Herbarium: Corstorphine Collection

Robert and Margaret Corstorphine ran a printing and publishing firm in Arbroath, but were also enthusiastic amateur botanists. Taking Gardiner's work as their starting point, they aimed to create a complete collection of vascular plants for Angus (vice-county 90). After Robert Corstorphine's death in 1942, Margaret was aided by the local vice-county recorder Sir George Taylor, and in her will she requested that he continue their work after her death two years later. As it turned out, Taylor was made Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in 1956 and was unable to carry on, but further research was done by another amateur botanist, Ursula Duncan. Ruth Ingram and Henry Noltie continued this work, and in 1981 published a new Flora of Angus based on this work. The book remains the most up-to-date description of vascular plants for this area.

The University Archives have various papers of the Corstorphines and Sir George Taylor - click here for more information.

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