Copy of a watercolour painting of the view of the Edinburgh skyline from the garden / lawn of Inverleith House, sketched and painted by Isaac Bayley 'Bay' Balfour, Regius Keeper Isaac Bayley Balfour's son in aroun 1912. The copy was made for Peronelle Windeyer, Isaac Bayley Balfour's great-granddaughter after the original had been cleaned and conserved. The original is in possession of her brother. The annotation on the back of the original has also been copied - it was made by Agnes Balfour, Bay's mother and says 'The view from the foot of the garden at Inverleith House- sketched and painted by Bay Balfour around 1912'. Bay lost his life at Gallipoli in June 1915; (right click, open link in new tab: ) https://stories.rbge.org.uk/archives/16015
Balfour familyTranscribed copy of George Litton's, H.M. Consul, Tengyueh, letter to Isaac Bayley Balfour, dated 17 May 1905, alongside the copy of a letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, to A.K. Bulley at Ness, dated 21 June 1905, and written when Balfour sent Litton's letter to Bulley.
Copy has been made by Balfour's assistant Henry Hastings.
Letter has been scorched with some loss, although not of text.
Copy of a letter from Thomas Blaikie to Mr Mackenzie regarding funds and compensation.
Blaikie, Thomas, 1751-1838, gardenerCopy letter from Sir Eldon Gorst, Foreign Office, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 21 August 1905.
Gorst writes at the request of the Marquess of Lansdowne to report the official news that Forrest arrived in Wei Hsi on 13 August and would be escorted to Tali [Dali] on 14 August.
Letter has been burned with some loss.
Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to Sir Eldon Gorst, K.C.B., The Foreign Office, Downing Street, London, dated 22 August 1905.
Balfour writes to thank Gorst for his telegram [GB 235 FRG/1/1/1/1905/28], the terms of which he has communicated to Forrest's family.
Letter has been scorched with some loss; there is also some staining which has adhered a fold in the paper
Typed copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, [Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh], to Sir Eldon Gorst, K.C.B., The Foreign Office, Downing Street, London S.W. dated 19 August 1905.
Balfour writes to acknowledge with thanks and joy the receipt of Gorst’s telegram. (GB 235 FRG/1/1/1/1905/28) 'I am glad to think that a career which promised so much of value to science has not been prematurely closed, as seemed probable.'
Letter is on fragile paper and has been scorched with some loss.
Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to George Forrest, c/o Messrs Cook & Son, Tourist Agency, Rangoon, Burmah [sic] [Yangon, Myanmar] dated 26 September 1905.
Balfour writes sending the latest photographs of plants collected by Forrest and replies to his queries on species of clematis, thalictrum, delphinium, new aconites (nos. 270 and 280) and corydalis.
Plants referenced: clematis; corydalis; thalictrum; delphinium; new aconites
Forrest numbers referenced: F270, F280
Last page of letter scorched with some loss and minor water damage.
Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to Bees & Co. Ltd., Ness, Neston, Cheshire, dated 19 July 1905.
Balfour provides Bees with identifications of 5 plants, expressing his view that Forrest must have been collecting in some Chinese Garden... 'the anomalous source of the four plants has been rather perplexing'.
Plants referenced: Geum; Ipomaea; Moltkia; Oenothera; Verbascum
Letter is slightly charred.
Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to Messrs the Co-Operative Bees, Ltd., Ness, Neston, Cheshire, dated 03 October 1905.
Balfour writes with identifications of five plants sent by George Forrest: M.18 – Malva verticillata, Linn; M.113 – Oxyria Digyna, Hill; F.B.20 Cyananthus; F.B.120 Datura stramonium, Linn; F.B.31 Lysimachia; Balfour believes the cyananthus deserves a special name but hopes to settle its identification during a visit to Paris in December.
Plants referenced:
- M.18 – Malva verticillata, Linn;
- M.113 – Oxyria Digyna, Hill;
- F.B.20 Cyananthus;
- F.B.120 - Datura stramonium, Linn;
- F.B.31 Lysimachia
The letter is slightly charred.
Balfour, Sir Isaac Bayley