Letter from Lord Derby [Edward Smith-Stanley, earl of Derby, British secretary of state for war and the colonies] to Prof Lindley [John Lindley, assistant secretary of the Horticultural Society of London], Horticultural Society, Regent Street, London

Title

Letter from Lord Derby [Edward Smith-Stanley, earl of Derby, British secretary of state for war and the colonies] to Prof Lindley [John Lindley, assistant secretary of the Horticultural Society of London], Horticultural Society, Regent Street, London

Record type

Archive

Original Reference

RHS/Col/8/1/11

Date

23 Dec 1842

Scope & content

Written from Knowsley [Merseyside]. Dated 23 Dec 'but not in time for tonight to post'. Annotated on the reverse: 'Posted December thirtieth 1842'

Postmarked ('Prescot DE30 1842', 'C 31DE31 1842'). The letter includes an opened seal

He acknowledges receipt of Lindley's letter; his son is staying with him at present; he will be happy to provide letters [of introduction], but Lord Aberdeen [George Hamilton-Gordon, British foreign secretary] would be 'more effective, as China will be in [his] department'; he is glad the plants he sent are satisfactory; they are probably the collection of the late 'Prussian botanist Weinmann[?]', who recently drowned; he received them from Mr W.J. Smith [unidentified]; he heard from Sir W. Hooker [William Jackson Hooker, director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew] of the 'Horticultural plan' [annotated: 'ansd [answered] Dec 31st. Nb. but Mr Fortune [Robert Fortune] can collect things not horticultural[?]. J.L. [John Lindley]']

Extent

4 page letter (1 sheet)

Is part of

RHS archive: plant collector papers

Repository

Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library

Copyright

The Earl of Derby

Credit Line

The Earl of Derby / RHS Lindley Collections

Usage terms

Non-commercial use with attribution permitted (CC BY-NC 4.0)