The Birthday Book consists of a single, hard-bound folio volume of 384 pages. A selection of documents are pasted into the book including
George Claridge Druce (1850-1932) was a pharmacist and botanist born in Northamptonshire but later based in Oxford where he ran a profitable pharmacy business on the city's High Street. During his time in Oxford, Druce became heavily involved in restoring and reorganising the University's herbarium collections. Druce published a number of books on the flora of several English counties including Oxfordshire (1886), Berkshire (1897), Buckinghamshire (1926) and Northamptonshire (1930). Druce held an influential position in the botanical world through his presidency of the Botanical Exchange Club (BEC), now known as the Botanical Society of the British Isles. Druce was also heavily involved in local politics and became Mayor of Oxford in 1900.
His papers, including the Birthday Book were acquired by the University as part of a bequest upon Druce's death in 1932.
The Birthday Book was presented to Druce on the occasion of his 80th Birthday in 1930. It is now kept as part of the collections of the Sherardian Library of Plant Taxonomy, Oxford University.
For further information on Druce see D. E. Allen, Druce, George Claridge (1850-1932), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/32898, accessed 14 Dec 2011]
Viewing of the Birthday Book is restricted to the Sherardian Library of Plant Taxonomy, University of Oxford at the discretion of the librarian. Viewing is strictly by appointment only. Any requests to view this material must be made in writing to the librarian. The librarian can be contacted at -
Sherardian Library of Plant Taxonomy Plant Sciences Department South Parks Road OXFORD OX1 3RB UK
Manager: Anne Marie Catterall Telephone: 01865-275025 Fax: 01865 275074 anne.catterall@bodleian.ox.ac.ukhttp://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/science/libraries/sherardian-libraryE-mail:Website:
A database of items from the Birthday Book has been created which includes scanned digital images of each item. Basic information from this database and all of the associated images are available on the web and can be accessed at the link below. If you require more comprehensive information on an item, please contact the library with the details of the item you are enquiring about.
Any requests to use and reproduce material should also be made to the librarian at the details given under the Conditions Governing Access section.
