350 



OBITUARY NOTICES. 



ROBERT BRAITHWAITE, M.D., M.R.C.S., F.L.S., 



F.R.M.S. 



May Wth, 1824:— October 20th, 1917. 



It is with niiich regret we have to announce the death of Dr. 

 Braithwaite in his ninety-fourth year ; he was the eldest son of 

 Robert Braithwaite, shipowner of Ruswarp, near Whitby, where 

 he was born in 1824. He was educated at the Grammar School 

 at Whitby and afterwards studied medicine, becoming M.R.C.S. 

 in 1858 and M.D. of St. Andrews in 1865. He married the 

 daughter of Dr. N. B. AVard, F.R.S., the inventor of the Wardian 

 case and a botanist of repute, who was then practising at Clapham. 

 Dr. Braithwaite succeeded to the practice, which he carried on for 

 many years in Ward's old house, " The Ferns," 303 Clapham 

 Road. About twenty years ago the house, like many others on 

 the main roads near London, was demolished, and red-brick 

 fiats now occupy the site. His leisure time w^as devoted to the 

 study of the Moss Flora of his country and of Europe jzenerally. 

 and in this subject he became the greatest authority. 



Fie was elected a member of the Q.M.C. in the year of its 

 foundation, and in the following )^ear (1866) became F.R.M.S. 

 He was President of the Club during the years 1872-71, and in 

 tliat period delivered six lectures on the Histology of Plants 

 which appear in the First Series of the Journal (Vol. III.) and are 

 illustrated with drawings from his skilful pencil. A very interest- 

 ing contribution to the Journal Q.M.C. was read in January 

 1870 on The Geographical Distribution of Mosses in Europe. This 

 paper forms an early ecological study of moss-groups. 



Dr. Braithwaite joined the Linnean Society in February 1863. 

 and was one of the longest-standing members. He served on 

 the Council 1872-71 and 1889-92. juid was n Vice-President 

 1889-91. 



