Photographs recording Purdom's work as Advisor of the State Forests for the Railways. It shows Kwang Shan Po Forest Station, Chi Kung Shan, the selection of a site for establishment of forestry nurseries, the Hsi Ling tombs, Li Kia Chia, the survey of the Kalgan Railroad for afforestation, and ends with some shots at the railway station during the 1920 famine.

A collection of 21 letters donated to the RBGE Archives in 2017, written by Reginald Farrer and sent to Lady Celia Brunel Noble.

•Capt. L.D. Fraser. ‘Military Report of Yun-Nan: Part III, Route Book’, Calcutta,1901. (Belonged to George Forrest so was stored with Forrest collection, but is now housed in the Rare Book Room)

Diary of Joseph F.C. Rock Volume 11 [12 on spine]; Li-chiang to K’u-lu and Yung-ning, 1928-1929, entitled ‘Diary of Joseph F. Rock Volume XI, Journey from Nguluko – Likiang to Tatsienlu from November 8th 1928 to February 9th 1929.’
There is a hand drawn map on one of the pages.

Diary of Joseph F.C. Rock Volume 13 [14 on spine]; Minya Konka to K’u-lu and Yung-ning, 1929 entitled 'Diary of Joseph F. Rock, from June 5th 1929 to August 31st 1929, Volume XIII [scored out] XIV'.
Some of the pages contain hand drawn maps.

one map used in Forrest's article describing the geography and people of the Upper Salween during his visit there with Consul George Litton in late 1905. The article was published by the Royal Geographical Society in 1908 with this accompanying map, and again by the National Geographical Society in 1910.

This box comprises mainly correspondence to and from Reginald Farrer and Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour, Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (1888-1922) but there is also correspondence to/from Sir/Colonel David Prain, Arthur W. Hill, W.R. Dykes, George Redman of the Craven Nursery, and Edward Arnold.

Farrer Correspondence (82 letters in 2 folders) relating to Farrer and Purdom's expedition to Kansu [Gansu] province in north China between 1914 and 1915.
folder 1, letters 1-40 includes correspondence to and from Reginald Farrer, Isaac Bayley Balfour, David Prain, Arthur W. Hill, W.R. Dykes (regarding Farrer's irises from China) and George Redman of Farrer's Craven nursery.
folder 2, letters 41-82 includes correspondence to and from Reginald Farrer, Isaac Bayley Balfour, George Redman, and Edward Arnold, publisher, regarding problems with an appendix to one of Farrer's books.

Photograph Album donated to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in 1984 by Miss Gwen Hall, Cumbria. It was bequeathed to her in 1976 by Elsie Purdom, William's sister. There should have been 2 albums but only one was transferred. [It looks as if the other one went to the Lakeland Horticultural Society, and is now at RBGE on permanent loan - RJF/3/1]

Inscription to 'My dear Bill, from RF', 07/02/1917. Photographs by Farrer. Starts in Peking in 1914 and progresses to Mei S'an, Gwang Hui Ssu, Mien Chi Hsien, Hwa S'an, Lin Tung, Satanee, Siku, 'Thundercrown', Jo-ni, then in 1915, Lanchow, Sining, Wei-Yuan, 'Wolvesden Pass', Tien Tang Ssu, Chebson Ssu, 'Creda Rossa' and 'Clear Lake'. Many shots of villages and mountain scenery, including the locations where various plants were found. There are also photographs from Farrer's lone journey south from Lanchow, before he was reunited with Purdom to travel down the Ja-ling-Jang, through the Yangtze Gorges to Ichang.