A fair is held at Revesby on the second Monday after old Michaelmas day annually.
In 1821, the parish contained 113 houses, and 572 inhabitants.
THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR JOSEPH BANKS, BARONET.
The subject of this memoir was born in London on the 13th of December, 1743. He was the only son of William Banks, Esquire, of Revesby, who died in 1761, leaving him, at the age of eighteen, possessed of an ample fortune. He was at that time a member of the University of Oxford; and it was in the retirement of collegiate studies that he acquired his taste for natural history.
Immediately on his leaving the University, in 1763, he made a voyage to the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador, and returned with those habits of investigation which are induced by a contemplation of rare and novel objects.
Having become a member of the Royal Society, his desire for further investigation of new worlds was again excited by the plan proposed by that learned body, for observing the expected transit of Venus, from one of the South Sea islands. No sooner did Mr. Banks understand that the Endeavour, commanded by Captain (then Lieutenant) Cook, was equipping for her voyage, and intended to prosecute further discovery after the observation of the transit, than he determined to embark in the expedition. Mr. Banks entered upon his preparations with a most generous spirit; providing himself with two draughtsmen, a secretary, and four servants, together with all the necessary books, and instruments. He was also accompanied by Dr. Solander, a Swedish gentleman, who had been the pupil of Linnæus.
On the 26th of August, 1768, the Endeavour sailed from Plymouth, on this great expedition. In the passage to Madeira, Mr. Banks and his companions discovered many marine animals, which no naturalist had described. At Madeira, and as they sailed on to Rio Janeiro, their vigilance was still eagerly awake, and sufficiently gratified by observations and specimens new to science. The jealousy of the Portuguese greatly disappointed their curiosity, by forbidding their researches at Rio Janeiro.
On Wednesday, April 12, 1769, the Endeavour arrived at Otaheite. For three months the voyagers continued at this and the contiguous isles, making the astronomical observations, for the sake chiefly of which Lieutenant Cook was sent out; surveying, as navigators, the coasts of the different isles; collecting specimens of the natural productions peculiar to them; and studying the language, manners, and arts of the islanders.
In August, 1769, the Endeavour sailed from the last isle of the group. In October they made New Zealand, which had not been visited since Tasman’s voyage. They next sailed to New Holland, chiefly along the East coast, and gave the name of New South Wales to the adjacent territory. The ship here struck upon a rock, and was saved only by extraordinary skill. In laying her down for repairs the sea broke in, and spoiled the greater part of Mr. Banks’s specimens of natural history: but he was recompensed by the discovery of the kangaroo. In August, 1770, they sailed for New Guinea. On their homeward voyage, their short stay at Batavia was nearly fatal to the expedition. Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander caught the fever. Tupia, a priest, and a boy named Tayeto, both from Otaheite, who were proceeding to England, died. Every person of the crew but one was taken ill. Seven died at Batavia, and twenty-three more within six weeks after. On the 12th of June, 1771, the vessel anchored in the downs.
Early in 1772 an expedition was prepared under the command of Captain Cook, to proceed in search of the so much talked of Southern Continent, in which Mr. Banks most anxiously took a part, intending to perform the voyage; and he accordingly prepared his establishment upon the most extensive scale. On this account orders were given by the Admiralty for fitting the ships out with every possible accommodation that Mr. Banks could desire; but when the Resolution sailed from Long Reach for Plymouth, she was found so very crank, from the additional upper works, that she was obliged to be carried into Sheerness to have the additional cabins cut away, with such other alterations as were necessary to make her sea-worthy. This of course struck at the very root of Mr. Banks’s project, in curtailing him of the space and accommodation absolutely necessary for the establishment which he had formed; and he was reluctantly compelled to give up his plans.