Car(r)uthers

[Roger Horton]

There are now several specimens recorded as having a collector 'SW Caruthers' and one (361261, from 'Edingborough') which can be read as 'W Caruthers'. All but one are stamped 'Ex Herb Dulwich College'. The handwriting on all labels appears very similar.

William Carruthers 1830-1922 FRS FLS spent a long time as a student in Edinburgh but became Keeper of the Botany Dept. in the British Museum while living in Norwood, and sending his sons Samuel William and John Bennett (both of whom became botanists) to Dulwich College. Both are recorded in the register as Carruthers.

Is this an(other) example of poor transcription at Dulwich College? Surely William would have been able to spell his name and the place where he studied for so long, as would his son Sam!

It would seem sensible combine data for each of these Car(r)uthers so that people entering what it says on the label do not inadvertently create a separate collector.