Catalogue description Charles Wilford 'Volume VIII' This volume contains correspondence relating to Charles...

Charles Wilford 'Volume VIII'

This volume contains correspondence relating to Charles Wilford The period covered by the documents encompasses not only Wilford's career as Botanical Collector in Hong Kong (1857-1858), in Formosa in Taiwan (1858) and in Korea and Japan (1859) but also the three years following his dismissal from his post on 30 April 1860 and his return to England in the same year.

The volume includes: an appendix, entitled 'Catalogue of Japan Plants, systematically arranged, communicated by Sir William Hooker', torn from a book (folio 1); correspondence concerning Wilford's appointment (folios 2, 3-4, 5-6, 7); instructions to Wilford from William Hooker explaining his duties (folios 9, 10, 12); plant and seed lists (folios 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 53-55); invoices, receipts and financial documents many of the later documents make reference to debts left unpaid following Wilford's dismissal (folios 16, 17, 18, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 59, 100-101, 107, 109, 111, 113, 149, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163-164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169); lists of botanical books used by Wilford (19, 20); correspondence sent to Wilford (folios 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 44, 46, 47, 51, 52, 56-57, 60, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 94, 95); correspondence by Wilford, mostly addressed to Hooker (folios 26, 27, 28, 39, 43, 45, 50, 53-55, 61, 62-65, 79, 90, 91, 92, 93); correspondence by third parties which discusses Wilford (folios 57, 77-78, 81, 82, 84-86, 87-89, 96, 97, 98-99, 108, 110, 112, 114, 115, 119, 120); a concise natural history of Hong Kong by Wilford (folios 48-49); a memo concerning a new posting for Wilford in the Port Hamilton Islands to report 'on the resources of these localities as respects the supply of Forage and Horses' (102-106); correspondence concerning Wilford's dismissal for professional negligence (folios 116-117, 118); financial documents concerning Wilford's debts (folios 121, 122, 123, 124, 125-126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138-140, 143 , 144-147, 148, 150-151, 152, 153, 154, 155); correspondence concerning Wilford's whereabouts following his return to England (folios 141, 142, 156); and journal entries (folios 62-65, 170-174, 175-182, 183, 184-185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196-198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208-211).

Closure status: Open Document, Open Description

Access conditions: Open on Transfer

• Asia
• Debt
• Personal and family papers