Biography

British civil engineer and naturalist. Joseph Joinville was the British Clerk for Natural History and Agriculture in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) from 1798 into the early 19th century. After the British took control of the island in 1796, the botanic gardens previously established by the Dutch were abandoned, but the new British governor, Frederick North, planted a private fruit and vegetable garden at Peliyagoda and the senior military officer, George MacDowell, also imported plants from the Royal Botanic Garden at Calcutta. Among Joinville's duties was overseeing the Peliyagoda garden. In addition he collected various dried specimens, which were deposited at the British Museum (Natural History).