Henry Harold Welch Pearson

Henry Harold Welch Pearson

Birth date: 28 January 1870

(FreeBMD Index MarchQ 1870 Holbeach Reg. District, Volume 7a page 372)

Birth Place: Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, England

Date of Death: 3 November 1916. He died from pneumonia.

Place of Death: Wynberg, Cape Town, Cape, South Africa

Buried in the Cycad hills, overlooking Kirstenbosch, Cape, South Africa

Parents

Father: Henry Jackson Pearson (FreeBMD Birth JunQ 1841 Louth 14 470; Death DecQ 1885 Louth 7a 346 age 80)

(Marriage FreeBMD Sep Q 1866 Sculcoates 9d 241) Henry J Pearson and Ellen E Welch

Mother: Ellen Elizabeth Welch (FreeBMD DecQ 1849 Ellen Elizabeth Welch Louth 14 486)

Marriage: 1902, Ethel Pratt, dau. of William Pratt, of Little Bradley, Suffolk. (FreeBMD Marriage SepQ 1902 Risbridge 4a 1463)

Children

Amy Pearson

Occupation: Botanist

Honours and Awards:

The Harold Pearson Chair of Botany at the University of Cape Town was founded in his honour

HW Pearson Building (home of the Botany Department) is named after him.

A hostel was erected in the S. African National Botanical Garden to his memory. (Venn, II. 555; Who was Who.)

Career:

School, admitted at CHRIST'S, Oct. 5, 1896;

Scholar, 1897; B.A. (Nat. Sci. Trip., Pt I, 1st Class) 1896; (Nat. Sci. Trip., Pt II, 1st Class, 1897).

Migrated to Caius, June 23, 1898; Walsingham medal, 1899; M.A. 1900; Sc.D. 1907.

Visited Ceylon as Wort's travelling Scholar, 1897-8.

Assistant Curator of the Herbarium, Cambridge, 1898-9; at Kew Gardens, 1899-1903.

Professor of Botany, South African College, Cape Town, 1903-16, and Director of the National Botanic Garden, Kirstenbosch, 1914-16. F.R.S., 1916.
An authority on the morphology of Welwitschia and Gnetum.

Pearson obtained a first class degree in Natural Sciences Tripos from Campbride. He was best known for founding the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens in 1913. He is buried in these gardens.

His interest in taxonomic botany grew when he worked as Assistant Curator of the herbarium, Cambridge. He then went to work at Kew, as Assistant for India. In 1903 he became the Harry Bolus Professor of Botany at the South African College which became the University of Cape Town. He was aware of the floristic wealth of the Cape region, and campaigned to establish a botanical garden to preserve this flora. This endeavor resulted in the establishment of the Kirstenbosch Gardens, one of eigth National Botanic Gardens in South Africa.

His work included papers on Bowenia spectabalis an Australian member of the Stangeriaceae; Welwitschia in Namibia, for which he received a DSc; the Thymelaeaceae and Gnetum. In 1898 he received a Wort Travelling Scholars fund and spent 6 months in Ceylon exploring the patanas.

The genus Pearsonia is named in honour of Henry Harold Welch Pearson.

Travel:

Publications:

Author, Gnetales, etc.

References, Sources/Links, Family Trees etc.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Harold_Welch_Pearson
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Harold_Pearson
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirstenbosch_National_Botanical_Garden
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearsonia

Other Notes:

1841 Census (6 June 1841)

Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece 639; Book: 16; Civil Parish: Louth; County: Lincolnshire; Enumeration District: 4; Folio: 16; Page: 24; Line: 21; GSU roll: 438766.

Eastgate, Louth Lincolnshire

• Henry Pearson 35 Tailor and Draper Y (born in county)
• Emma Pearson 30 Y
• Maria Pearson 10 Y (Marriage FreeBMD JunQ 1849 – John Briggs Louth 14 967)
• Emma Pearson 5 Y
• Mary Pearson 3 Y (FreeBMD SepQ 1838 Louth 14 418 Mary Jane Pearson)
• Henry Pearson 1 month Y (Henry J FreeBMD JunQ 1841 Louth 14 470) (FreeBMD DecQ 1839 Louth 14 470 Henry William Pearson Died MarQ 1840 Louth 14 346)

1851 Census

Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece: 2111; Folio: 437; Page: 1; GSU roll: 87740.

Louth, Lincolnshire

• Henry John Pearson Head Mar 46 Tailor and Draper born Hull
• Emma Pearson Wife Mar 45 born South Somersoates, Lincolnshire
• Mary J Pearson Daur 13 born Louth Lincolnshire
• Henry John Pearson (sic) 10 Son born Louth Lincolnshire
• Catherine Pearson daur 4 born Louth Lincolnshire (FreeBMD birth MarQ 1847 Louth 14 530)

1861 Census

Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 2381; Folio: 65; Page: 25; GSU roll: 542963. 34 Mercer Row Louth, Lincolnshire

• Head of Household – Joseph Morton Druggist
• Henry J Pearson Assistant Unmar 19 Druggist Assistant born Louth Lincolnshire

_*_

Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 2381; Folio: 106; Page: 18; GSU roll: 542963.
136 Newmarket Louth, Lincolnshire

• Henry L? Pearson Head Mar 55 Retired Tailor and Draper born Hull, Yorkshirte
• Emma Pearson wife mar 53 born Somercotes, Lincolnshire
• Mary J Pearson Daur 22 born Louth, Lincolnshire
• Catherine Pearson daur 16 Scholar born Louth, Lincolnshire

_*_

Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 2385; Folio: 31; Page: 3; GSU roll: 542963.

Grimoldby, Lincolnshire

• John Briggs Head Mar 38 Ag.Lab born Grimoldby, Linconshire
• Maria Briggs Wife Mar 30 born South Ormsby Lincolnshire
• John H Briggs son 9 born Wintpit, Lincolnshire
• Esther A Briggs Daur 3 born South Ormsby, Lincolnshire

1871 Census

Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 3327; Folio: 57; Page: 2; GSU roll: 839350. Hope Cottage, Turnpike Road, Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, England

• Henry Jackson Pearson HEAD Mar 39 (sic) Farmer 63 acres 1 labourer born Louth, Lincolnshire (FreeBMD JunQ 1841 Louth 14 470)
• Ellen Pearson Wife Mar 22 born Louth, Lincolnshire
• Henry Pearson son 1 born Long Sutton, Lincolnshire
• 1 domestic servant

_*_

Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 3403; Folio: 13; Page: 21; GSU roll: 839402.

30 Cemetery Lane St. James, Louth, Lincolnshire

• Henry J Pearson Head Mar 65 Receiver of Rent and Interest Monies born Yorks Hull
• Emma Pearson wife Mar 62 born Soith Somercotes, Lincolnshire
• Emily Rainthorp Grand daughter 9 Scholar born Stewton Lincolnshire
• 1 servant

(FreeBMD Marriages JunQ 1861 – Louth 7a 1047 – Mary Jane Pearson married John Rainthorp)

1881 Census

Source Citation: Class: RG11; Piece: 1823; Folio: 64; Page: 5; GSU roll: 1341441.

Rookery Farm, Wickhambrook, Suffolk

• Henry J Pearson HEAD Mar 39 Farmer 148 Acres emp 3 men 1 boy born Louth Lincolnshire
• Ellen E Pearson Wife Mar 31 born Louth Lincolnshire
• Henry H Pearson son 11 Scholar born Long Sutton Lincolnshire
• Amy Pearson daur 7 Scholar born Fleet Hargrave (FreeBMD JunQ 1874 Holbeach 7a 402)
• Governess and domestic servant.

_*_

Source Citation: Class: RG11; Piece: 3261; Folio: 93; Page: 19; GSU roll: 1341777.

13 Ramsgate, Louth, Lincolnshire

• Henry P? Pearson Head 75 Formerly Woolen Draperborn Yorkshire, Hull Emma Pearson wife mar 72 born Lincolnshire South Somercote

_*_

Source Citation: Class: RG11; Piece: 3262; Folio: 75; Page: 14; GSU roll: 1341778.

Stewton Lane, Grimoldby, Lincolnshire

• John Briggs Head Mar 57 Laborer Agricultural born Lincolnshire Grimoldby
• Maria Biggs wife mar 52 born Lincolnshire, Louth
• Benjamin Briggs son un-mar 17 Agricultural born Lincolnshire Grimoldby
• Joseph E Briggs son 15 Agricultural born Lincolnshire Louth
• Frederick W son 14 Agricultural born Lincolnshire Louth
• Alice E Briggs daur 8 Scholar born Lincolnshire, Louth
• Charles E Briggs son 6 Scholar born Lincolnshire, Louth

_*_

Source Citation: Class: RG11; Piece: 1823; Folio: 24; Page: 20; GSU roll: 1341441.

Norley Moat, Little Bradley, Suffolk

• William Pratt Head Mar 39 Farmer and Miller 282 empl 11 men 5 boys 1 woman 2 girld born Norfolk Starston
• Maryann Pratt wife mar 36 born Suffolk Wickmanbrook
• Kate Mary Pratt daur un-mar 15 born Bradley Street (FreeBMD SepQ 1865 Risbridge 4a 381)
• William Pratt son 10 Scholar born Bradley Street
• Frederick Pratt son 8 Scholar born Bradley Street
• Edith Mary Pratt daur 7 born Bradley Street
• Ethel Emma Pratt daur 5 born Bradley Street
• John Frost Pratt son 3 born Bradley Street (FreeBMD William Pratt married Maria Ann Frost SepQ 1864 Risbridge 4a 575)

1891 Census

Source Citation: Class: RG12; Piece: 772; Folio 28; Page 49; GSU roll: 6095882.

Carlisle Road, St. Ambryns? Eastbourne, East Sussex

• Henry H W Pearson aged 21 Single Schoolmaster’s assistant born Lincoln, Long Sutton

_*_

Source Citation: Class: RG12; Piece: 1437; Folio 81; Page 10; GSU roll: 6096547.

Rookery Farm, Wickhambrook, Suffolk

• Henry J Pearson Head Mar 49 Proprietor of Boarding School born Lincolnshire, Louth
• Ellen E Pearson Wife mar 47 born Lincolnshire, Louth
• Amy Pearson daur single Music Teacher born Lincolnshire Fleet
• Herbertt Pratt Boarder 15 Scholar born Suffolk Wickhambrook
• Charles Pratt Boarder 13 Scholar born Suffolk Bury St. Edmonds
• 6 other scholars and one servant

1901 Census

Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 677; Folio: 84; Page: 7.

Clarence Road, St. Luke, Richmond Surrey

• Henry H W Pearson aged 31 Single General servant (Royal Gardens Kew) born Lincoln, Long Sutton

_*_

Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 1739; Folio: 75; Page: 3.

Rookery Farm, Wickhambrook, Suffolk

• Henry J Pearson Head m 59 Farmer born Lincolnshire, Louth
• Ellen E Pearson wife m 51 born Linconshire, Louth
• Amy Pearson daur single 27 Teacher (Music etc.) born Fleet, Lincolnshire

Pearson was born in Long Sutton, Lincolnshire and died in Wynberg, Cape Town. He died from pneumonia.

Pearson obtained a first class degree in Natural Sciences Tripos from Campbride. He was best known for founding the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens in 1913. He is buried in these gardens.

His interest in taxonomic botany grew when he worked as Assistant Curator of the herbarium, Cambridge.  He then went to work at Kew, as Assistant for India.  In 1903 he became the Harry Bolus Professor of Botany at the South African College which became the University of Cape Town. He was aware of the floristic wealth of the Cape region, and campaigned to establish a botanical garden to preserve this flora.  This endeavor resulted in the establishment of the Kirstenbosch Gardens, one of eigth National Botanic Gardens in South Africa.

His work included papers on Bowenia spectabalis an Australian member of the Stangeriaceae; Welwitschia in Namibia, for which he received a DSc; the Thymelaeaceae and Gnetum. In 1898 he  received a Wort Travelling Scholars fund and  spent 6 months in Ceylon exploring the patanas.

The genus Pearsonia is named in honour of Henry Harold Welch Pearson.

References and Links:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Harold_Pearson
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirstenbosch_National_Botanical_Garden
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearsonia