Leonard Wray, Jr.

Leonard Wray ISO (17 September 1852 – 14 March 1942), also known as Leonard Wray Jr., was a botanist and geologist who served as Director of Museums of the Federated Malay States.

Early life Leonard Wray, who was born on 17 September 1852, was the second son of Leonard Hume Wray, a planter in Perak, Malaya. He was educated privately.

Career In 1876, he invented a telephone and exhibited it at the Society of Telegraph Engineers and at the Royal Society.

A keen photographer and member of the Royal Photographic Society, he created a large collection of ethnological photographs of aborigines of the Malay Peninsula, particularly the Semang, and contributed scientific papers to various journals including the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society and the Journal of the Anthropological Institute.

From 1890 to 1900, he served as State Geologist in addition to his other duties. He published "Alluvial Tin Mining" and prepared the design for the first roasting furnace to be built in the Federated Malay States. Its use spread rapidly in the tin mining industry, and large quantities of ore which were previously unusable became of value. In 1898, he was instrumental in getting the export duty on tin ore raised which increased revenues of the government by several millions. In 1896, he was appointed examiner under invention enactments.