EnglishAC

Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

English, Albert Charles

(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 1: Cyclopaedia of collectors)

Born: 1861 or 1863, England. Died: 1945, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia.

career:

Arrived in Australia in 1881 as a collector for British scientific institutions. In 1883 he went to British New Guinea to collect zoological, botanical and ethnological materials. Upon the murder of George Hunter by the natives in 1889, he was appointed Government Agent, in the latter’s place, at Rigo; remained in government service until 1907, then started planting¹ and trading at Rigo. He made several expeditions into the interior (see below), discovered Ficus rigo F.M.Baill. and experimented with it as a commercial rubber tree.

He is commemorated in Symplocos englishii Hemsl., collected by himself.

Collecting localities:

SE. New Guinea (Papua). 1887. With J.B. Cameron (see there) to the St Joseph River (Oct.).-1889. From E. side Ansell Peninsula (Jan. 14) walking across to Chads Bay with W. MacGregor. With MacGregor (see there for itinerary etc.) on the first ascent of Mt Victoria (June 11-12).-1895. Tour of inspection from Rigo on foot to the upper course of the Kemp Welch River (= Vanigela), returning down the river on rafts (23); back at Rigo (26).²-1896. To Kerepuna, making trips in the interior (May). With Sir W. MacGregor (itiner. etc. see there) on Mt Scratchley, etc.-1897. To the Vanapa Valley and the Wharton Range (bivouac Giulianetti) (Sept.-Oct.) with W. MacGregor (itiner. etc. see there).-1898. Expedition to the eastern slopes of Mt Potter.³ From Rigo (Apr. 6) to Devemava; crossing 2 spurs of Mt Bride and descending to the Musgrave River (9); ascending the other side to Ihovi, Demori, Babuori; crossing a spur of Mt Deakin (14); crossing Iaba Creek and the Mera; ascending spur of Mt Potter and reaching Badoa; Apr. 19 returning to Demori; via Mt Pasco to Vegofi (20); confluence of the Meneme Creek in the Kemp Welch River (22), Kalikodobu; Rigo (24). Visit with W. MacGregor (see there) to the lower portion of the Brown (Naoro) River (Aug.).-1899. By boat (July 10) to Bumbaka and Bumugina; Barua (13); Robinson River (16); Dedele; to Domari (18), Kabadi and rowing upstream to Domu Distr.; along the coast (21); Kabauda and inland to Gemaboro (25).⁴ From Dedele (Nov. 14) via Baile and Baitu Boga to Keveri Valley; passing the watershed between the Wawela and Gradukwin (Dec. 14); back via Huwaia, passing the coastal mountains to the villages of Bumbago Distr.; by boat to Dedele (arriving the 30th).⁵-1900. With Blayney and F.R. Barton (see there) to the Doriwaidi tribes in Punea Buru (Sept.). Punitive expedition with F.R. Barton (see there) from Rigo (Oct. 26) to Kemp Welch Distr.⁶-1902. Boat-excursion to Bugi, as well as to the coastal towns west of Darn (Sept. 26-Oct. 1). Visit to Kiwai Isl. in the mouth of the Fly and the villages on the right bank of the lower course (Oct. 13-21).-1904. Returning to the Possession (Febr. 6), after an absence of 9 months; leaving Port Moresby (14) for Hall Sound to proceed to the Gulf Distr., W. Centr. Division; as far west as Maipua in the Purari Delta, remaining in the Division till March 23; resuming his duties in the Rigo Distr. on Apr. 1. Visit to Hood Peninsula (May 23). Inspection of the interior (June 8-20):⁷ Baifana, Seramina and Demori districts, slopes of Mt Deakin and Mt Potter. Trip to the end of the division, leaving Rigo (July 20) and calling at all the villages along the coast, Bulaa, Keapara, Bilirupu, Lalaura, Dedele (28); Cloudy Bay Distr. (July 28-Sept. 3), e.g. Keveri Valley and Domara Gold-fields; return to Rigo (Sept. 6), calling at the villages along the coast. Sailing in the ‘Merrie England’ from Rigo (Oct. 13) to Cloudy Bay, Dedele (15), staying in the district until Dec. 2; Rigo (Dec. 3).-1905. From Rigo (Jan. 23) to the headwaters of the Kemp Welch River (trip taking 12 days). Setting out (May 8) on a trip to the Upugau Valley, Kamiti (15).⁸ Trip to the Taboru (Aug. 4); returning to the coast by canoe down the Kemp Welch River to Kalo (7 days’ trip). From Dedele (Oct. 6) to the Keveri Valley and back (act. to statement 29 days’ trip; probably wrong). Trip of inspection to the Upper and Lower Upugau River: starting from Rigo (Oct. 28), reaching the extreme end of the Henty Range; Wika, Ikea, Pyramid Hill; return to Rigo (Dec. 16).-1906. Landed (May 25) with the object of patrolling the Cloudy Bay and Keveri Valley districts; Upper Adau or Upper Musa rivers; June 9 returning to the coast. Several other minor trips of inspection.⁹

collections:

Herb. Kew [K]; forwarded by Sir W. MacGregor after F. von Mueller’s death, in 1898.¹⁰ He may have made other collections besides the one with Giullianetti (see there) in 1897.

literature:

(1) cf. Ann. Rep. Papua for 1907/08, 1908, p. 10.
(2) cf. Ann Rep. Br. N.G. for 1895/96, Brisb. 1897, p. 35-38.
(3) cf. l.c. for 1897/98, Vict. 1899, p. 115-117.
(4) cf. l.c. for 1899/1900, Brisb. 1901, p. 69-70.
(5) cf. l.c. p. 57 (by Blayney).
(6) cf. l.c. for 1900/01, p. 42-46; Queensl. Geogr. Journ. N.S. 16, 1900/01, p. 63-68.
(7) cf. Ann. Rep. Br. N.G. for 1903/04, 1905, p.23-24.
(8) cf. l.c. for 1904/05, 1905, p. 23-24.
(9) cf. l.c. for 1905/06, 1907, p. 25.
(10) cf. ‘Report by Mr W.B. Hemsley of the Royal Gardens, Kew, on botanical collections’ (Ann. Rep. Br. N.G. 1897/98, Vict. 1899, p. 147-150; probably coll. English & Giullianetti).
Described by Hemsley and others in ‘Flora of British New Guinea’ (Kew Bull. 1899, p. 95-126).

biographical data:

Pacific Isl. Monthly 4 (1), 1933, p.22; and l.c. 15 (10),1945, p.12 (non vidi).

	Career Collecting localities Collections Literature Biographical data
	English, Albert Charles
	(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 1: Cyclopaedia of collectors)
	Born: 1861 or 1863, England. Died: 1945, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia.
	career: Arrived in Australia in 1881 as a collector for British scientific institutions. In 1883 he went to British New Guinea to collect zoological, botanical and ethnological materials. Upon the murder of George Hunter by the natives in 1889, he was appointed Government Agent, in the latter’s place, at Rigo; remained in government service until 1907, then started planting¹ and trading at Rigo. He made several expeditions into the interior (see below), discovered Ficus rigo F.M.Baill. and experimented with it as a commercial rubber tree. He is commemorated in Symplocos englishii Hemsl., collected by himself.
	Collecting localities: SE. New Guinea (Papua). 1887. With J.B. Cameron (see there) to the St Joseph River (Oct.).-1889. From E. side Ansell Peninsula (Jan. 14) walking across to Chads Bay with W. MacGregor. With MacGregor (see there for itinerary etc.) on the first ascent of Mt Victoria (June 11-12).-1895. Tour of inspection from Rigo on foot to the upper course of the Kemp Welch River (= Vanigela), returning down the river on rafts (23); back at Rigo (26).²-1896. To Kerepuna, making trips in the interior (May). With Sir W. MacGregor (itiner. etc. see there) on Mt Scratchley, etc.-1897. To the Vanapa Valley and the Wharton Range (bivouac Giulianetti) (Sept.-Oct.) with W. MacGregor (itiner. etc. see there).-1898. Expedition to the eastern slopes of Mt Potter.³ From Rigo (Apr. 6) to Devemava; crossing 2 spurs of Mt Bride and descending to the Musgrave River (9); ascending the other side to Ihovi, Demori, Babuori; crossing a spur of Mt Deakin (14); crossing Iaba Creek and the Mera; ascending spur of Mt Potter and reaching Badoa; Apr. 19 returning to Demori; via Mt Pasco to Vegofi (20); confluence of the Meneme Creek in the Kemp Welch River (22), Kalikodobu; Rigo (24). Visit with W. MacGregor (see there) to the lower portion of the Brown (Naoro) River (Aug.).-1899. By boat (July 10) to Bumbaka and Bumugina; Barua (13); Robinson River (16); Dedele; to Domari (18), Kabadi and rowing upstream to Domu Distr.; along the coast (21); Kabauda and inland to Gemaboro (25).⁴ From Dedele (Nov. 14) via Baile and Baitu Boga to Keveri Valley; passing the watershed between the Wawela and Gradukwin (Dec. 14); back via Huwaia, passing the coastal mountains to the villages of Bumbago Distr.; by boat to Dedele (arriving the 30th).⁵-1900. With Blayney and F.R. Barton (see there) to the Doriwaidi tribes in Punea Buru (Sept.). Punitive expedition with F.R. Barton (see there) from Rigo (Oct. 26) to Kemp Welch Distr.⁶-1902. Boat-excursion to Bugi, as well as to the coastal towns west of Darn (Sept. 26-Oct. 1). Visit to Kiwai Isl. in the mouth of the Fly and the villages on the right bank of the lower course (Oct. 13-21).-1904. Returning to the Possession (Febr. 6), after an absence of 9 months; leaving Port Moresby (14) for Hall Sound to proceed to the Gulf Distr., W. Centr. Division; as far west as Maipua in the Purari Delta, remaining in the Division till March 23; resuming his duties in the Rigo Distr. on Apr. 1. Visit to Hood Peninsula (May 23). Inspection of the interior (June 8-20):⁷ Baifana, Seramina and Demori districts, slopes of Mt Deakin and Mt Potter. Trip to the end of the division, leaving Rigo (July 20) and calling at all the villages along the coast, Bulaa, Keapara, Bilirupu, Lalaura, Dedele (28); Cloudy Bay Distr. (July 28-Sept. 3), e.g. Keveri Valley and Domara Gold-fields; return to Rigo (Sept. 6), calling at the villages along the coast. Sailing in the ‘Merrie England’ from Rigo (Oct. 13) to Cloudy Bay, Dedele (15), staying in the district until Dec. 2; Rigo (Dec. 3).-1905. From Rigo (Jan. 23) to the headwaters of the Kemp Welch River (trip taking 12 days). Setting out (May 8) on a trip to the Upugau Valley, Kamiti (15).⁸ Trip to the Taboru (Aug. 4); returning to the coast by canoe down the Kemp Welch River to Kalo (7 days’ trip). From Dedele (Oct. 6) to the Keveri Valley and back (act. to statement 29 days’ trip; probably wrong). Trip of inspection to the Upper and Lower Upugau River: starting from Rigo (Oct. 28), reaching the extreme end of the Henty Range; Wika, Ikea, Pyramid Hill; return to Rigo (Dec. 16).-1906. Landed (May 25) with the object of patrolling the Cloudy Bay and Keveri Valley districts; Upper Adau or Upper Musa rivers; June 9 returning to the coast. Several other minor trips of inspection.⁹
	collections: Herb. Kew [K]; forwarded by Sir W. MacGregor after F. von Mueller’s death, in 1898.¹⁰ He may have made other collections besides the one with Giullianetti (see there) in 1897.
	literature: (1) cf. Ann. Rep. Papua for 1907/08, 1908, p. 10. (2) cf. Ann Rep. Br. N.G. for 1895/96, Brisb. 1897, p. 35-38. (3) cf. l.c. for 1897/98, Vict. 1899, p. 115-117. (4) cf. l.c. for 1899/1900, Brisb. 1901, p. 69-70. (5) cf. l.c. p. 57 (by Blayney). (6) cf. l.c. for 1900/01, p. 42-46; Queensl. Geogr. Journ. N.S. 16, 1900/01, p. 63-68. (7) cf. Ann. Rep. Br. N.G. for 1903/04, 1905, p.23-24. (8) cf. l.c. for 1904/05, 1905, p. 23-24. (9) cf. l.c. for 1905/06, 1907, p. 25. (10) cf. ‘Report by Mr W.B. Hemsley of the Royal Gardens, Kew, on botanical collections’ (Ann. Rep. Br. N.G. 1897/98, Vict. 1899, p. 147-150; probably coll. English & Giullianetti). Described by Hemsley and others in ‘Flora of British New Guinea’ (Kew Bull. 1899, p. 95-126).
	biographical data: Pacific Isl. Monthly 4 (1), 1933, p.22; and l.c. 15 (10),1945, p.12 (non vidi).