Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1871 - 1905 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
Folder with collection of correspondence;
other items i.e. notebooks; plantlists
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Born Edinburgh 1830; died Edinburgh 1905
The son of William Fraser who was a partner in the Neill & Co. printing firm in Edinburgh, Patrick Neill Fraser took over the firm on the death of its owner, the naturalist Patrick Neill, in 1851. He established a renowned garden at his home, Rockville, in Murrayfield, Edinburgh specialising in alpine plants and both tender and hardy ferns, as well as polyanthus. He was treasurer of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society for 28 years and was also a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Royal Scottish Geographical Society.
Sources : R. Desmond ‘Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturalists; obituary folder
D.W.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
•5 Handwritten letters to Isaac Bayley Balfour (1895-6)
•Handwritten letter from “Matthew B. Slater” dated April 12, 1896, to (Geo.) Stabler - regarding the publication of Dr Spruce’s final paper, “A supplement to Hepaticae of Andes and Amazon”.
•Handwritten list of Plants presented to RBGE by P. Neill Fraser 1820 – 1894.
•Handwritten list of Plants
•2 typed letters from I. Bayley Balfour to P. Neill Fraser dated Dec. 5, 1895 & Mar. 30, 1896 - including one where Fraser intends going to Jamaica to collect and would like duplicates as comparators; IBB regrets that many of the herbarium ferns had to be destroyed in 1888 due to insect damage but will provide duplicates of ones held in the herbarium. Enclose introduction to head of plantations and gardens in Jamaica.
•Correspondence, dated Mar/Apr 1905, between I. Bayley Balfour & Cairns, McIntosh & Morton, Fraser's executors, regarding the dispersal of Fraser's collections, botanical effects and books.
•Miscellaneous references - may include Correspondence relating to plants given to RBGE that were gathered between 1874-1890 from the Canaries, Azores, South America, Turkistan, South Africa and the West Indies.
•23 letters to Capt. Henderson dated between 1875 &1881 Re: Ferns filed under “Henderson, F”. Also postcard from Fraser to Major Henderson, Chichester, dated April 17, 1879 regarding a lady correspondent in Sandwich Isles [Hawaii] who sends plants and hopes to have some in return.
•M/S Notebook inscribed ”P. Neill Fraser, Canonmills Lodge, Edinburgh, Feb *, 1856” on inside fly-leaf, Containing notes and references to plants, books, indices (mainly ferns), etc. is filed with “Watt, Sir George” papers with which it had been previously included
•2 catalogues of “Exotic Ferns” Grown by P. Neill Fraser, Canonmills Lodge, Edinburgh dated Oct 1. 1871 & April 10, 1875 listing the available ferns from Canonmills Lodge, Edinburgh.
•Copy of handwritten letter from Richard Spruce to Prof. Balfour, dated 24 Aug 1892 (original with “Spruce, R”)
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment, see (right click, open link in new tab:) https://www.rbge.org.uk/science-and-conservation/library-and-archives/visiting-the-library/
Conditions governing reproduction
Permission required from RBGE.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Spruce, Richard (Subject)
- Watt, Sir George (Subject)
- Balfour, Sir Isaac Bayley (Subject)
- Slater, M.B. (Subject)
- Stabler, George (Subject)
- Henderson, Col. Frederick (Subject)