| AdminHistory | Edward Morell Holmes (1843 - 1930) was a botanist, a pharmacognosist [Pharmacognosy is the study of medicinal drugs derived from plants or other natural sources], and the Curator of the Materian Medica Museum of the Pharmacological Society for 50 years.
Holmes was born on 29 January 1843 at Wendover and educated at the Grammar School of Boston, Lincolnshire, and later at Wimborne. He was apprenticed to a chemist in Cheyne Walk, London, aged 14, and he passed the Minor Examination in pharmacy at a later date. In 1864 he passed his Major Examination with distinction and in 1872 was selected as Curator of the Museum of the Pharmaceutical Society, a position he held for 50 years. He also worked as the Lecturer at the Pharmaceutical Society's School and the botanical referee for the British Pharmacopoeia Committee of the General Medical Council. He received several prestigious awards, including the International Gold Medal in 1915. He was also President of the Pharmaceutical Conference when it was held in London in 1900. He was also a keen collector and had various collections of botanical specimens, butterflies, shells and beetles.
In 1922, Holmes had to have a leg amputated having been hit by a bus and this led to further health complications. In 1927, he was excused from his subscription fees for his membership of the Linnean Society, having been a fellow since 1875. He was married to Kate Holmes (fl. 1880 - 1935). He died at his home, Ruthven, in Sevenoaks on 10 September 1930. |
| Description | Correspondence of E.M. Holmes and a range of individuals. Correspondence has been arranged in alphabetical order, by the surname of the correspondent, and details of the author, number of letters, place of writing and the dates are included.
Subjects discussed include letters of thanks, deliveries of moss, lichen and algae specimens, personal news and affairs, requests and desiderata lists, notes, descriptions of specimens, and other general correspondence.
N.B. The first file of correspondence, dated 27 October 1927 to 12 December 1927, between Holmes and A.T. Gage (Assistant Secretary) regards subscription fees for membership of the Linnean Society, relating to the loss of his leg and ill health, and includes some biographical details of Holmes. |