Nova to hoist the flag. In frail health,
Hooker declined. He died on 10 December, 1911 in his ninety-fifth year. The Dean
of Westminster offered to place his ashes next to Darwin’s in the Abby. This
was declined so that Hooker could be buried next to his father in the
churchyard at Kew Gardens