Papers of Sir William Jardine

The papers consist of correspondence about natural history, and journals, from around 1828 to 1861. More particularly there is: a journal of a visit to Ireland in the form of letters from Jardine to his wife, Dk.6.20/315; draft letters and replies on a variety of subjects; note; and, volume of offprints on natural history.

William Jardine was born in Edinburgh on 23 February 1800. He was the eldest son of Sir Alexander Jardine, 6th Baronet, of Applegarth, Dumfriesshire. William Jardine was educated at home and then in York, and then he studied at Edinburgh University taking literary and medical classes as well as natural history and geology. In 1820, he succeeded his father as 7th Baronet. Sir William Jardine was particularly devoted to the study of ornithology, and in addition to his wide ornithological knowledge he was also knowledgeable about many orders of vertebrates. His publications includeThe natural history of humming-birds(1833),The natural history of fishes of the perch family(1835),The natural history of the Nectariniadae, or sun-birds(1843),Memoirs of Hugh Edwin Strickland, M.A.(1858), andThe natural history of Selborne: with observations on various parts of nature, and the naturalist's calendar(1836). In 1836, Jardine was President of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, and he was for some years a joint editor of theEdinburgh Philosophical Journal. In 1860 he participated in the Royal Commission on Salmon Fisheries of England and Wales. Sir William Jardine died at Sandown on the Isle of Wight on 21 November 1874.

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance.

Accession no. E58.10.

Important finding aids generally are: the alphabetical Index to Manuscripts held at Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections and Archives, consisting of typed slips in sheaf binders and to which additions were made until 1987; and the Index to Accessions Since 1987.

The local Indexes show other references to Sir William Jardine related material (check the Indexes for more details): letters to unnamed correspondents; and, mention in a communication. In addition, the UK National Register of Archives (NRA), updated by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, notes: correspondence and papers, 1821-48, at the National Museums of Scotland, Chambers Street NRA 24275 Jardine; correspondence and papers, 1826-59, at the National Archives of Scotland, Ref. GD472 NRA 34337 Jardine; letter book, 1852, at the Natural History Museum, Ref. L MSS JAR (see Catalogue of MSS...Natural History Museum, 1995); 1834-37: letters to Leonard Blomefield, 1834-37, Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Ref. Jenyns Corresp NRA 41808 Blomefield; letters, 1838-71, to Thomas Eyton, at the American Philosophical Society Library NRA 9728 American Philosophic; letters, 1830-51, to Sir William Hooker, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Library and Archives; correspondence with Prideaux Selby, 1825-54, at Cambridge University, Department of Zoology; 1827-31: letters to William Swainson, Linnean Society of London, Ref. Swainson NRA 22111 Swainson; and, miscellaneous letters, 1829-52, at the National Library of Scotland, Manuscripts Division, Ref. MS 10997.