Choose from 257 items in our History Collection
Victoria Gate
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
Portrait of Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer (1843-1928)Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 1885-1905. Photographic print on paper
Plan of the Palm House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
William Aiton (1731-1793)
Photograph of a Wardian Case, 19th centuryWardian Case en-route to Sri Lanka in the late 19th century
Women gardeners put on their clogs ready for work, World War IIWomen 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
Joseph Reardon pictured during service in WWIJoseph 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
Frank Norman Howes, RBG KewFrank 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
Matilda Smith, botanical artistMatilda 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
Annie M GulvinAnnie 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
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
William Barrons Tree TransplanterWilliam 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
The Rhododendron Dell, Kew Gardens19th 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, SingaporeExtension of original cutting on an old Para rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis - Henry Ridley ( Rubber Ridley ) and rubber tree, tapped for latex
Elevation of the Great Pagoda as first intended, 1763Sir William Chambers first published this design of the Pagoda in 1763 in his Plans, elevations, sections, and perspective views of the gardens and buildings at Kew in Surry
Portrait of E H WilsonErnest 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 species to the West; some sixty
The Palm House, Royal Botanic Gardens, KewArchival photograph of The Palm House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Palm House and Parterre
Dukes Garden
The broadwalk
Barrons Tree TransplanterA 19th century horse drawn machine used to move trees up to 20m
Grade II listed Victoria Gate
Palm House - final stages of construction
The Palm House under construction
The MosqueIllustration from Sir William Chambers 1763 publication, Plans, elevations, sections, and perspective views of the gardens and buildings at Kew in Surry
A View of the Palace from the North Side of the LakeEngraving on paper, A View of the Palace from the North Side of the Lake, the Green House & the Temple of Arethusa, in the Royal Gardens at Kew
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
John Haverfield (c. 1694-1784)Portrait of John Haverfield Senior, process unidentified (photographic copy by Webster Brothers, London, of painting in oils ), no date
John Haverfield (c. 1741-1820)Portrait of John Haverfield Junior. Unidentified process (hand doctored photographic copy by Webster Brothers of London, from an original painting ), no date
Portrait of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817-1911)Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 1865-1885. Photographic print on paper
Pierre Joseph Redout├®Portrait of the Botanical artist, P.J.Redoute
Joseph Hooker
Sir Joseph Hooker at his writing deskPhotograph of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817-1911), Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1865-1885). Dated 30 June 1906
Portrait of Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865) by Spiridione Gambardella.Painted circa November 1842. Classmark:BO 001.RBG Kew Art and Artefacts Collection. Oil painting: 275mm x 327mm
Portrait of David Douglas, F. L. S. (1799-1834) by Daniel MacneePortrait of David Douglas, F.L.S. (1799-1834) by Daniel Macnee. Classmark: MO 017. Personal Author:Macnee, Daniel. Dated 1828. Physical Description:1 drawing, 318mm x 368mm
Carl von Linnaeus, Swedish botanist and taxonomistEngraving of Carolus Linnaeus M.D. taken from the frontispiece of Systema Naturae, 1748. Artists name: Bernigeroth, Johann Martin (1713-1767)
St Helena, Archway, 1805, William J BurchellArchway - 01/10/1805 Watercolour St.Helena [drawings] Taken from an album of drawings made between 1805-1820 Burchell, William J. (William John) (1781-1863)
The Square, with the Market and Church, Jamestown, 1810The Square, with the Market and Church, Jamestown. 14.04.1810 (1810/1819) Pencil on paper St.Helena [drawings] Taken from an album of drawings made between 1805-1820 Burchell, William J
The Orangery, RBG Kew. Lithograph after a drawing by G.E. Papendick, printed by C. Hallmandel, c. 1840
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
John Wilfred Sutch, born 8 November 1923, worked as a gardener in the T-Range, Palm House and Arboretum. At the age of 18 he left Kew to join the army
Women gardeners, The Rock Garden, RBG Kew, World War IIWomen 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 IIFemale 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 foodSydney Albert Pearce, Assistant Curator of the Decorative Department, gives a talk at the Demonstration Plot in front of Kew Palace, 1940
Botanist Mary Ruth Fussel Jackson Taylor, RBG Kew, 1939Botanist Mary Ruth Fussel Jackson Taylor, working in the Herbarium, RBG Kew, 1939
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