33 Facts About Thomas Brisbane

Thomas Brisbane was educated in astronomy and mathematics at the University of Edinburgh.

Thomas Brisbane joined the British Army's 38th Regiment of Foot in 1789 and had a distinguished career in Flanders, the West Indies, Spain and North America.

Thomas Brisbane served under the Duke of Wellington, and in 1813 he was promoted to major general.

Thomas Brisbane saw much action during the Peninsular War, including leading a brigade in the 3rd Division that broke through at the Battle of Vitoria.

Thomas Brisbane continued as a brigade commander in the War of 1812, where in 1814 he led a brigade at the Battle of Plattsburgh, which Brisbane claimed they could have won if they had been allowed to launch a full infantry attack.

On his father-in-law's death, Thomas Brisbane assumed the additional surname, becoming Makdougall Thomas Brisbane.

In 1821, on the recommendation of Wellington, Thomas Brisbane was appointed Governor of New South Wales, a post he held until 1825.

Thomas Brisbane took over the government on 1 December 1821, and at once proceeded to carry out some of the reforms recommended in the report of John Bigge.

Thomas Brisbane worked to improve the land grants system and to reform the currency.

Thomas Brisbane set up the first agricultural training college in New South Wales and was the first patron of the New South Wales Agricultural Society.

Thomas Brisbane conducted experiments in growing tobacco, cotton, coffee and New Zealand flax in the colony.

However, Thomas Brisbane did not always receive loyal support from his administrative officers, and in particular from Frederick Goulburn, the colonial secretary.

Thomas Brisbane immediately introduced a new system under which every grant had the stipulation that for every 100 acres granted the grantee would maintain free of expense to the crown one convict labourer.

Thomas Brisbane encouraged agriculture on government land, streamlined granting of tickets of leave and pardons and introduced, in 1823, a system of calling for supplies by tender.

When Dr Robert Wardell and William Wentworth brought out their paper the Australian in 1824, Thomas Brisbane tried the experiment of allowing full latitude of the freedom of the press.

In 1823, Thomas Brisbane sent Lieutenant John Oxley to find a new site for convicts who were repeat offenders.

Thomas Brisbane was doing useful work, but he could not escape the effects of the constant faction fights which plagued previous governors.

Consequently, charges of various kinds against Thomas Brisbane were sent to England.

Thomas Brisbane discovered that Goulburn, the colonial secretary, had been withholding documents from him and answering some without reference to the governor, and in 1824 reported his conduct to Lord Bathurst.

Thomas Brisbane had an observatory built at his ancestral home in 1808.

Thomas Brisbane took telescopes, books and two astronomical assistants, Carl Ludwig Christian Rumker and James Dunlop to New South Wales with him.

Thomas Brisbane left his equipment and books in the colony when he returned to Scotland.

Thomas Brisbane left Sydney in December 1825 and returned to Scotland.

Thomas Brisbane added the name of Makdougall before Brisbane, and settled down to the life of a country gentleman and took interest in science, his estate, and his regiment.

Thomas Brisbane was elected president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh following the death of Sir Walter Scott, and in 1836 he was created a baronet.

Thomas Brisbane continued his astronomical researches, and did valuable work.

Thomas Brisbane was the first patron of science in Australia, and as such was eulogised by Sir John Herschel when he presented Brisbane with the gold medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1828.

Thomas Brisbane was created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1814 and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1837.

Thomas Brisbane published The Brisbane Catalogue of 7,385 stars of the Southern Hemisphere in 1835.

When Thomas Brisbane returned to Scotland he continued his studies and built a further observatory on his wife's estate, Makerstoun, near Kelso in the Borders.

Thomas Brisbane was a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and received its Keith Medal in 1848.

Thomas Brisbane founded a gold medal for the encouragement of scientific research to be awarded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Thomas Brisbane is buried in the Brisbane Aisle Vault, which is in the small kirkyard next to the remains of Largs Old Kirk.