George William Francis
George William Francis (1800–9 August 1865) was an English botanical and general science writer. An emigrant to the colony of South Australia in 1849, he made a reputation there as a horticulturalist, becoming the first director of the Adelaide Botanic Garden in 1860. Life. Born in London, Francis emigrated to Australia for improved prospects of supporting his family; he arrived in the "Louisa Baillie" 2 September 1849. Shortly he took over the old botanical garden of Adelaide, north of the Torrens River, as a tenant. Subsequently he was appointed director of the Adelaide Botanic Garden, a position  he held for the rest of his life. Francis died after a long illness, of dropsy on 9 August 1865 and was buried the next day. He left a widow and ten children. Works. Francis published: Francis also edited the first five volumes of the "Magazine of Science and School of Arts", 1840–5.