William Forsyth Papers

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The collection contains a large amount of correspondence (1765-1804), most of which was sent to Forsyth from correspondents living both in England and abroad, including a volume of letters from Alexander Anderson. Also included are four volumes of horticultural notes and annotated drafts (1789-1804) made by Forsyth together with some correspondence; which were presumably created when he was creating his two volumes, Observations on diseases, defects and injuries in all kinds of fruit and forest trees (1791) and Treatise on culture and management of fruit-trees (1802)

Forsyth was born at Old Meldrum, Aberdeen in 1737 and died on the 25 July 1804 in his home in Kensington, London. During his career he worked as a head gardener at Syon House, Brentford from 1763 until 1771 when he became head gardener of the Chelsea Physic Garden; where he continued to work until 1784. The rest of his life was spent working as superintendent of the royal gardens of the Palaces of St James' and Kensington. Whilst working in the royal gardens, Forsyth also developed and promoted his own 'plaister', which was a paste that he claimed would bind together old wood and help new wood to grow.

Forsyth also wrote two volumes OBSERVATIONS ON DISEASES, DEFECTS AND INJURIES IN ALL KINDS OF FRUIT AND FOREST TREES (1791) and TREATISE ON CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT-TREES (1802). Later editions of his treatise were created following his death, with the later being the seventh edition published in 1824. He was a Fellow of both the Linnean Society and the Society of Antiquaries and was also involved with the creation of the Royal Horticultural Society.