| Activity | Sir George Taylor, FRS, LLD, DSc, FRSE, FLS, UMH, (b 1904), was formerly Principal in the Air Ministry (1940-5), Deputy Keeper of Botany, British Museum (Natural History) (1945-50), Keeper of Botany, British Museum (Natural History) (1950-6), Director, Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew (1956-71) and Director of the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust (1970-89). He was knighted in 1962. Sir George participated in three major botanical expeditions (to South Africa, 1927-8, East Africa, 1934-5, and Tibet and Bhutan, 1938). He was in regular contact with, amongst others, Sir William Wright-Smith (Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh), (1922-56), Professor Harold Fletcher (Regius Keeper of the RBG, Edinburgh), (1958-70), the 2nd and 3rd Barons Aberconway, Sir Eric Savill (Director of the Gardens, Windsor Great Park (1959-70), Sir Edward Salisbury (Director, Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew), (1943-56)) and various officials connected with Herbaria Botanical Gardens, Museums, Universities etc, in many different countries. He wrote radio and television scripts and contributed to the Dictionary of Scientific Biography. |