William Hunt Painter
Encyclopedia
William Hunt Painter was an English botanist who made a significant contribution to the science of Derbyshire
vascular plant flora. He was a keen and wide-ranging collector of plant specimens, and was a member of the Botanical Exchange Club. In 1889 he published the first account of the flora of Derbyshire.
, near Birmingham, on 16 July 1835. He was the eldest of five born to William, a haberdasher, and his wife Sarah, born Hawkes. His early career was in banking before he decided to join the Church of England. In 1861 he was staying in Chelsea, where he was a lay preaching assistant. Painter attended Islington Missionary College, where he would expect to be sent abroad by the Church Mission Society
, but he ended up as a curate in Barbon
in Westmoreland. It was here that he met (Rev) Robert Wood, who introduced him to botany.
In 1865, Painter became curate at High Wycombe
, where he met James Britten
, who had already published his first paper and was working in the herbarium for Kew Gardens. Despite Britten's emerging Catholic beliefs, the two would walk and talk together whilst indulging their interest in botany. Painter married Jane Stamps in 1871. In 1881 he and his wife were living in Bedminster, Somerset, where he was a curate.
Painter did much useful work on the flora of Derbyshire, publishing a lengthy paper in 1881, with supplementary notes in 1889. Together these formed the basis of Contributions to the Flora of Derbyshire,William Hunt Painter, A Contribution to the Flora of Derbyshire, being an account of the flowering plants, ferns, and characeae found in the county, London: Bell, 1889 which was reviewed by the bryologist James Eustace Bagnall
. Painter published a supplement to his work in The Naturalist, which indicated that he wanted to improve it. Bagnall was an acknowledged expert on mosses and was to publish a similar work to Painter's on the Flora of Warwickshire.
In 1891, Painter was a curate at Biddulph
in Staffordshire. Then in 1894, he was appointed Rector of Stirchley
in Shropshire. The rectory was modernised for his arrival, but his stay there was remembered for the maintenance he undertook on the church and buildings.
Whilst staying in Falmouth
in the spring of 1898, Painter took up the study of mosses. From that time on they became the focus of his botanical interests. By travelling and swapping specimens he was able to write papers on the mosses of Derbyshire, Brecon, Falmouth and Cardiganshire. Painter remained in Stirchley until 1909, when his botanical and geological specimens were presented to University College, Aberystwyth before he retired to Shrewsbury. Painter died the following year and was buried in his church in Stirchley. On his death, the English Churchman said "[T]he Church of England has lost a faithful and devoted minister who was ever jealous for the maintenance of its Protestant principles".
Hunt Painter donated his herbarium to the University College, Aberystwyth, but there are also significant specimen plants at Kew and Oxford, in the Department of Botany at Aberdeen, the Natural History Museum in London, Birmingham University, the National Botanic Garden at Dublin, the Derby Museum and Art Gallery
, Glasgow University, the Hancock Museum at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Kew, Manchester Museum, Cardiff and Oxford.
or Painter’s Fumitory. This flower has only been found twice, in 1905 and 1907, and in both cases it was found by Painter. Plants of this description are not rare, as they occur naturally as hybrids, but the question is whether the discovered versions are fertile or merely another sterile hybrid. A search in 2006 determined that a new specimen had been found in 2005 but the experts failed to agree on the identification.
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
vascular plant flora. He was a keen and wide-ranging collector of plant specimens, and was a member of the Botanical Exchange Club. In 1889 he published the first account of the flora of Derbyshire.
Life
William Hunt Painter was born in AstonAston
Aston is an area of the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Lying to the north-east of the Birmingham city centre, Aston constitutes an electoral ward within the council constituency of Ladywood.-History:...
, near Birmingham, on 16 July 1835. He was the eldest of five born to William, a haberdasher, and his wife Sarah, born Hawkes. His early career was in banking before he decided to join the Church of England. In 1861 he was staying in Chelsea, where he was a lay preaching assistant. Painter attended Islington Missionary College, where he would expect to be sent abroad by the Church Mission Society
Church Mission Society
The Church Mission Society, also known as the Church Missionary Society, is a group of evangelistic societies working with the Anglican Communion and Protestant Christians around the world...
, but he ended up as a curate in Barbon
Barbon
Barbon is a village and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 263. The church is dedicated to St Bartholomew...
in Westmoreland. It was here that he met (Rev) Robert Wood, who introduced him to botany.
In 1865, Painter became curate at High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
, where he met James Britten
James Britten
James Britten was an English botanist.-Biography:Born in Chelsea, London, he moved to High Wycombe in 1865 to begin a medical career. However he became increasingly interested in botany, and began writing papers on the subject...
, who had already published his first paper and was working in the herbarium for Kew Gardens. Despite Britten's emerging Catholic beliefs, the two would walk and talk together whilst indulging their interest in botany. Painter married Jane Stamps in 1871. In 1881 he and his wife were living in Bedminster, Somerset, where he was a curate.
Painter did much useful work on the flora of Derbyshire, publishing a lengthy paper in 1881, with supplementary notes in 1889. Together these formed the basis of Contributions to the Flora of Derbyshire,William Hunt Painter, A Contribution to the Flora of Derbyshire, being an account of the flowering plants, ferns, and characeae found in the county, London: Bell, 1889 which was reviewed by the bryologist James Eustace Bagnall
James Eustace Bagnall
James Eustace Bagnall ALS was an English naturalist with a particular interest in botany, especially bryology. He was the author of the first Flora of Warwickshire in 1891. A noted bryologist, he wrote the Handbook of Mosses in the Young Collector Series, various editions of which were published...
. Painter published a supplement to his work in The Naturalist, which indicated that he wanted to improve it. Bagnall was an acknowledged expert on mosses and was to publish a similar work to Painter's on the Flora of Warwickshire.
In 1891, Painter was a curate at Biddulph
Biddulph
Biddulph is a town in Staffordshire, England, north of Stoke-on-Trent and south east of Congleton, Cheshire.-Origin of the name:Biddulph's name may come from Anglo-Saxon bī dylfe = "beside the pit or quarry"...
in Staffordshire. Then in 1894, he was appointed Rector of Stirchley
Stirchley, Shropshire
Stirchley is a component settlement of the new town of Telford, in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. Stirchley lies just south-east of the town centre, and shares a parish council with neighbouring Brookside, which together have a population of 10,533...
in Shropshire. The rectory was modernised for his arrival, but his stay there was remembered for the maintenance he undertook on the church and buildings.
Whilst staying in Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
in the spring of 1898, Painter took up the study of mosses. From that time on they became the focus of his botanical interests. By travelling and swapping specimens he was able to write papers on the mosses of Derbyshire, Brecon, Falmouth and Cardiganshire. Painter remained in Stirchley until 1909, when his botanical and geological specimens were presented to University College, Aberystwyth before he retired to Shrewsbury. Painter died the following year and was buried in his church in Stirchley. On his death, the English Churchman said "[T]he Church of England has lost a faithful and devoted minister who was ever jealous for the maintenance of its Protestant principles".
Hunt Painter donated his herbarium to the University College, Aberystwyth, but there are also significant specimen plants at Kew and Oxford, in the Department of Botany at Aberdeen, the Natural History Museum in London, Birmingham University, the National Botanic Garden at Dublin, the Derby Museum and Art Gallery
Derby Museum and Art Gallery
Derby Museum and Art Gallery was established in 1879, along with Derby Central Library, in a new building designed by Richard Knill Freeman and given to Derby by Michael Thomas Bass. The collection includes a whole gallery displaying the paintings of Joseph Wright of Derby; there is also a large...
, Glasgow University, the Hancock Museum at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Kew, Manchester Museum, Cardiff and Oxford.
Fumaria painteri
Painter was a keen collector and a member of the Botanical Exchange Club. There are few plants that are only found in Britain. One of the plants on this list is possibly Fumaria painteriFumaria bastardii
Fumaria bastardii, commonly, tall ramping fumitory or bastard's fumitory, is a many-branched herbaceous plant native the British Isles. There are few plants that are only endemic to Britain. One of the plants on this list is possibly Fumaria bastardii or as it was later named Painter’s Fumitory...
or Painter’s Fumitory. This flower has only been found twice, in 1905 and 1907, and in both cases it was found by Painter. Plants of this description are not rare, as they occur naturally as hybrids, but the question is whether the discovered versions are fertile or merely another sterile hybrid. A search in 2006 determined that a new specimen had been found in 2005 but the experts failed to agree on the identification.