Black And White Collection

Marianne North at her easel, circa 1883
Photograph of Marianne North (1830-1890), botanical artist, pictured here in Grahamstown, South Africa circa 1883. Marianne North generally travelled unaccompanied

Eleanor Morland, Gertude Cope and Alice Hutchings, Kew gardeners, 1898
Eleanor Morland, Gertude Cope and Alice Hutchings, Kew gardeners, pictured in 1898, at RBG Kew. By 1902 all the women gardeners had left to take up horticultural posts elsewhere

William Barrons Tree Transplanter
William Barron (1805-91)s Tree transplantor at Kew. Barron devised a horse-drawn machine that would allow trees to be uprooted and carried distances of up to 32km without damage

Matilda Smith, botanical artist
Matilda Smith, Joseph Hookers second cousin, began training as a botanical artist in 1877, at the age of 23, and remained in Kews employ for 45 years

Cochineal beetle harvest, by Eadweard Muybridge
Dactylopius coccus, cochineal beetles being harvested from Opuntia cacti, Antigua, West Indies, for the production of carminic acid used in the carmine dye, cochineal

Seedlings of Cinchona succirubra, India, 1861
Seedlings of Cinchona succirubra, photographed on arrival in Ootacamund, southern India, 9 April 1861. Collected by Richard Spruce in Ecuador, the plants were received by WIlliam McIvor

The Rhododendron Dell, Kew Gardens
19th century photograph of The Rhododendron Dell, Kew Gardens. Originally Capability Browns " Hollow Walk" it was created in 1773 and planted with rhododendrons in 1850

Henry Ridley and rubber tree, Singapore
Extension of original cutting on an old Para rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis - Henry Ridley ( Rubber Ridley ) and rubber tree, tapped for latex

Cinera cum flore, 1613
Illustration of Cinera cum flore, Cynara species, from Hortus Eystettensis, by Basilius Besler, 1613, volume 2

The Tea House, Kew Gardens, which opened in 1888, seen here before it was burned down by members of the womens suffrage movement as part of their campaign

Waterlily Pond, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, ca 1900
The waterlily pond, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, ca 1900. The pond was one of Sir William Thiselton-Dyers additions, heated by condensed steam from the local water supply

Henry Ridley
When Henry Ridley took over directorship of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, (1888-1911)there were many overgrown jungle areas and he was tasked with making a preliminary forest survey

Fructus artischochi, 1613
Illustration of Fructus artischochi, currently accepted as Cynara cardunculus, commonly known as artichoke. Artwork from Hortus Eystettensis by Basilius Besler, 1613, volume 2

William Dallimore (1871-1959), known to his colleagues as " good old Dallimore" was a well-liked and long serving member of staff at RBG Kew for more than 45 years

Joseph Rock (1884-1962), a Viennese-born naturalist, author and linguist. From 1922 to 1949 he travelled through south-west China studying the flora, peoples, culture and languages of the region

Stella Ross Craig, botanical artist
Stella Ross-Craig, born in 1906, received an early induction into plant life from her father, a botanist, who taught his young daughter to identify wild flowers

Richard Spruce (1817-1893) botanist and plant collector who was commissioned by William Hooker to transfer the cinchona (quinine) industry from South America to India

Garden visitors inspect the Demonstration Plot at RBG Kew, during WWII
Garden visitors inspect the vegetables in the Demonstration Plot, Kew Gardens, during World War II. Visitor numbers increased between 1941

The Birdman, Mr Allaway, 1901
The Birdman, Mr Allaway feeding penguin outside Museum No. 1 - 1901. In 1899 three penguins were presented to Kew by Albert Linney

Women gardeners put on their clogs ready for work, World War II
Women gardeners were employed at Kew during World War II, after an interval of nearly a quarter of a century. Fourteen women were enrolled onto the staff in 1940

William Thiselton Dyer
On becoming Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, William Thiselton-Dyer appointed himself Inspector of the Kew Constabulary, a title that is still held by serving directors

Annie M Gulvin
Annie Gulvin and Alice Hutchings were the first female gardeners at Kew in 1896. Annie Gulvin (pictured here) left in 1897 to take up the post of head gardener on an estate in South Wales

Japanese Gateway, Kew Gardens c. 1910
Model of the Chokushi-Mon (Gateway of the Imperial Messenger), better known as the Japanese Gateway, gifted to Kew after its inclusion in the Japan-British exhibition held at Shepherds Bush in 1910

Marianne North, photographed by Julia Margaret Cameron
Marianne North photographed by Julia Margaret Cameron in Kalutara, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), 1877. Marianne North met Julia Cameron when she stayed at the photographers home at Kalutara

Portrait of Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865)
Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865). Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 1841-1865. Photographic print on paper

Quercus obtusiloba, 1795-1800
Page from a volume of notes, drawings, plant specimens and proof prints prepared for the publication Amérique ou Descriptions et figures de toutes les espèces et variétés de chênes de l'Amérique

Cymbidium elegans, 1838
Watercolour on paper. Original drawing for plate XIV in John Lindleys Sertum orchidaceum: a wreath of the most beautiful orchidaceous flowers; selected by John Lindley, published in 1838

Cattleya superba, 1838
Watercolour on paper. Original drawing for plate XXII in John Lindleys Sertum orchidaceum: a wreath of the most beautiful orchidaceous flowers; selected by John Lindley, published in 1838

Kews women gardeners, November 1916, during World War I. During the war womens roles at Kew continued to grow. Back row (l-r) K W Harper, I L Lines, H A Rowan, M I Yeo, N J Watson, E M HArper

Richard Spruce (1817-1893) botanist, explorer, plant collector

Vegetables growing in the Demonstration Plot, RBG Kew, WWII
Vegetables growing in the Demonstration Plot, RBG Kew, during World War II. The Model Allotment Plan initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture was designed to provide a household of five people with a

Walter Fitch, Llewllyn House, Kew. Presented by his widow in 1904. Walter Fitch (1817-1892) was appointed as a botanical artist for Curtis Botanical magazine by William Hooker

The Kew Gardens Question. This political cartoon was published in 1878 as part of the ongoing debate as to whether the public should be allowed into the gardens in the mornings, before 1pm

Kew Pagoda from the Refreshment Pavillion

Photograph of a Wardian Case, 19th century
Wardian Case en-route to Sri Lanka in the late 19th century

Metroxylon sagu, 1750
Illustration of Metroxylon sagu, commonly know as sago palm, from Herbarium Amboinense by Georgius Everhardus Rumphius, 1750, vol 1, t. 17

Cocos nucifera, coconut palm, 1678
Cocos nucifera, coconut palm by Anton Jacob Goedkint from Reede tot Drakestein Hortus Indicus Malabaricus, 1678

Harvesting and processing cinchona bark on a Java plantation

The Temperate House, 1861
Illustration of the Temperate House, Royal Botanic gardens, Kew from the journal The Builder, 1861

Fragaria species, 1900
Illustration of Fragaria species, commonly known as strawberry, from Revue Horticole, 1900

Giant cereus, 1854
Illustration of Giant cereus, 1854. Artwork from Personal narrative of explorations and incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora, and Chihuahua by J.R. Bartlett, volume 2, plate 189

Carnegiea gigantea, 1854
Illustration of Carnegiea gigantea, commonly known as saguaro, 1854. Artwork from Personal narrative of explorations and incidents in Texas, New Mexico, California, Sonora, and Chihuahua by J.R

Carnegiea gigantea, 1862-1865
Illustration of Carnegiea gigantea, commonly known as saguaro, from Flore des Serres by Louis Van Houtte, vol 15, 1862-1865

Drunken date palm from Gerard The Herball, 1636
Illustration of palm, possibly Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as drunken date. From The Herball; or Generall historie of plantes by John Gerard, 1636

Areca catechu, 1636
Illustration of Areca catechu, commonly known as betel palm or The Drunken Date from John Gerard The Herball; or Generall Historie of Plantes, 1636

A cinchona forest in Latin America, 1880
A cinchona forest in Latin America, from Illustrated Travels: A Record of Discovery, Geography, and Adventure, edited by H.W. Bates, 1880

Aubergine
Melanzana fructu pallido, Hortus Eystettensis, Vol. 2, 1613, Basilius Besler. Aubergine or eggplant

Women gardeners, The Rock Garden, RBG Kew, World War II
Women gardeners were again employed at Kew during World War II, after an interval of nearly a quarter of a century. Fourteen women were enrolled onto the staff in 1940

Female gardener working in the orchid house, during World War II
Female gardener working in the orchid house, RBG Kew, during World War II

World War II, Kew Gardens: Talk at the Demonstration plot about growing your own food
Sydney Albert Pearce, Assistant Curator of the Decorative Department, gives a talk at the Demonstration Plot in front of Kew Palace, 1940

Joseph Reardon pictured during service in WWI
Joseph Reardon joined the staff as a gardener in July 1914, having trained at Tully Nurseries, Kildare. He attended Kews " Mutual improvement Society" scoring the highest numbers in

Kew Guild dinner at the Holborn Restaurant, London, 1905. The Guild was established in 1893 to bring together past and present members of staff

Frank Norman Howes, RBG Kew
Frank Norman Howes inspecting samples of wood in the Museum store. Born in South Africa, he was Economic Botanist in the Gold Coast Department of Agriculture before becoming an Assistant in Kew

Ann Webster, botanical artist, RBG Kew, 1951
Ann Webster studied at Guildford School of Art before becoming a freelance botanical artist, contributing to Curtiss Botanical magazine, Flora of Tropical East Africa and other Kew publications

John Hutchinson, Keeper of Museums at Kew from 1936 to 1948. He curated Economic Botany collections and advised british ministries and colonial governments

The Kew Fire Brigade was operated on a voluntary basis by staff from the Gardens with, from 1882, a station in the Melon Yard on the Kew Road near the southern tip of Kew Green

The Royal Botanic Gardens Constabulary, ca 1910-1915
Photograph of William Thiselton Dyer and Royal Botanic Gardens Constabulary, ca 1910-1915. William Thiselton Dyer is the white-haired officer carrying the cane in the centre

The first four Keepers of the Herbarium, Kew Gardens
The first four Keepers of the Herbarium, left to right: Professor Daniel Oliver (Keeper 1864-90), W. Botting Hemsley (1899-1908), Dr Otto Stapf (1908-22) and J. G

The arrival of the flagstaff off the Sion Vista, Kew, circa 1916
The arrival of the flagstaff off the Sion Vista, Kew: " accepting delivery", circa 1916. Gifted by the Provincial Governement of British Columbia, it was towed along the Thames by tug boat

Joey the Stanley Crane, Kew Gardens
Joey the Stanley Crane was a well-known Kew personality. In 1935 The Journal of the Kew Guild described his eventful life, which included losing a toe to a lawn mower

Aircraft crash, Kew, 1928
On the 16th August, 1928, a single seater Siskin aircraft came down in flames to the west of the Syon Vista, Kew Gardens, during an aerial display

Burnt remains of the Refreshment Pavilion, Kew Gardens, 1913
In 1913 the tea pavilion at Kew Gardens was burnt down by members of the womens suffrage movement as part of their campaign

Ernest Henry Wilson (back row, second from right) with colleagues while working as a gardener at Kew, circa 1897. Two years later, in 1899, he would begin work as a plant collector

Directors House and Garden, Kew. Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer and Harriet Anne Thiselton-Dyer (Nee Hoche). He became Assistant Director of Kew in 1875

The Palm House, Kew Gardens
A visitor sits reading inside the Palm House, Kew Gardens. The Palm House was opened in 1848. Decimus Burton was the architect and Richard Turner as engineer provided the ironwork

Lalbagh Botanic Gardens, Bangalore, India were established in 1760 by Hyder Ali. Once they came under state control in 1856

Ernest Henry Wilson (1876-1930) Ernest Henry " Chinese" Wilson, better known as E. H. Wilson, was a notable English plant collector who introduced a large range of about 2000 of Asian plant

Adrien Rene Franchet - 1834-1900
Portrait of Adrien Franchet, Bull.Soc.Bot.France (1900), French botanist, based at the Paris Museum national d Histoire Naturelle

Pere Armand David - 1826-1900
Pere Armand David (1826-1900) Lazarist missionary Catholic priest, zoologist and botanist

D. Oliver, Otto Stapf, W. Botting Hemsley, J. G. Baker. The first four Keepers of the Herbarium, RBG Kew, photographed in 1916

Ernest Henry Wilson - May15th 1922
Ernest Henry Wilson - 1876-1930 - May15th 1922 - Ernest Henry " Chinese" Wilson, better known as E. H. Wilson, was a notable English plant collector who introduced a large range of about

Joseph Rock and Elizabeth McClintock
Joseph Rock 1884-1962 - China Explorer aged 78 in Honolulu - with Elizabeth McClintock. Joseph Francis Charles Rock (1884, ?? 1962) was an Austrian-American explorer, geographer, linguist and botanist

Henry Fletcher Hance
Dr. Henry Fletcher Hance - (1827-1886 ) photographed in 1867, botanist and diplomat who worked in Hong Kong, Whampoa and Canton, China, on diplomatic roles

Cultivation of Cinchona succirubra trees on the Madulsima Cinchona Cos estate, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1882. The plants pictured are 8 -10 years old

Women Gardeners (drinking tea) 1939
Women Gardeners (drinking tea), RBG Kew, 1939. A tea break was only instigated at Kew after Minnie Hill made a personal appeal to the director, Sir Arthur Hill

Quercus alba (White Oak)
Watercolour on paper. From the original manuscript for the 1801 publication Histoire des chnes de l Amrique by Andre Michaux (1746-1803)

Quercus discolor
Watercolour on paper, c.1801. Page from a volume of notes, drawings, plant specimens and proof prints prepared for the publication Histoire des chenes de l Amerique... (1801) by Andre Michaux

Quercus rubra (Q. borealis, American red oak)
Watercolour and pencil on paper, no date (c.1800).Page from a volume of notes, drawings, plant specimens and proof prints prepared for the publication Histoire des chenes de l Amerique

Quercus tinctoria (Black oak, Q. velutina)
Watercolour on paper, dated 1804 (post publication ). Page from a volume of notes, drawings, plant specimens and proof prints prepared for the publication Histoire des ch├¬nes de l Am├®rique

Quercus prinus
Watercolour on paper, no date (c.1800). Page from a volume of notes, drawings, plant specimens and proof prints prepared for the publication Histoire des ch├¬nes de l Am├®rique

Botanist Mary Ruth Fussel Jackson Taylor, RBG Kew, 1939
Botanist Mary Ruth Fussel Jackson Taylor, working in the Herbarium, RBG Kew, 1939

Women gardeners, RBG Kew, World War II
Women gardeners were again employed at Kew during World War II, after an interval of nearly a quarter of a century. Fourteen women were enrolled onto the staff in 1940

Potato tuber slices being dried in trays of peat, WWII
Supplies of seed potatoes were insufficient to demand during WWII, so Wiliam Campbell, Curator of Kew Gardens devised a method of growing potatoes using slices from the tuber instead

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