| AdminHistory | Harold Downes (1867 - 1937) was a botanist and medical doctor.
Downes was born on 31 January 1867 at Staverton, Devon, where his father was curate. He was educated at Totnes Grammar School before going to Edinburgh University and King's College, London, for his medical studies. He worked in a hospital in Edinburgh before becoming the Medical Superintendent of the Bellefield Sanatorium at Lanark. In 1909 he settled in Somerset in private practice and as the Medical Officer of Health for the Ilminster and Chard district. He was interested in botany and geology and was a member of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society for many years as well as acting as President of their Microscopical Section. In 1921 he retired from general practice to devote his time to studying natural history and did work on the flora of Somerset including giving lectures. He was a fellow of the Linnean Society from 1917 - 1931, and from 1935 until his death on 9 February 1937. |
| Description | Volume of mounted letters, pamphlets and extracts relating to the life and work of Henry Lyte as well as Lyte's annotated copies of 'Alexikepus, Seu Auxiliaris Hortus, Extemporanea Morborum Remedia ex singulorum viridariis facile comparanda paucis proponens', formerly in Downes's possession. Included in the album are copies of:
- offprint of "Henry Lyte of Lyte's Cary" by H. Downes, reprinted from Somerset & Dorset Notes & Queries March, 1917
- pamphlet entitled: 'Lyte's Cary Manor House, Somerset & its literary associations; with notices of authors of the Lyte family from Queen Elizabeth to the present time' by William George, dated 1882.
- images showing the title page of Henry Lyte's annotated copy of 'Alexikepus, Seu Auxiliaris Hortus, Extemporanea Morborum Remedia ex singulorum viridariis facile comparanda paucis proponens' by Antonio Mizaldo
- 2 letters from Alfred W. Pollard (Assistant Keeper of Printed Books, British Museum), dated 1916 to Downes; 2 letters from Henry Maxwell Lyte, dated 16 October 1916 - 14 June 1917, to Downes;
- TS notes on Lyte taken from Richard Pulteney's "Progress of Botany" (1790)
- biographical notes on Lyte
- copy of minutes from a General meeting of the Linnean Society on 4 May 1922 which mentions Henry Lyte
- plate from a publication showing a room from Lyte's Cary Manor House in Somerset |