– Early Life and Family:
– Isabella Bird was born on 15 October 1831 in Boroughbridge Hall, Yorkshire.
– Her parents were Rev Edward Bird and Dora Lawson.
– The family moved to Maidenhead in 1832 and then to Tattenhall in 1834.
– Bird displayed outspokenness from a young age.
– She faced early health struggles, including a spinal complaint and insomnia.
– Travels and Exploration:
– Bird journeyed to Australia and Hawaii in 1872.
– Climbed Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa in Hawaii.
– Explored Colorado and the Rocky Mountains in 1873.
– Traveled to Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaya.
– Undertook significant journeys up the Yangtze and Han rivers in China and Korea.
– Explored Morocco in her later travels.
– Contributions and Achievements:
– First woman awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.
– First woman allowed to join the Royal Geographical Society.
– Elected to membership of the Royal Photographic Society in 1897.
– Established the John Bishop Memorial Hospital in India.
– Advocated for persecuted Christians in Kurdistan.
– Legacy and Recognition:
– Bird’s travels and writings made her a household name.
– Known for employing large labor forces during her explorations.
– Received recognition from geographical societies and the Royal Photographic Society.
– Left a lasting impact on the fields of exploration and travel writing.
– Inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 1985.
– Works and Legacy:
– Authored numerous books on her travels and experiences.
– Notable works include ‘A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains’ and ‘Unbeaten Tracks in Japan.’
– Her writings covered topics from religion to geography.
– Works celebrated in various literary works and plays.
– Bird’s legacy honored through a clock tower in Tobermory and a television program on BBC Two.
Isabella Lucy Bishop FRGS (née Bird; 15 October 1831 – 7 October 1904) was an English explorer, writer, photographer and naturalist. Alongside fellow Englishwoman Fanny Jane Butler, she founded the John Bishop Memorial Hospital in Srinagar in modern-day Kashmir. She was also the first woman to be elected as a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Isabella Bird | |
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 | |
| Born | Isabella Lucy Bird 15 October 1831 Boroughbridge, Yorkshire |
| Died | 7 October 1904 (aged 72) Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Resting place | Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, photographer and naturalist |
| Spouse | John Bishop (m. 1881) |
| Parent(s) | Dora Lawson, Edward Bird |