Frederick Debell Bennett (1806–1859) was an English ship surgeon and biologist. Born to a family of means in

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

, England, in 1806, he obtained his Licentiate of the

Society of Apothecaries The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London is one of the livery companies of the City of London. It is one of the largest livery companies (with over 1,600 members in 2012) and ranks 58th in their order of precedence. The society is a me ...

(L.S.A.) in 1828, and his membership of the

Royal College of Surgeons The Royal College of Surgeons is an ancient college (a form of corporation) established in England to regulate the activity of surgeons. Derivative organisations survive in many present and former members of the Commonwealth. These organisations ...

in 1829. Bennett first served as Assistant Surgeon on the hospital ship ''Grampus'', which was moored on the River Thames. Then in 1833 Bennett joined the London whaleship '' Tuscan''. From 1833 to 1836 he sailed round the globe on board the 'Tuscan'. The task of this journey was to study whales, lands and nature. He described several species, including the whalesucker (''Remora australis''), the

blue noddy The blue noddy or ''hinaokū'' or ''manuohina'' (''Anous ceruleus'') is a seabird in the family Laridae. It is also known as the blue-grey noddy. It is found in American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands ...

and '' Cheilopogon nigricans''. He was also a member of the

Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...

. After his return he practiced medicine in

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

in London where he died in 1859 at the age of fifty-three.Druett, Joan, Rough Medicine: Surgeons at Sea in the Age of Sail. New York: Routledge, 2001, pp. 40–41; 213.

Book

*''Narrative of a Whaling Voyage Round the Globe, From the Year 1833 to 1836'' (London, 1840)

References

External links

Explorers of the Pacific: European and American Discoveries in Polynesia. Frederick Debell Bennett
Taxon authorities Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 1806 births 1859 deaths {{biologist-stub