Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1938-1979 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
5 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Helen Faulkner was born in Yorkshire in June 1888. She studied art and painting in Paris. She married Major Faulkner in 1921 in Hampshire and moved to Tasmania where her husband owned a small farm. In 1924 they moved to Tanganyika where Major Faulkner was employed by Bird and Co. He then transferred to Wigglesworth and Co in Angola. Helen Faulkner was so impressed by the rich flora of the Alto Catumbela that she started to systematically paint water colour sketches of wild flowers. She became acquainted with the Government Botanist John Gossweiler who encouraged her to make herbarium specimens of the highest quality. In 1942 Major Faulkner was posted to the Namagoa Plantations at Mocuba in the Zambezia Province of Mozambique. Soon Helen Faulkner was collecting actively and corresponding with the National Herbarium, Pretoria, and the Government Herbarium, Salisbury.
In 1947 she visited Kew and began a long partnership with Edgar Milne-Redhead then in charge of the African Section. The collaboration started with three cases of Mozambique plants, bulbs and seeds as well as loan of notes and paintings. She continued to send specimens to RBGK until 1977.
In 1950 Major Faulkner returned to the Tanga area and managed sisal estates for Bird and Co at Bushiri (1950-1951), Kange (1951-1952) and Magunga until he retired in 1954. They then bought a house in Mwambani, where Helen Faulkner remained for the rest of her life apart from five years spent in Zanzibar (1959-1964) where Major Faulkner managed the English Club. Major Faulkner died in 1969. She died at her home on 26 January 1979. She had two sons Denis and Ian.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0068 GRI 1938-1979 Collection (fonds) 5 boxes Faulkner , Helen , 1888-1979 , botanist
Helen Faulkner was born in Yorkshire in June 1888. She studied art and painting in Paris. She married Major Faulkner in 1921 in Hampshire and moved to Tasmania where her husband owned a small farm. In 1924 they moved to Tanganyika where Major Faulkner was employed by Bird and Co. He then transferred to Wigglesworth and Co in Angola. Helen Faulkner was so impressed by the rich flora of the Alto Catumbela that she started to systematically paint water colour sketches of wild flowers. She became acquainted with the Government Botanist John Gossweiler who encouraged her to make herbarium specimens of the highest quality. In 1942 Major Faulkner was posted to the Namagoa Plantations at Mocuba in the Zambezia Province of Mozambique. Soon Helen Faulkner was collecting actively and corresponding with the National Herbarium, Pretoria, and the Government Herbarium, Salisbury.
In 1947 she visited Kew and began a long partnership with Edgar Milne-Redhead then in charge of the African Section. The collaboration started with three cases of Mozambique plants, bulbs and seeds as well as loan of notes and paintings. She continued to send specimens to RBGK until 1977.
In 1950 Major Faulkner returned to the Tanga area and managed sisal estates for Bird and Co at Bushiri (1950-1951), Kange (1951-1952) and Magunga until he retired in 1954. They then bought a house in Mwambani, where Helen Faulkner remained for the rest of her life apart from five years spent in Zanzibar (1959-1964) where Major Faulkner managed the English Club. Major Faulkner died in 1969. She died at her home on 26 January 1979. She had two sons Denis and Ian.
Helen Faulkner started sending specimens and paintings to RBGK in 1947 until 1977. In 1968 she donated eleven then seven of her earlier sketchbooks to the library and another one in 1972. At her death some sketches and notebooks found in her personal papers were transferred to RBGK.
Papers of Helen Faulkner, 1938-1979, 20 water colour sketchbooks, 3 folders of notes relating to the sketchbooks, 3 boxes of index cards and 1 folder of preparatory notes for index and lists of determinations.
The collection has been arranged into three series with FAU/1 containing the sketchbooks, FAU/2 consisting of H Faulkner's notes on the plants she collected and FAU/3 related to the index to her sketchbooks elaborated at Kew.
Unrestricted - surrogates to be used where available.
Please contact the Archive for further information.
English
Detailed catalogue available, contact the archives for more details.
See also in the Archives: Registered File QG 859 and 859A, correspondence between Helen Faulkner and RBGK's staff; E Milne-Redhead Misc Corresp FAI-FAU (2739-3172), Correspondence with Helen Faulkner.
In the Library: 920 FAU, interview of Helen Faulkner dated 1975 in the biograhical pamphlets section. In Illustrations: about 140 references to loose drawings; many specimens in the Herbarium.
Entry transcribed by Sarah Drewery, March 2011.
General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.
March 2011 Faulkner , Helen , 1888-1979 , botanist Watercolour painting Flowers Botany Plant products Painting Agricultural products Fine arts
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Helen Faulkner started sending specimens and paintings to RBGK in 1947 until 1977. In 1968 she donated eleven then seven of her earlier sketchbooks to the library and another one in 1972. At her death some sketches and notebooks found in her personal papers were transferred to RBGK.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Helen Faulkner, 1938-1979, 20 water colour sketchbooks, 3 folders of notes relating to the sketchbooks, 3 boxes of index cards and 1 folder of preparatory notes for index and lists of determinations.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The collection has been arranged into three series with FAU/1 containing the sketchbooks, FAU/2 consisting of H Faulkner's notes on the plants she collected and FAU/3 related to the index to her sketchbooks elaborated at Kew.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted - surrogates to be used where available.
Conditions governing reproduction
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
See also in the Archives: Registered File QG 859 and 859A, correspondence between Helen Faulkner and RBGK's staff; E Milne-Redhead Misc Corresp FAI-FAU (2739-3172), Correspondence with Helen Faulkner.
In the Library: 920 FAU, interview of Helen Faulkner dated 1975 in the biograhical pamphlets section. In Illustrations: about 140 references to loose drawings; many specimens in the Herbarium.
Finding aids
Detailed catalogue available, contact the archives for more details.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English