William Ick Explained

William Ick
Birth Place:Newport, Shropshire, United Kingdom
Occupation:Botanist, geologist

William Ick (1800 – 23 September 1844) was an English botanist and geologist.[1] In 1837 he won a prize offered by the United Committee of the Birmingham Botanical and Warwickshire Floral Societies for the best herbarium, known as a Latin: hortus siccus, of native plants collected within 10miles of Birmingham within a one-year period from 1 August 1836.[2]

Early life

Ick was born at Newport in Shropshire in 1800. In 1803 his family moved to Birmingham. His father was a dealer in skins and hides.[3]

Education

He was awarded a Ph.D. in Geology from a German university.

Career

Ick was a tutor at a school near Warwick before becoming the first curator of the Birmingham Philosophical Institution.

Contribution to botany

In 1835 the United Committee of the Birmingham Botanical and Warwickshire Floral Societies offered a prize for the best herbarium of native plants collected within a 10 miles radius of central Birmingham between 1 August 1836 and 1 August 1837. Ick won this prize with a herbarium of around 320 pressed plants and published his findings.[4] In 1948 Ick's herbarium was presented to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery after being lost for over a century

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kent. D H. Allen. D E. British and Irish Herbaria. 1984. London.
  2. Book: Cadbury. Dorothy. A Computer-Mapped Flora of Warwickshire. 1971.
  3. Book: Maskew. Roger. The Flora of Worcestershire. 2014. Maskew.
  4. Ick. William. Remarkable plants found growing in the vicinity of Birmingham in the year 1836. The Analyst. 1836. 6. 20–28.