( I started with this man first because of the K in the surname. I noticed it as I was putting the Governors page together. Sandra and I discussed it. We were not sure if it was right. I had a feeling it could be right. On the Monday we had a Scotsman visit us. “No, he said that’s not right. I have never heard of it”. I had a feeling the spelling was right because over time, names have been changed. Example. I was reading Hannibal, the general who took the elephants over the alps). Now they came from North Africa. The place was called Carthage. In previous times it was spelt with a K as Karthage
As I did not have any other books to cross reference with, I logged onto the internet and used WebFeret to do a search on Makdougall. I was surprised at how many URL’s came up for him.
(I would think over time, that it has been common practise that C and K are changed in a language. I have thought for some time that the Aborigine names starting with a K could start with a C. Perhaps readers could e-mail me on the subject if they find anything). Makdougall was his wife’s maiden name.

The following was taken from the Columbia Encyclopedia: Sixth Edition.  2000.

Brisbane, Sir Thomas Makdougall

1773–1860, British soldier, astronomer, and colonial administrator in Australia, b. Scotland.
From 1793 to 1814 he served in the army in Flanders, in the West Indies, in Spain, and in Canada, rising to the rank of brigadier general. In 1821 he was appointed governor of New South Wales, where he encouraged agriculture, land reclamation, exploration, and, most important, immigration, thus stimulating the transformation of New South Wales from a dependent convict outpost into a free, self-supporting colony. He had poor financial sense, however, and was recalled in 1825. Brisbane had an observatory built (1822) at Paramatta, near Sydney, where work was done (1822–26) resulting in the “Brisbane Catalogue” of 7,385 stars. After his return to Scotland, he founded an observatory at Makerstoun, where valuable observations on magnetism were started (1841); these were incorporated into three volumes in the transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He was made president of the society in 1833. The city of Brisbane and the Brisbane River in Australia were named for him.

The following was taken from The Columbia Encyclopedia: Sixth Edition. 2000.
Brisbane, Sir Thomas Makdougall  -  Career Highlights
Born near Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland, 23 July 1773. Died Largs, 27 January 1860. KCB 1814; KCH 1817; Baronet 1836; GCB 1837. Educated University of Edinburgh and the English Academy, Kensington. Commissioned an Ensign in the 38th Regiment 1789; in Ireland 1790; captain in Flanders 1793-98; major in the West Indies 1795-99; lieutenant-colonel, 69th Regiment, Jamaica 1800-03; served in England 1803-05; built the second observatory in Scotland at Brisbane House 1808; promoted colonel 1810; promoted brigadier-general 1812; promoted general 1841; governor of New South Wales 1821-25. Set up an agricultural training college in New South Wales and was the first patron of the New South Wales Agricultural Society 1822. Conducted (largely unsuccessful) experiments in growing Virginian tobacco, Georgian cotton, Brazilian coffee and New Zealand flax. Built an observatory at Parramatta and made the first observations of stars in the southern hemisphere since Lacaille's in 1751-52; built another observatory at Makerstoun 1826; later became president of the Edinburgh Astronomical Institution and did much to make the Edinburgh Royal Observatory highly efficient. Fellow of the Royal Society 1810. President, Royal Society of Edinburgh 1832.

From a web page:
1773–1860, British soldier, astronomer, and colonial administrator in Australia, b. Scotland. From 1793 to 1814 he served in the army in Flanders, in the West Indies, in Spain, and in Canada, rising to the rank of brigadier general. In 1821 he was appointed governor of New South Wales, where he encouraged agriculture, land reclamation, exploration, and, most important, immigration, thus stimulating the transformation of New South Wales from a dependent convict outpost into a free, self-supporting colony. He had poor financial sense, however, and was recalled in 1825. Brisbane had an observatory built (1822) at Paramatta, near Sydney, where work was done (1822–26) resulting in the “Brisbane Catalogue” of 7,385 stars. After his return to Scotland, he founded an observatory at Makerstoun, where valuable observations on magnetism were started (1841); these were incorporated into three volumes in the transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He was made president of the society in 1833. The city of Brisbane and the Brisbane River in Australia were named for him.
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright © 2000 Columbia University Press.

Journal Articles
? Maiden, J.H. 1912, 'Portraits of Scientific Men of New South Wales', Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, vol. xliv, pp. 17-20.
? O'Hagan, J. E. 1960, 'Sir Thomas Brisbane, F.R.S., A Founder of Organised Science in Australia.', Journal of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland, vol. vi, pp. 594-603.
? Russell, H.C. 1888, 'Astronomical and Meteorological Workers in New South Wales, 1778-1860', Australasian Association for Advancement of Science, vol. 1, pp. 45-94.
 

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Sandra and Graham Vowles
Perth,
Western Australia
Australia
Phone  -  (08) 9351 9470