William Curtis: Founder of Curtis’s Botanical Magazine and the London Botanic Garden
Flora Londiniensis
January 11, 1746 (see comment below)
Today is the birthday of the botanist, entomologist, and founder of the influential Curtis Botanical Magazine, William Curtis.
William had started life as an apothecary, but in short order, he discovered that it could not hold his interest.
Sir James Edward Smith recalled that William loved being a naturalist more than working in the city. He wrote,
“The Apothecary was soon swallowed up in the botanist, and the shop exchanged for a garden!”
William was a founder of the Linnean Society, and he also authored a book about the botany of London called Flora Londiniensis.
In 1779, William transformed his Lambeth garden into the London Botanic Garden. William wanted his garden to be a place where visitors could learn all about plants and their uses - not just for food - but in medicine and cooking as well.
William was, at heart, a pragmatist. When William heard from visitors that they needed a resource to help grow the plants they were acquiring, William came up with the idea for his magazine.
On February 1, 1787, the very first Curtis Botanical magazine was published,
“for the... ladies, gentlemen, and gardeners ... who wish to become scientifically acquainted with the plants they cultivate."
The Curtis Botanical Magazine made William wealthy, and he often remarked that it had brought him "pudding and praise.”
As for William's magazine, the reason it was so successful is that, early on, William vowed to provide his readers with helpful illustrations. Hence, William brought in incredible artists, like James Sowerby, and they helped ensure the magazine's success.
In addition to his legacy left by his garden, flora, and magazine, the genus Curtisia honors William Curtis.
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Sadly when he wrote his book ‘William Curtis, botanist’, W H Curtis was not able to see the original Alton meeting Quaker birth registers (it was WWII) and so he quoted the wrong date. As I have pointed out in my book ‘William Curtis, Altonian and Botanist’ (ISBN 978-1-9996872-1-2)the register reads that ‘On the Eleventh day of the first month called March in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Forty Six (Forty Seven) was born at Alton in the County of Southampton unto John Curtis of the same tanner and Ann his Wife a Son who was named William Curtis’. (TNA RG6/1029) The Quakers did not use the ‘pagan’ names of the months and the country had not changed to the modern dating system but the Quakers were aware of it being used elsewhere. Hence the date should be ’11th March 1746/7′ Please, please can it be corrected in your text. Jane Hurst.
Thank you for letting me know. I have made a note and will correct future references.