Frederick Manson Bailey was born in
London, the second son of
John Bailey. The Bailey family were nurserymen and seedsmen for many years in London, sometimes connected with
Loddiges nurseries. Frederick was educated at the foundation school of the Independent Church at Hackney, London. The family went to Australia in 1838 arriving at
Adelaide in March 1839 where John was appointed as colonial botanist by the governor,
George Gawler, and started to form the
Adelaide Botanic Garden. John Bailey held the position of colonial botanist until 1841. ==Career==