Ronald Keay Papers

Collections contains one file of correspondence, papers, and photographs relating to the Genus Aloe. Also contains one file of notes relating to Wind-dispersed species, one file of notes relating to Ondo dated 1948, and one file relating to plants from Idanre dated 1943-1948. Also includes one file of correspondence relating to the donation of Keay’s papers in his Will, c.1990s.

E. Milne-Redhead, Misc. Correspondence [Kat-Lyt ff.4503-4633]

Specimens held in the Herbarium and Fungarium of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Publications held in the Library of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Ronald William John Keay was born in Richmond on 20 May 1920. He attended Kings College School, Wimbledon. In 1939, Keay went to St Johns College, University of Oxford, undertaking a shortened wartime degree in Botany. After graduating, Keay joined the Royal Artillery and in 1942, the Colonial Office gave him a Colonial Forestry Scholarship. During the scholarship, he sent to Zaria, Nigeria. Here, he became Assistant Conservator of Forests but was later transferred to the Forest Departments headquarters in Ibadan. He oversaw the addition of 3000 specimens to the Ibadab Herbarium.

In 1944, Keay was given leave to undertake a BSc in Forestry at the University of Oxford, returning to Nigeria in 1945 as the Head of the Forestry Training school. In 1951 he was seconded to the Herbarium at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew to coordinate the production of a revised edition of the ?Flora of Tropical West Africa?. In 1957, Keay left Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, returning to Ibadan as Deputy Director of the Federal Department of Forest Research and began working on ?Nigerian Trees?. He later became Director, during which position, he established a small forest products research laboratory within the department.

Keay retired from the Federal Department of Forest Research in 1962. He returned to England and was made Deputy Executive Secretary of the Royal Society. In 1977, he was promoted to the position of Executive Secretary. Keay retired from the Royal Society in 1985.

Keay served as President of the African Studies Association from 1971-72; Vice-President of the Nigerian Field Society in 1987 (already being Chairman of the U.K. branch); President of the Institute of Biology from 1988-1990; Treasurer of the Linnean Society of London 1989-9. He was also involved with the Association pour'Etude Taxonomique de I'Afrique Tropicale. After his retirement from the Royal Society. Keay continued to write and give lectures on Forest Ecology.

He was appointed OBE in 1966 and CBE in 1977.

Keay married Joan Walden whilst undertaking a BSc in Forestry at the University of Oxford and together they had one son and two daughters.

Keay died on 7 April 1998.