The Context

William Borrer was once described as the 'Nestor of British Botanists' by the Director of Kew Gardens, with a second stating that 'No one...has a critical knowledge of British plants superior, and scarcely any equal, to your own.'

​Read our article introducing William Borrer Esq.
​
​

The Beginnings

In February 2020, as part of our focus on Henfield's green history, a research trip was made to the Department of Manuscripts and University Archives at Cambridge University Library to digitise 104 of Borrer's letters and notes, dating from 1815 - 1860. The bonus of the long unseen Regency era silhouette portrait displayed at right also came to light - perhaps it belonged to his wife Elizabeth.

​The first and largest part of these were written from 1842 to 1860 by Borrer to fellow botanist Charles Cardale Babington. The second part are a mixture of notes and letters to and from Borrer dating from 1815 - 1853.

​

The Ongoing Project

Having been categorised, the transcription of these letters is now being divided out amongst volunteers. Once this process is complete (on course for 2020-21), we intend to make the transcripts available for botanical research, while identifying and publicising selected extracts which provide a more general insight into Borrer's life and times.

Silhouette portrait of William Borrer Esq, courtesy of Cambridge University Library

William Borrer Esq. (1781 - 1862). Image, Henfield Museum