A Hambrugh

[oldnick]

I'm afraid the spelling / identity of 'A Hambrugh' has come up again with sheet http://herbariaunited.org/specimen/346724/ ; This name is not on the pick-list, which gives us 'A Hamburgh' and 'A Hambrough'. I thought these latter 2 were different, but botanist info page http://herbariaunited.org/collector/19513/ questions this; also gives meiosis info that 'Albert John Hambrough - lived at Steephill Castle, was a relative of Townsend etc'; this info page hasn't got a handwriting sample to check if original signature or transcribed.
A quick glance at Isle of Wight specimens shows several different versions of this name have been entered, so might be worth sorting out, eg seeing if any specimens have his / their actual signature(s) written in full, rather than just the usual AH.
The label on specimen first referred to above looks authentic; and if a relative of Townsend, would Townsend have transcribed incorrectly?

[Chris Liffen]

AJH often just used his initials, and his writing like that of Townsend's was 'difficult.
I suspect the variations in his name may be 'curatorial' variations - spelling was still remarkably flexible at this time....

http://www.meiosis.org.uk/botanists/hambrough-albert-john-1820-61/hand-writing-ajh/

[oldnick]

It seems necessary however to establish why A Hamburgh appears on the pick-list, and clarify why people have chosen this in preference to A Hambrough; I vaguely recall that there are at least some sheets with the former spelling

[Chris Liffen]

Cannot find "A Hamburgh" on a quick inspection of old Journals of Botany.

[oldnick]

Thanks! Looks like a bulk edit is in order! I'll 'crop' the initials

[oldnick]

http://herbariaunited.org/specimen/353775/ gives an example of 'A Hamburgh' evidently in his cousin's own handwriting - not known for mis-spellings. One idea which occurs, if AH was aged 29 at this date, did he later in life 'embellish' his name?

[oldnick]

Possible original signature though rather neat 'A Hambrugh' http://herbariaunited.org/specimen/335827/