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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.

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.

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

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]

1 box containing Farrer's 'chop' - a wooden stamp used to write his name in Chinese[?], and his medals as follows: 1902; silver Flora medal, RHS, for Alpine Plants at Temple Show; 1903, silver Flora medal, RHS, for Alpines at Temple Show; 1904, silver gilt Flora medal, RHS, for a Rock Garden at Temple Show; 1904, silver gilt Banksian medal, RHS, for Alpines at Holland House Show; 1905, silver gilt Flora medal, RHS, for Alpines at Chelsea Show; 1905, silver Banksian medal, RHS, for Alpines at Temple Show; 1913, silver medal, Shropshire Horticultural Society, for Rock Garden. Also 2 cassette tapes, 1991, in poor condition. [They seem to be a recording of a talk about Farrer given by Joan Farrer.]

Pleased to get letter from Ernest Gye, nickname Poison - shared letter with Jumps [Euan H.M. Cox]. Speaks of the restless desire to impress & seeks gossip of English friends. Ernest writing of going to Tangiers. Describes at length he and Jumps picking raspberries to make jam, concoction insipid. Then reverted to making better jam with wild white strawberries. Writes of Jumps as youthful, unlike him who is becoming of crabbed age. Describes how a brace of young boys, Gurkhas have joined their camp. Painting primula in a tent, through a dense fog of midges and smoke. Requests from Ernest to purchase 2 or 3 Everyman volumes of Floris's Montaigne, delights in the first one. This letter is signed your loving Poppet. Jumps cooking until the Chinese cook has recovered from his cliff fall. ps Gossipy enquiries and comments. Encouraging E. Gye when writing, to be thoroughly indiscreet and viscous. Speaks of his own return to a de-Poisoned London. [Poison = E. Gye] Describes the place abounding in the most preposterous brambles - titanic wilderness of thorns, beset with raspberries in almost every colour & degree of nastiness. Wondering if Jumps [Euan M. Cox] is like all Scotch lower (or middle) class minds, are alike in a sort of Jackdawish unassimilating appetitiveness.

Fond banter between R. Farrer and E. Gye and saying he will seek his company when he returns from the dripping Aquarium, Burma in 1921. Likes the colours of the landscape but not much else here. Using mules to transport and has had a successful season of collecting. Has been injured by the scrub and bamboo and these injuries have taken a long time to heal. Describes how a red panda, a tiny bear with a banded ginger & orange bottle-brush tail has joined their camp and has become tame. He is going down to Myitkyina in a fortnight, by cargo boat slowly to Bhamo, Mandalay and Rangoon where he and Jumps [Euan H.M. Cox] will spend Christmas. Will say farewell to Jumps then and welcome the Beautiful Boy [Milner]. Sends his and Jump's love to Ernest and other friends. Signed the Master. ‘I've cut or scratched myself (as one is forever doing in the scrub & the bamboos) my sumptuous flesh, instead of promptly healing as its habit is, has developed large & perpetually pussiferous sores till now, I'm a perfect Lazarus, with my lovely legs like a professional beggar's.’ (this letter, 3 pages long in foolscap polypockets)