R.E. Cooper & Dr Henry Tod

[alanelliott]

Hopefully someone here might be able to help but before i get to the question...

Next year its the 100th anniversary of R.E. Cooper heading off on his first collection trip to Sikkim on behalf of A.K. Bulley and also the 80th birthday of the SRGC and Cooper was one of the founding members.

I did some work on Cooper's archive a few years ago and has the anniversary is looming the RBGE are going to do something to celebrate, by highlighting some of this collection still alive in the gardens and having a wee archive exhibition outside the library during January of next year. I hope the wee piece I wrote on Cooper's life will be published in the Rock Garden.

To the point...

Cooper did pioneering photographic work in Bhutan when he was there in 1914/1915 however they seem to be lost. However Dr Henry Tod who lived near Roslin and who edited the SRGC journal, at one time, wrote up Cooper's obit. He said that he was gifted a set of Cooper's picture from Bhutan. I know nothing about Dr. Tod. I would really appreciate any information anyone has on him like did he have family and does anyone know if they are still around? Also did Tod donate anything to anyone in the SRGC when he died? Anything would be more than useful....

Al

[Maggi Young]

COOPER, R. E., F.R.S.E.,
Habitats of the Himalayan Alpines : 7/64
Heaths and Heathers. : 1/31
Heaths and Heathers. : 2/46
Heaths and Heathers at Edinburgh (Illustrated). : 4/160
Pottering among Primroses, 14/42
The Genus Primula : Section Petiolares, 15/120
Introduction to a Scots Gardener. 15/145
Soldanelloid Primulas : 11/111
Soliloquy : 13/222
Some Plants from the Dry W. High Himalayas (Illustrated): 6/29
The S.R.G.C. Comes into the Scottish Scene. 14/6

These are articles written by Cooper for the SRGC Journal : might they be of use to you, Alan?

[Maggi Young]

Now a list of articles by Dr Henry Tod  for the journal:

TOD, Dr. H.:
Ash Plunge Frame, The, 39/129
B.I.O., 22/11
East and West : 14/51
High Calcium or High pH?, 18/50
Growing Rock Garden Plants in Character and Condition, 48/165
Growth Trials on Sphagnum Composts, 42/22
Harvesting Seeds, 20/214
Our Former Editor-J. L. Mowat. 43/89
Our Shows - An Appeal, an Explanation and a
Challenge, 46/45
Papers by the late Dr H. Tod, 55/85
Peat, its Formation and Nature, 14/56
Plants for an Autumn Show, 41/292
Some Plant Likes and Dislikes, 20/218

Rock Gardening from the Ground Up, 43/92; 44/207; 45/298; 46/33; 47/93; 48/216; 49/297; 50/54; 51/147; 53/307; 55/155

Rock Plants, Bees and Seeds, 22/57
Rocky Mountain Plants and their Habitats, 34/12
Soils. 22/71
Some Alpines that Behave Well (illustrated). : 4/129
Some Plant Likes and Dislikes, 20/218
The Control of Soil Pests, 24/230
The Culture of Rock Plants, 25/341
The use of Sterilised Composts for raising Alpines from Seed. : 3/95
They’re Good But Need Watching, 41/318
Harvesting Seeds,. 20/214
What is Soil pH.? : 8/90

Some New Plants from Turkey Part 1, 14/36    Part 2. 16/251     Part 3. 18/18

Automatic Watering, 33/250; 35/142; 53/297

Growing bulbs from seed, : 72/262

[alanelliott]

Cheers for all these Maggi.

I've seen all the cooper articles and a good few of the Tod ones. I compiled a complete bibliography for Cooper. The SRGC articles were the easy ones, the various bits Lovecraft-esque writings like the "Tailed People of Bhutan" in Man were far more difficult to find. None of his writing give any clue as to where the pictures ended up. Several lots Cooper related bits and pieces came up for auction a couple of years ago and the RBGE managed to get them. There are some picture but no where near all that he took.

I think it was Henry Tod's obit to Cooper in the SRGC jounral that said he was gifted a set but I've not manages to get any further than that.

[bainbridges]

Hi Alan
I have some records of Henry Tod exhibiting at SRGC shows in the 1950s and putting plants up to the Joint Rock Garden Plant Committee if that is of any help. Carole

[bainbridges]

Hi Alan

Going through the Joint Rock Garden Plant Committee records that I have my first record of Tod putting plants up for consideration for an award is in April 1955 and the last in September 1972. He got a few awards and I can let you have the details if you wish.

Cooper was also putting plants forward to the Committee at this time, my first record is in 1955 (April) and my last in April 1961. He was awarded a few Awards of Merit  a Cultural Commendation and a First Class Certificate during this period. He was exhibiting lots of Asiatic Primulas and I can give you the details if you wish. Carole