The collections of the Macleay Museum are based largely on the efforts and acquisitions of the Macleays, one of the pre-eminent families in colonial Sydney: Alexander Macleay, William Sharp Macleay and William John Macleay.
Receiving little support he eventually left £12,000 to the University of Sydney for the foundation of a chair or lectureship in bacteriology, but this was rejected by the university senate due to the conditions of the bequest and the money went to the Linnean Society.
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Macleay realized that a lot could be done to prevent diseases like typhoid fever and strongly urged the appointment of a government bacteriologist.
William John Macleay (1820-1891), British/Australian zoologist (cousin of William Sharp MacLeay)
Later he collected a large number of Australian insects; on his death these were bequeathed to his cousin William John Macleay, whose interest in natural history he encouraged and who in 1888 transferred them to the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney, for which act he was knighted.
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