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{{Infobox person
| name = Charles Ledger
| image = File:Portrait of Charles Ledger Wellcome M0001854.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Portrait. Credit: Wellcome Library
| birth_name =
| birth_date = March 4, 1818
| birth_place = 1 Bucklersbury, City of [[London]]
| death_date = May 19, 1905
| death_place = 'Mimosa Cottage', Elswick St, Leichhardt, Sydney
| nationality =
| other_names =
| occupation = [[alpaca]] farmer
| years_active =
| known_for = Work he did with quinine
| notable_works =
⚫
}}

'''Charles Ledger''' (4 March 1818 – 19 May 1905)<ref name=ADB>B. G. Andrews, '[http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A050085b.htm Ledger, Charles (1818 - 1905)]', ''[[Australian Dictionary of Biography]]'', Volume 5, [[Melbourne University Press|MUP]], 1974, pp 73-74. Retrieved 9 Sep 2009
'''Charles Ledger''' (4 March 1818 – 19 May 1905)<ref name=ADB>B. G. Andrews, '[http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A050085b.htm Ledger, Charles (1818 - 1905)]', ''[[Australian Dictionary of Biography]]'', Volume 5, [[Melbourne University Press|MUP]], 1974, pp 73-74. Retrieved 9 Sep 2009
</ref> was an [[alpaca]] farmer noted for his work in connection with [[quinine]], a treatment for [[History of malaria|malaria]].
</ref> was an [[alpaca]] farmer noted for his work in connection with [[quinine]], a treatment for [[History of malaria|malaria]].


==Background==
⚫
Ledger belonged to a [[huguenot]] family that emigrated to [[England]] in the 18th century; he was born at [[London]], the son of George Ledger, a mercantile broker, and his wife Charlotte, ''née'' Warren.<ref name=ADB/> After leaving school he went to [[Peru]] and in 1836 was a clerk in a British merchant's office at [[Lima]]. It was at Lima that Charles rescued a drowning native Manuel Incra Manami, who offered to become his servant. He became an expert in [[alpaca]] wool, and in 1842 began business as a dealer in South American products. In 1847 he was grazing sheep and cattle half-way between [[Tacna]] and [[La Paz]], and in 1852 went to [[Sydney]] to inquire into the possibility of introducing the alpaca into Australia. He returned to South America and by 1859 had brought several hundred alpacas to Sydney. This was a hazardous and difficult business as the export of alpacas was forbidden. Ledger was paid £15,000 for his alpacas and given a position in charge of them. The attempt to acclimatize alpacas in Australia ended in failure, but Ledger was not at fault.
Ledger belonged to a [[huguenot]] family that emigrated to [[England]] in the 18th century; he was born at 1 Bucklersbury, City of [[London]], the son of George Ledger, a mercantile broker, and his wife Charlotte, ''née'' Warren.<ref name=ADB/>{{citation needed|date=February 2020|reason=cited source does not mention huguenot, emigration, nor address of birth}} After leaving school he went to [[Peru]] and in 1836 was a clerk in a British merchant's office at [[Lima]]. It was at Lima that Charles rescued a drowning native Manuel Incra Mamani, who offered to become his servant.


==Alpaca career==
⚫
Ledger returned to South America in 1864 and turned his attention to another problem. The [[cinchona]] tree, the bark of which yields quinine, grew in [[Ecuador]], [[Peru]], and [[Bolivia]], but the export of either trees or seeds was prohibited. The trees were being wastefully cut down without being replaced, and there was some danger that they might become extinct. Some seeds and plants had been introduced into Europe and Asia by [[Hugh Algernon Weddell]] in 1848, and Sir [[Clements Markham]] went later to Peru, and Bolivia, and succeeded in acclimatizing trees in [[Asia]] and the [[Dutch East Indies]].
⚫
He became an expert in [[alpaca]] wool, and in 1842 began business as a dealer in South American products. In 1847 he was grazing sheep and cattle half-way between [[Tacna]] and [[La Paz]], and in 1852 went to [[Sydney]] to inquire into the possibility of introducing the alpaca into Australia. He returned to South America and by 1859 had brought several hundred alpacas to Sydney. This was a hazardous and difficult business as the export of alpacas was forbidden. Ledger was paid £15,000 for his alpacas and given a position in charge of them. The attempt to acclimatize alpacas in Australia ended in failure, but Ledger was not at fault.


==Quinine production==
⚫
Ledger, however, found a better variety for producing quinine, now known as ''[[Cinchona ledgeriana]]'', and in 1865 under great difficulties collected several pounds of seed and sent them to his brother George Ledger in London. For his share in this work Ledger's servant, Manuel, was arrested in Bolivia and so severely beaten that he died. The seed was sent to London where some of it was purchased by the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] government. Seeds were also sent to [[India]] and [[Queensland]] but the trees do not appear to have been grown in Australia. In 1883 Ledger went to Sydney again and in 1884 took a farm 20 miles (30 km) from [[Goulburn, New South Wales]].
⚫
Ledger returned to South America in 1864 and turned his attention to another problem. The [[cinchona]] tree, the bark of which yields quinine, grew in [[Ecuador]], [[Peru]], and [[Bolivia]], but the export of either trees or seeds was prohibited. The trees were being wastefully cut down without being replaced, and there was some danger that they might become extinct. Some seeds and plants had been introduced into Europe and Asia by [[Hugh Algernon Weddell]] in 1848, and Sir [[Clements Markham]] went later to Peru, and Bolivia, and succeeded in acclimatizing trees in [[Asia]] and the [[Dutch East Indies]].
⚫
Losing his savings in the bank failures of the early 1890s, efforts were made by Sir Clements Markham and others to obtain some provision for Ledger from the Indian and Dutch governments. Initially this was refused, but in 1897 on Ledger's 79th birthday, he received news that the Dutch government had granted him an annuity of £100 a year. He died eight years later in 1905 at 'Mimosa Cottage', Elswick St, Leichhardt, Sydney.


⚫
Ledger, however, employed [[Manuel Incra Mamani]] to find a better variety for producing quinine. In 1865, after four years of frost destroying high-quinine plant seeds (plants with a lower proportion were hardier), Mamani was able to collect some seeds from a high-quinine specimen. Ledger sent them to his brother George Ledger in London. The seed was sent to London where some of it was purchased by the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] government. Seeds were also sent to [[India]] and [[Queensland]] but the trees do not appear to have been grown in Australia.
⚫
Ledger did a great service to the world, as millions of cinchona trees grown in India and [[Java]] sprang originally from the seeds he collected. By 1900 two-thirds of the world's supply of quinine came from Java, and over 40 years later the Ledger types of cinchona were still the best quinine yielders.<ref>''Harper's Magazine'', August 1943, p. 278</ref>

The high-quinine plant was named ''[[Cinchona ledgeriana]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zhu |first=Lihua |date=2018-06-27 |title=Products of the Empire: Cinchona: a short history |url=https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/rcs/projects-exhibitions/products-empire-cinchona-short-history |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=www.lib.cam.ac.uk |language=en}}</ref>

In 1871, Mamani was arrested whilst on a seed hunting trip, and beaten so severely that he died soon afterwards. Ledger ceased to collect seeds and provided money to Mamani's family.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lee |first=M.R. |date=2002 |title=Plants Against Malaria, Part 1: Cinchona or the Peruvian Bark |url=https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/journal/issue/journal_32_3/paper_7.pdf |journal=J R Coll Physicians Edinb |volume=32 |issue=3 |pages=189–196|pmid=12434796 }}</ref>

In 1883 Ledger went to Sydney again and in 1884 took a farm 20 miles (30 km) from [[Goulburn, New South Wales]].

==Retirement and death==
⚫
Losing his savings in the bank failures of the early 1890s, efforts were made by Sir Clements Markham and others to obtain some provision for Ledger from the Indian and Dutch governments. Initially this was refused, but in 1897 on Ledger's 79th birthday, he received news that the Dutch government had granted him an annuity of £100 a year. He died eight years later in 1905 at 'Mimosa Cottage', Elswick St, Leichhardt, Sydney. He is buried in [[Rookwood Cemetery]], Sydney.

==Impact==
⚫
Ledger did a great service to the world, as millions of cinchona trees grown in India and [[Java]] sprang originally from the seeds he collected. By 1900 two-thirds of the world's supply of quinine came from Java, and over 40 years later the Ledger types of cinchona were still the best quinine yielders.<ref>''Harper's Magazine'', August 1943, p. 278</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
*Part of Ledger's own account of his life can be found at p. 118, [[Chemist + Druggist|''Chemist and Druggist'']], 27 July 1895, which is available as a searchable archive.
⚫
*{{Dictionary of Australian Biography|First=Charles|Last=Ledger|Link=http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogL.html#ledger1|accessdate=2009-09-09}}
*Some of Ledger's papers are available at the [[State Library of New South Wales|State Library of NSW]]: ML MSS.630
⚫
*{{Dictionary of Australian Biography|First=Charles|Last=Ledger|shortlink=0-dict-biogL.html#ledger1|accessdate=2009-09-09}}


==Further reading==
==Further reading==
Line 21: Line 54:
*G. Ledger, ''The Alpaca: Its Introduction into Australia, and the Probabilities of its Acclimatisation There'' (Melbourne, 1861)
*G. Ledger, ''The Alpaca: Its Introduction into Australia, and the Probabilities of its Acclimatisation There'' (Melbourne, 1861)
*N. Taylor, ''Cinchona in Java: The Story of Quinine'' (New York, 1945)
*N. Taylor, ''Cinchona in Java: The Story of Quinine'' (New York, 1945)
*G. Gramiccia, ''The Life of Charles Ledger (181-1905): Alpacas and Quinine'' Macmillan, 1988.


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Persondata
|NAME=Ledger, Charles
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=farmer
|DATE OF BIRTH=4 March 1818
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[London]], [[England]]
|DATE OF DEATH=1906
|PLACE OF DEATH=[[Australia]]
⚫
}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Ledger, Charles}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ledger, Charles}}
Line 38: Line 63:
[[Category:Quinine]]
[[Category:Quinine]]
[[Category:Clerks]]
[[Category:Clerks]]
[[Category:19th-century British farmers]]

Latest revision as of 02:16, 20 May 2024

Charles Ledger
Portrait. Credit: Wellcome Library
BornMarch 4, 1818
1 Bucklersbury, City of London
DiedMay 19, 1905
'Mimosa Cottage', Elswick St, Leichhardt, Sydney
Occupationalpaca farmer
Known forWork he did with quinine

Charles Ledger (4 March 1818 – 19 May 1905)[1] was an alpaca farmer noted for his work in connection with quinine, a treatment for malaria.

Background

[edit]

Ledger belonged to a huguenot family that emigrated to England in the 18th century; he was born at 1 Bucklersbury, City of London, the son of George Ledger, a mercantile broker, and his wife Charlotte, née Warren.[1][citation needed] After leaving school he went to Peru and in 1836 was a clerk in a British merchant's office at Lima. It was at Lima that Charles rescued a drowning native Manuel Incra Mamani, who offered to become his servant.

Alpaca career

[edit]

He became an expert in alpaca wool, and in 1842 began business as a dealer in South American products. In 1847 he was grazing sheep and cattle half-way between Tacna and La Paz, and in 1852 went to Sydney to inquire into the possibility of introducing the alpaca into Australia. He returned to South America and by 1859 had brought several hundred alpacas to Sydney. This was a hazardous and difficult business as the export of alpacas was forbidden. Ledger was paid £15,000 for his alpacas and given a position in charge of them. The attempt to acclimatize alpacas in Australia ended in failure, but Ledger was not at fault.

Quinine production

[edit]

Ledger returned to South America in 1864 and turned his attention to another problem. The cinchona tree, the bark of which yields quinine, grew in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, but the export of either trees or seeds was prohibited. The trees were being wastefully cut down without being replaced, and there was some danger that they might become extinct. Some seeds and plants had been introduced into Europe and Asia by Hugh Algernon Weddell in 1848, and Sir Clements Markham went later to Peru, and Bolivia, and succeeded in acclimatizing trees in Asia and the Dutch East Indies.

Ledger, however, employed Manuel Incra Mamani to find a better variety for producing quinine. In 1865, after four years of frost destroying high-quinine plant seeds (plants with a lower proportion were hardier), Mamani was able to collect some seeds from a high-quinine specimen. Ledger sent them to his brother George Ledger in London. The seed was sent to London where some of it was purchased by the Dutch government. Seeds were also sent to India and Queensland but the trees do not appear to have been grown in Australia.

The high-quinine plant was named Cinchona ledgeriana.[2]

In 1871, Mamani was arrested whilst on a seed hunting trip, and beaten so severely that he died soon afterwards. Ledger ceased to collect seeds and provided money to Mamani's family.[3]

In 1883 Ledger went to Sydney again and in 1884 took a farm 20 miles (30 km) from Goulburn, New South Wales.

Retirement and death

[edit]

Losing his savings in the bank failures of the early 1890s, efforts were made by Sir Clements Markham and others to obtain some provision for Ledger from the Indian and Dutch governments. Initially this was refused, but in 1897 on Ledger's 79th birthday, he received news that the Dutch government had granted him an annuity of £100 a year. He died eight years later in 1905 at 'Mimosa Cottage', Elswick St, Leichhardt, Sydney. He is buried in Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney.

Impact

[edit]

Ledger did a great service to the world, as millions of cinchona trees grown in India and Java sprang originally from the seeds he collected. By 1900 two-thirds of the world's supply of quinine came from Java, and over 40 years later the Ledger types of cinchona were still the best quinine yielders.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b B. G. Andrews, 'Ledger, Charles (1818 - 1905)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5, MUP, 1974, pp 73-74. Retrieved 9 Sep 2009
  2. ^ Zhu, Lihua (2018-06-27). "Products of the Empire: Cinchona: a short history". www.lib.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
  3. ^ Lee, M.R. (2002). "Plants Against Malaria, Part 1: Cinchona or the Peruvian Bark" (PDF). J R Coll Physicians Edinb. 32 (3): 189–196. PMID 12434796.
  4. ^ Harper's Magazine, August 1943, p. 278

Further reading

[edit]
  • R. S. Desowitz 1991. The Malaria Capers. Norton and Co., New York, NY.
  • M. Honigsbaum, The Fever Trail: In Search of the Cure for Malaria (London, 2001)
  • G. Ledger, The Alpaca: Its Introduction into Australia, and the Probabilities of its Acclimatisation There (Melbourne, 1861)
  • N. Taylor, Cinchona in Java: The Story of Quinine (New York, 1945)
  • G. Gramiccia, The Life of Charles Ledger (181-1905): Alpacas and Quinine Macmillan, 1988.
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