Elizabeth Coxen: pioneer naturalist and the Queensland Museum’s first woman curator Judith MCKAY Email: [email protected] (Corresponding author) (Museum consultant and historian, formerly Cultures and Histories Program, Queensland Museum) John M. HEALY Biodiversity and Geoscience Program, Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300 South Brisbane, Qld 4101 Citation: McKay, J. & Healy, J.M. 2017. Elizabeth Coxen: pioneer naturalist and the Queensland Museum’s first woman curator. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum-Nature 60:139-160. Brisbane. ISSN 2204-1478 (Online) ISSN 0079-8835 (Print). Accepted 10 May 2017 First published online: 31 August 2017. https://dx.doi.Org/10.1082/j.2204-1478.60.2017.2017-05 LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BA9A55A5-47F8-4319-BD6D-373DAEC05FF9 ABSTRACT Elizabeth Coxen (1825-1906) was a remarkable woman of her time. The wife of naturalist, politician and public servant Charles Coxen (1809-1876), best known as founder of the Queensland Museum, Elizabeth shared her husband’s extensive scientific interests. Not only a devoted and knowledgeable companion, she achieved notability in her own right: as a conchologist, meteorologist and horticulturist. More remarkably, in 1877, in middle age, she effectively became the Queensland Museum’s first woman curator (molluscs) and the first person to be paid to oversee any part of the museum’s invertebrate collections. Probably she was the first woman curator of any natural history museum in Australia. Widely respected within the local scientific community, in 1886 she became the first woman to be elected as a member of a scientific organisation in Queensland. This paper documents Elizabeth Coxen’s life, which has not been investigated in detail before, and records her various contributions to science and public life in nineteenth-century Queensland. Special focus is placed on her contribution to the establishment, recording and growth of the original molluscan collection of the Queensland Museum and her links with the research world of molluscs both within Australia and overseas. ¥ Elizabeth Coxen, Queensland Museum, curators, molluscs, Charles Coxen. This paper has its origins in a talk presented contribution to the Queensland Museum are on 13 March 2004 as part of a seminar on well recorded in the museum's official history "Founders of the Queensland Museum and (Mather 1986). Elizabeth Coxen, by contrast, the women who shared their vision', focusing like so many women of her era, has a lesser on the careers of Charles and Elizabeth Coxen place in history and is sometimes confused (Fig. 1 A, B) and Heber and Irene Longman. The with her sister-in-law of the same name, some seminar was the last of the museum's annual twenty years her elder, who in 1829 married the offerings held from 1995 to mark International famous British ornithologist John Gould and, Women's Day. In preparing the talk it became until her untimely death in 1841, collaborated evident how little was known about Elizabeth in his publications. Elizabeth Coxen, the subject Coxen and how her achievements have been of this paper, was one of 34 women featured in a overshadowed by those of her husband. Charles previous Queensland Museum publication and Coxen has an entry in the Australian Dictionary exhibition. Brilliant Careers: Women Collectors of Biography (Chisholm 1969) and his life and and Illustrators in Queensland (McKay 1997). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum I Nature • 2017 • 60 • www.qm.qld.gov.au 139 McKay & Healy However, that project predated the digitisation flood. Also about this time she lived with her and online availability of critical historical brother Frederick at Gowrie and possibly this data, most notably contemporary newspapers, experience sparked her interest in natural and therefore was based on only limited history. Frederick, a skilled bushman and also information. The present paper draws on these interested in natural history, accompanied the newfound riches as well as a range of other explorer Leichhardt on some of his travels in the sources, including records of the Queensland area, and, like Coxen, became an early member Museum (archival letters and newly-digitised of the Queensland Philosophical Society, the registers), the Royal Society of Queensland, colony's first scientific organisation. The the Acclimatisation Society, the National Isaacs found many fossils in the vicinity Association and the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane. of Gowrie, including a complete skeleton of the giant marsupial diprotodon (Diprotodon Biography optatum Owen, 1838), discovered soon after they settled (Stewart 2004). At Gowrie, Elizabeth Elizabeth Coxen was born Elizabeth Frances would have come into further contact with Isaac in Marshfield, Gloucestershire, England, Coxen, who held several runs in the Darling in 1825, the eldest daughter of George Frederick Downs and Maranoa districts, including, Isaac, solicitor, and his wife Elizabeth, nee until 1845, Jondaryan adjoining Gowrie's Fromow. Coxen family papers record that the western boundary. By 1851, Coxen was based Isaacs were related to wealthy bankers; they at Bimbian, which adjoined Dulacca then held were certainly gentry and, unlike their future by the Isaacs. Being a neighbouring gentleman- in-law Charles Coxen, managed to recover from financial downturns. In 1839, at the age squatter and sharing similar interests, he would of 13, Elizabeth emigrated with her family to have had much in common with the Isaacs. Sydney. Her father, who had practised in Pall On 27 December 1851, at the age of 26, Elizabeth Mall, London before his departure, set up as a married Charles Coxen at St Ann's Church solicitor in Sydney until he became insolvent of England, Ryde, Sydney. In the following in 1843. Meanwhile Elizabeth's elder brothers, months Coxen took her back to Bimbian, then Henry Edward and Frederick Neville Isaac, regarded as 'the boundaries of civilisation', went north to try their luck as squatters on the being 'the furthermost station on the Darling rich grasslands of the Darling Downs, which Downs' (Leavitt 1887); situated on Dogwood had only recently been discovered by Allan Creek, it was on the edge of the Maranoa. Soon Cunningham. In 1841, together with their after the marriage other members of the Isaac friend Henry Hughes, they took up Gowrie family came to Queensland (until Separation station near the future city of Toowoomba, in 1859 known as the Moreton Bay District of becoming some of the district's first white NSW). By 1854, another of Elizabeth's brothers, settlers. Henry Isaac, while retaining his Frederick Edward Isaac, was living in the interest in Gowrie, spent much of his time in Parish of Bulimba, Brisbane (more extensive Brisbane soon after the former penal settlement than the present suburb) and taking up runs was opened to free settlers in 1839; in 1844 he in the Leichhardt district, while her parents moved into a house in Kangaroo Point built by were living at Kangaroo Point, her father again pioneer settler Andrew Petrie (Stewart 2004). practising as a solicitor. Her parents did not A few years later Elizabeth was also living at stay long; they returned to England in 1857 Kangaroo Point, probably in Henry's house, for and settled in Bath, Somerset where her father it was from there that she witnessed Brisbane's became an emigration agent for Queensland flood of March 1847 which covered Stanley (Bristol Mercury, 5 August 1865, extracted from Street (Coxen 1894a). British Library Newspapers). Their departure By 1847 Elizabeth had already met her was followed by the deaths of Elizabeth's future husband Charles Coxen; she recalled three brothers, in at least one case due to that he came to town with cattle during the tuberculosis: Frederick Edward Isaac died in 140 Memoirs of the Queensland Museum I Nature • 2017 • 60 Elizabeth Coxen FIG. 1. A, Elizabeth Coxen—note her sea shell 'butterfly' brooch, possibly made from Moreton Bay venus clam valves, indicating her interest in shells (From a booklet on St John the Baptist Church, Bulimba, held by the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane Records and Archives Centre). B, Detail of a portrait of Charles Coxen by Dickinsons of London (Queensland Museum collection - for full portrait see Fig 9). C, Omega Cottage in Church Street, Bulimba, January 1886, with Elizabeth on the verandah (From Elizabeth Coxen's photograph album, APO-17, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum I Nature • 2017 • 60 141 McKay & Healy 1861 at Deepwater, Maranoa, one of Coxen's down to the river's edge where there was an runs; Henry Edward Isaac died in 1862 back old coal mine hence the property was also in England, having returned in the hope of called The Quarries. While living at Murarrie regaining his health; while Frederick Neville the Coxens took an active interest in local Isaac died in Brisbane in 1865. No doubt the affairs, joining with other residents to lobby for departure of her parents and premature deaths better roads and, as devout Anglicans, leading of her brothers and eventually her husband the campaign for a church to serve the area. would have left Elizabeth feeling isolated as Christ Church, Tingalpa, designed by Brisbane much as bereft, contributing to the resilience architect R.G. Suter, opened in 1868; however that would characterise her later life. the present church located in Wynnum Road At Bimbian, life would have been tough and now on the Queensland Heritage Register is for Elizabeth Coxen. Not only cut off from a replacement of the earlier building destroyed civilisation, she would have lived in a slab hut, in a cyclone of 1885. Charles Coxen was also a which was then standard accommodation even foundation member of the Tingalpa branch of the for larger stations like Gowrie, and the station East Moreton Farmers' Association established would have been under constant threat of in 1867 to promote agricultural activities in the Aboriginal attack, a situation that had forced district. her brother Frederick off the neighbouring Already by late 1864 Coxen was suffering Dulacca (obituary of Frederick Neville Isaac, financial difficulties and had to mortgage The Brisbane Courier, 15 July 1865). By way of Terraces, taking out a second mortgage in 1866. consolation, Elizabeth would have been able to In 1867 he sold the property to Dr Hugh Bell, indulge her passion for natural history, as an a pioneer Brisbane medical practitioner, who in early account of Coxen's life states that at this turn sold it in 1883 to the Premier Sir Thomas time she began assisting him with his collecting activities (Leavitt 1887). The Coxens soon had Mcllwraith and his trustees. Meanwhile, to leave Bimbian due to Charles's ill health. Coxen with his influential connections was After spending some time in Brisbane while able to secure government employment: from he recovered, they moved to a less remote 1868 as Land Commissioner for the East and station, Daandine, near Dalby. During their West Moreton districts, and then from 1872 six years at Daandine Coxen became Dalby's as Land Commissioner for the East Moreton magistrate and, in 1860, was elected as member district and Inspecting Commissioner for the for the Northern Downs in Queensland's first settled districts of the colony; he held these parliament. He held the seat until 1867, by latter posts until 1876. After leaving The which time he had given up squatting, though Terraces the Coxens moved to a more modest he continued to hold some runs into the dwelling nearer town, a timber cottage known mid-1860s. as Omega Cottage, located in Church Street (now Birkalla Street) near the river at Bulimba In 1861 the Coxens returned to Brisbane, (Fig. 1C). Though Coxen had off-loaded much settling at The Terraces overlooking the river of his Brisbane property during the late 1860s, at Murarrie, an extensive property of 84 acres he still held a number of blocks in Bulimba and which Charles had purchased from 1854. The property was partly under cultivation, with a Kangaroo Point. Despite their straightened commodious stone residence and outhouses, circumstances, the Coxens remained public- commanding a magnificent view of the river spirited citizens, providing annual 'tea-feasts' for extending from Breakfast Creek almost to local children at which Elizabeth would distribute Lytton (sale notice, Brisbane Courier, 1 July books and toys (Brisbane Courier, 1 January 1876). 1868). It was on the opposite bank of the river Elizabeth, described by Charles's nephew Henry from Coxen Point, named after them, where the William Coxen as 'intelligent and pleasant', Royal Queensland Golf Club is now located. loved children and always made them welcome The garden was laid out in terraces stepping at Omega Cottage. She became known as 'the 142 Memoirs of the Queensland Museum I Nature • 2017 • 60 Elizabeth Coxen TABLE 1. Animal species named after Charles or Elizabeth Coxen. Original Name Type locality Current Name Original publication MOLLUSCA Pupina coxeni 'Mount Dryander, Port Signepupina coxeni (Brazier, 1875) Brazier, 1875 (operculate land snail) Denison, N.E. Australia' Helix (Hadra) coxenae 'Johnson river [sic], Spurlingia dunkiensis Brazier, 1875 (land snail) Queensland' (= (Forbes, 1851) Johnstone River) Conus coxeni 'Moreton Bay' Conus cyanostoma Brazier, 1875 (marine cone snail) (A. Adams, 1855) Helicina coxeni 'Yule Island, New Guinea' Palaehelicina coxeni Brazier, 1876 (operculate land snail) (Brazier, 1875) Helix coxeni 'Whitsunday Island, Gloreugenia coxeni (Cox, 1871) Cox, 1871 (land snail) Queensland' Cypraea coxeni 'Solomons' Eclagavena coxeni (Cox, 1873) Cox, 1873 (marine cowrie) Cyihera coxeni 'Port Molle, Queensland' Pitar coxeni (E.A. Smith, 1884) E.A. Smith, 1884 (marine venus clam) VERTEBRATA Cyclopsitta coxeni none stated Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni Gould, 1867 (fig parrot) (Gould, 1867) Halmaturus coxenii 'North Australia, Thylogale stigmatica coxeni Gray, 1866 (pademelon marsupial) Port Albany' (Gray, 1866) or Thylogale stigmatica (Gould, 1860) mother of Bulimba' (Anon. 1906). The Coxens carrying out his project (Coxen 1894b). She took an had no children of their own. interest in the Queensland Philosophical Society, founded in 1859 by Coxen and others to promote In Brisbane, the Coxens maintained their the study of natural history in the colony. In 1875 love of natural history, with Elizabeth taking Elizabeth became the only woman ever to attend a particular interest in conchology and Charles one of the society's meetings, accompanying focussing more on ornithology and taxidermy. her husband to the meeting of December 1875 Fittingly, both were honoured by having new (Marks 1960); this was to be the last he was species named after them by Australian and to attend as his health was failing. He died at English scientists based on material from Omega Cottage, Bulimba several months later, the Coxen collections, including a parrot, a on 17 May 1876, leaving a small estate of £500. marsupial and a number of molluscs (Table 1, Fig. 2). According to Henry William Coxen, Following Charles Coxen's death Elizabeth 'The pair frequently "roughed it" together continued to live at Omega Cottage and on natural history hunts in Moreton Bay — maintained her scientific interests, including long before it was thought proper for ladies undertaking curatorial work for the Queensland to do so/ Elizabeth later wrote of their boating Museum, as will be discussed later. Her work trips to collect shells from around the bay. She for the museum continued until 1882 when she recounted how they would keep live cowries visited England. In April that year she sailed for in a vessel of water in their boat, as it had been London, travelling saloon class, which suggests Charles's intention to make wax models of the that her financial position had improved. In curious animals inhabiting the shells, and recent years her parents had died so possibly then to place these in the shells of the respective she had received an inheritance, and since species; however illness had prevented him from Coxen's death she had been selling off some of Memoirs of the Queensland Museum I Nature • 2017 • 60 143 McKay & Healy FIG. 2. Preserved skins of Coxen's Fig Parrot (Cyclopsitta diopthalma coxeni Gould, 1867), Queensland Museum Collection. Charles Coxen had provided English ornithologist John Gould with his notes and an accurate drawing, but disappointingly Gould's description was not accompanied by any illustration. his land in Bulimba and Kangaroo Point. While a freshwater turtle, sea urchins, birds, insects, a in England, Elizabeth undertook an assignment death adder, fungi and lichens. These indicate for the museum: a report in the Brisbane Courier the range of her curiosity as a naturalist. She of 26 May 1882 states that she procured a also developed the garden at Omega Cottage supply of artificial eyes for bird mounts. Her and added a meteorological station to pursue photograph album, now preserved in the John her newfound interest in rainfall and climate. Oxley Library, records that during her stay in In December 1886 Elizabeth Coxen was England she also visited the Natural History Museum in London and witnessed a violent elected as a member of the Royal Society of storm that lashed the coastal city of Hastings Queensland, making her the first woman in September 1882; and it was probably at member of a local scientific organisation (Marks this time that she commissioned a portrait of 1960). This society, founded three years earlier Coxen. On her return to Brisbane, Elizabeth to promote The furtherance of Natural Science7 kept up her scientific work more vigorously in the colony, was successor to the previously- than ever. During the 1880s she donated many mentioned Philosophical Society. In November specimens to the Queensland Museum, not 1893, Elizabeth became the first woman to read only shells but such diverse material as crabs. a paper to the society, her subject being cowrie 144 Memoirs of the Queensland Museum I Nature • 2017 • 60 Elizabeth Coxen shells (Marks 1960; see Coxen 1994b). Also at this time she gave a paper on Brisbane's floods A (Coxen 1894a), written in the wake of the disastrous flood of February 1893 which she witnessed at first hand (Fig. 3A). At Bulimba, she reported, the water rose to 12 feet above ordinary high tides and probably Omega Cottage was inundated as about this time she moved temporarily to another house around the corner. She kept attending Royal Society meetings until 1899 and tabled no fewer than twelve papers, mostly weather reports, which are published in the society's Proceedings (Coxen 1889a, b; 1891; 1894a-d, 1896, 1897, 1898,1899a, b). By the 1890s she was joined by other women members, most of whom were school teachers and included Eliza Fewings, founder of the Brisbane High School for Girls (later Somerville House). In her later years Elizabeth maintained her support for the Anglican Church. In early 1887 she put up a notice near the Bulimba ferry calling a meeting of local residents, to be held at Omega Cottage, to initiate the building of a church for the area (Telegraph, Brisbane, 30 July 1887). To this end, she gave the Diocese of Brisbane a block of land in Church Street and started a subscription list by giving £100. Later this land was sold and the present more central site in Oxford Street was purchased. St FIG. 3. A, Flood on the Brisbane River at Bulimba, 1893. John the Baptist Church, Bulimba, designed B, St John the Baptist Church, Bulimba, instigated by the Diocesan Architect J.H. Buckeridge, by Elizabeth Coxen and opened in 1888 (Both from was opened in September 1888 and is now on Elizabeth Coxen's photograph album, APO-17, John the Queensland Heritage Register (Fig. 3B). In Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland). the following year Elizabeth gave the Diocese At the turn of the twentieth century Elizabeth another block of land, this time in Brisbane Coxen's health began to fail, so she moved to Street and valued at £300, to be mortgaged and the care of friends, Mr and Mrs Benson Hall, the proceeds put towards building a rectory for the local clergyman, and, in return, the Synod who had been fellow Bulimba residents and was to pay her an annuity of £18 during her also keen gardeners (Brisbane Courier, 24 July lifetime. This land was also sold, but not until 1906). She died at the Halls' Teneriffe home after her death. The Diocesan newspaper, the on 11 August 1906 at the age of 80 years. Later Church Chronicle, records that Elizabeth was she was buried beside her husband in Tingalpa one of Bulimba's most active parishioners: Cemetery in the grounds of Christ Church. making Omega Cottage available for church The Coxen graves are among those of other meetings, helping with fetes and other functions, pioneers in the picturesque churchyard. In 2003 providing prizes for annual Sunday school the Friends of Tingalpa Cemetery Heritage picnics, contributing funds, even making church Group restored the graves and the Queensland vestments (Church Chronicle, 1 February 1893). Museum provided a new memorial plaque. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum I Nature • 2017 • 60 145 McKay & Healy Elizabeth is also remembered by a handsome Though contemporary accounts credit Charles timber lectern presented in 1907 by her friends as the driving force behind the collection, there to St John the Baptist Church, Bulimba, the church is little doubt that both he and Elizabeth shared she had so generously supported. a passion for molluscs and their shells and embarked on many collecting trips together, Conchologist and Museum 'Curator' particularly within Moreton Bay. Elizabeth's photograph album includes images of Dunwich The Coxens' and Queensland Museum Shell on Stradbroke Island and John Brazier (1879), Collections using Coxen's unpublished notes on cowries, By the 1860s the Coxens had already amassed mentions the following collection locations a large shell collection. In September 1867, when a within the bay: Amity Point, Myora (both newspaper reporter visited them at The Terraces, on Stradbroke Island), Peel Island, Burleigh Murarrie, he commented on their collection of Heads and Caloundra. The collection, in its shells and marine flora all 'scientifically arranged size and apparent diversity, was the outcome and classified' (Queensland Daily Guardian, 19 of their joint collecting efforts, their scientific September 1867). When shown several years and personal connections and purchases from later in an exhibition at the Brisbane School of overseas dealers. In fact, Monteith & Mather Arts, the collection again attracted attention: (1986) have suggested that the shell collection 'The conchological treasures of Mr Coxen are may have been Elizabeth's domain rather than contained in twenty-six trays, and comprise Coxen's as his interests were largely centred on 1350 specimens of very rare and beautiful ornithology and taxidermy. Certainly Staiger's shells. ... They deserve more than a passing annual report of 1875 confirms Elizabeth's notice, if for no other reason but because expertise with molluscs. the collection has been made with the view That the Coxens had many important contacts of presenting it, or duplicates of many of its in the scientific world, including within the objects, to our National Museum' (Queenslander, sphere of malacology (or conchology as it was 22 November 1873). Likewise, in January 1876, usually termed at this time and will be used in when the young Scottish naturalist James this paper) is evidenced by papers published Whitelaw Craig visited the Coxens at Bulimba, by such notable scientists as John Brazier (1875, he mentioned their 'very extensive' shell 1876,1877), James Cox (1871, 1873) and Edgar collection (Craig, 1908). In the Queensland A. Smith (1884) (Fig. 4A-C). Between them, Museum's annual report for 1875, custodian these three authors named species of marine Karl Staiger (February 1876) noted that 2000 or terrestrial molluscs and a marine bivalve specimens of shells, representing 1405 species, mollusc after either Charles or Elizabeth were on display during the year, and that all (Table 1 and Figs 5, 6). Brazier's 1875 paper had been donated by Charles Coxen; Coxen, title actually states that his material came from he added, was willing to donate a further 1500 Charles Coxen's shell collection, although specimens 'as soon as space can be found for interestingly the type specimens associated their exhibition'. Staiger also stated that the with that paper were lodged with the 'arrangement of the shells' (presumably the Australian Museum in Sydney rather than the systematic arrangement of them) was the result Queensland Museum [the holotype of Conus of Elizabeth's Coxen's considerable efforts. coxeni cannot be located in either museum's From the above evidence it seems that the molluscan collections and was possibly Coxens' shell collection contained at least 3500 deposited elsewhere]. We also know from the specimens, possibly many more; however it Queensland Museum archives that Elizabeth remains uncertain whether the 1500 specimens exchanged specimens from Queensland with pledged to the Queensland Museum in early the prominent English conchologist Sylvanus 1876 were eventually donated or (more likely) Hanley, author of important taxonomic sold by Elizabeth following her husband's death. papers and books on molluscs such as the 146 Memoirs of the Queensland Museum I Nature • 2017 • 60 Elizabeth Coxen FIG. 4. Notable molluscan workers who corresponded with or benefitted from material from the Coxens. A, John Brazier (Australia) (from Iredale, 1930; Australian Museum); B, James C. Cox (Australia) (from Walkom, 1925; Linnean Society of NSW); C, Edgar A. Smith (England) (from Dance, 1966; Conchological Society of England and Ireland); D, Charles Hedley (Australia) (from Walkom, 1925; Linnean Society of NSW). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum I Nature • 2017 • 60 147 McKay & Healy m Harriet 8 cott del*?' Swerby HL. M^Mifozihsrt imp NEW SHELLS FROM QUEENSLAND. FIG. 5. Hand-coloured plate from Brazier (1875) showing holotypes of ten species described from specimens supplied by the Coxens to John Brazier (Queensland Museum Library). Their original names are: 1. Helix (Hadra) mourilyanv, 2. H. (H.) johnstonev, 3. H. (H.) hilli; 4. H. (H.) bellenden-kerensis; 5. H. (H.) coxenae; 6. H. (H.) mossmani; 7, 7a. H. (Rhytida) sheridani; 8. H. (Xanthomelon) daintreei; 9. Pupina coxeni, 10. Conus coxeni). A number of these species names have since disappeared into synonymy (see Table 1; also Stanisic et ah, 2010). The pencilled-in species names were added by Dr John Shirley of the Queensland Museum (Honorary Conchologist 1912-1914, Conchologist 1920-1921). 148 Memoirs of the Queensland Museum I Nature • 2017 • 60