The albums appear to be from William Purdom who travelled and collected plants with Reginald Farrer in Kansu / Gansu, northern China in 1914-1915, but one was compiled by Reginald Farrer and three relate to their collecting trip, so all 5 albums have been stored within the Reginald Farrer collection.

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.

Inscribed 'J. Purdom, from C.H. Hough, Xmas 1912. This appears to be from Purdom's first expedition to China between 1909 and 1912 and covers Peking, Amdo and River Tow in Tibet, Jehol, Peling Range, Kansu, Choni, and pictures of people and places, including one of Purdom himself.

A compilation of photographs of Tibetan and Kansu people and scenery from both of Purdom's Chinese expeditions, 1909 - 1915. Many of these photographs appear in other albums.