Johann Reinhold Forster and his son Georg Forster
items on display at the Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby
When Sir Joseph Banks and his party withdrew from Cook's second voyage, Johann Reinhold Forster (1729-1798) was engaged to take the place of James Lind as naturalist. He took with him his son Georg, aged 18, as assistant and draughtsman. Georg Forster (1754-1794) later became a Fellow of the Royal Society and better known than his father.
Although Johann had an outstanding intellect, he was difficult and quarrelsome and had an overbearing manner. Through these characteristics he lost much of the credit for the work he and his son did on the voyage.
An account of a voyage round the world in the years 1772-1775.
By Johann Reinhold Forster L. L. D. & F. R. & A. S.
Original manuscript submitted by Johann Reinhold Forster to Lord Sandwich for his approval.
Sandwich Papers, property of the Cook Museum Trust C: 174 36. 29
Cook Memorial Museum. Whitby. Yorkshire.
Lord Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty, became Cook's patron, friend and determined supporter after the first voyage. His influence was critical in deciding aspects of the voyages, including details of the official publication, which was potentially very profitable to the author.
Dr Forster was appointed by the Admiralty as Naturalist on the second voyage at a salary of £4000. He also hoped to profit from writing the official account of the voyage, but Lord Sandwich was not satisfied with the sample shown here. Though Forster later published his own account he continued to be aggrieved and to write angry letters to Lord Sandwich for many years.
Cook Memorial Museum. Whitby. Yorkshire.
A letter from the Earl of Sandwich to J. R. Forster
Sandwich Papers, property of the Cook Museum Trust C: 174 36. 20
Admiralty Oct 28. 1773
Sir
You are misinformed if you have been told that I have promised that one half of the plates shou'd be inserted in your part of the work, with a general map: I have made no such promise, nor do I intend to make one to that purpose.
You mention a satisfaction that you have in being eased from the trouble of methodizing & clearing Captain Cook's journal from its inaccuracies & vulgar expressions. I do not pretend to be a Critic; but I must say that I have met with very few vulgarisms or inaccuracies in that journal; but I have seen his journal misquoted, & vulgarisms introduced that were not in the original.
There is one circumstance relative to this publication which I find in a letter from Mr Barrington, which is not noticed in that with which you have favoured me: & that is, that you have an intention of publishing your narrative in French & German. If you pursue that plan, all concert with me must be at an end: I think the Public, who have contributed largely to your expences during your voyage, have a property in such observations as you have made during the time of your being in their service, and whether your narrative is written in French or in English, I think it does not make the minutest degree of difference.
I am
your most obedient
& most humble servant
Sandwich
Portrait of Johann and Georg Forster
Property of the Cook Museum Trust C:058
This engraving is after a double portrait by J. F. Rigaud. Although painted in London, the Forsters are depicted in an imaginary New Zealand scene. Johann wears a sprig of Fostera Sedifolia in his hat and holds in his hand a dead bird of which Georg is making a drawing.
Cook Memorial Museum. Whitby. Yorkshire.
Portrait of Georg Forster.
Cook Memorial Museum. Whitby. Yorkshire.
Letter written by Johann Forster to Lord Sandwich after his return from the 2nd voyage.
Property of the Cook Museum Trust Sandwich papers 36/43
I have taken the Liberty to address Yr Lordship in a letter of the 24th of Febr. 1777. As the reasons printed out therein make me wish for a speedy answer from Yr Lordship, I again beg with the greatest respect to favour me with one, as soon as Yr Lordship's occupations will permit, and you greatly will oblige
My LordYr Lordship's most obedient humble
servant
John Reinhold Forster
Percy-Street
Febr. ye 27th 1777.
The facsimile is shown in the Museum on a desk with 18th century pewter inkstand with quill pens and contemporary sealing wax, and a penknife circa 1760 used to prepare a quill pen and re-cut the nib.
This desk, made circa 1770, was acquired from the direct descendants of Georg Forster who sailed as assistant to his father, Johann Forster, the naturalist on Cook's second voyage. It has been treasured by them as being that used by him on the Resolution. The desk is made of mahogany, and would originally have had bracket feet. The present feet were added at a later date. The carrying handles at the side indicate that it was cabin furniture. They would have been used to lash the desk aboard ship.
Property of the Cook Museum Trust C:057
Provenance- Johann Reinhold Forster 1729-1798, clergyman and naturalist who accompanied Cook on his second voyage.
- Georg Forster 1754-1794, married Therese Heyne 1764-1829, naturalist and artist who sailed on Cook's second voyage as assistant to his father
- Clara Forster 1789-1839, married Gottlieb von Greyerz 1778-1855
- Otto von Greyerz, 1829-1882
- Otto von Greyerz 1863-1940
- Walo von Greyerz 1898-1976
- Georg von Greyerz 1933-, married Anne Shepherd 1931-
- Christoph von Greyerz 1935-1987
Euphorbia galuca G. Forster ; Euphorbia purpurea / S. Parkinson del. 1769 ; [F. P. Nodder pinx?] ; D. MacKenzie sculps. - Plate 547. - Collected Opoorage, New Zealand 5/15 November 1769.
Cook Memorial Museum. Whitby. Yorkshire.
These two plants were collected by the Forsters and included in Sir Joseph Banks’ Florilegium, the collection of botanical prints showing some of the plants collected by Joseph Banks on Cook’s voyages around the world (1768 – 1771). Altogether Banks collected over 30,000 specimens, many of which were as yet undescribed. Sydney Parkinson drew nearly 1000 of these plants, but the young artist died on the return voyage. On his return, Banks employed a team of watercolour artists to create finished studies of the plants, then several engravers made copper plates for printing. Only a few of these were printed at the time and a full set was not printed until the 1980s. Although the prints were originally intended to be printed in black and white, Alecto Historical Editions used a technique called ‘à la poupée’ to produce them in full colour. The Museum has a full set of the 738 botanical prints.
