Gustavus Brander

Who was Gustavus Brander?

Gustavus Brander, English naturalist, who came of a Swedish family, was born in London in 1720, and was brought up as a merchant, in which capacity he achieved success and became a director of the Bank of England.

His leisure time was occupied in scientific pursuits, and at his country residence at Christchurch in Hampshire he became interested in the fossils so abundant in the clays of Hordwell and Barton. A set of these was presented by him to the British Museum, and they were described by Daniel Solander in the beautifully illustrated work entitled Fossilia Hantoniensia collecta, et in Musaeo Britannico deposita a Gustavo Brander. Brander was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1754, and he was also a trustee of the British Museum. He died on 21 January 1787.