820 OBITUABY. 



frequent contributor to the ' Pliytologist.' Nor did he alone turn 

 his attention to Phanerogamia — Cryptogams merited a full share of 

 his research, and he particularly studied the Musci, Fresh-water 

 Algae, and Diatomacese. Eespectiug the Musci, as he informed the 

 writer of this notice, he was unable to procure a copy of Wilson's 

 'Bryologia Britannica' at the time of its first publication, and so, 

 borrowing the book fi-om a friend, he most diligently and faithfully 

 copied the whole of the plates, including the magnificent drawings — 

 a work involving infinite trouble and patience. He was for many 

 years a partner in the well-known calico-printing firm called " The 

 Strines Printing Company," retiring only in 1876, upon becoming 

 possessed of large properties in the neighbourhood of Hyde and 

 elsewhere, which came to him upon the death of a relative. When 

 at Strines he was always endeavouring to interest his work-people 

 in Natural Science, and gave up much time to them, especially in 

 contributing articles of interest to the ' Strines Journal,' a MS. 

 record of the Botany and Natural History of the locality. Mr. 

 Sidebotham was for thirty-three years a member of the Manchester 

 Literary and Philosophical Society, and was particularly active in 

 the management of its Microscopical and Natural History Section, 

 for several years acting as Secretary, and serving on the Council. 

 He was also one of the founders of the Manchester Photographic 

 Society, aud, in company with Mr. Grindon, of the Manchester Field 

 Naturalists' Society. A most intimate friend of James Nasmyth, 

 the inventor and astronomer, it was to him that the first discovery 

 by Nasmyth of the "willow leaves" structure of the sun's photo- 

 sphere was addressed. Indeed, Mr. Sidebotham was himself no 

 mean astronomer, and had erected a small observatory in his 

 grounds, in which was placed a remarkably fine telescope. A man 

 of more varied accomplishments it would be almost impossible to 

 find. A great lover of church music, he was a splendid performer 

 on the organ, and had built a large one in his house at Bowdon. 

 Erlesdene was in fact a perfect treasure-house, stored with beautiful 

 and rare objects of Nature and Art, all witnessing to the innate 

 force and culture of the man, by their arrangement or by their 

 selection. Those whom he numbered among his intimate frieuds, 

 and they were many, unanimously testify to his kind, unselfish, and 

 simple child-like nature — never so happy as when doing good aud 

 benefiting others. Three years ago he built, at a large expense, 

 and endowed the beautiful church of St. Anne, Haughton, near 

 Denton, but just before the consecration he had the great misfortune 

 to lose his wife. He never seemed quite the same man afterwards; 

 his health, which had not for some time been strong, necessitating 

 wintering abroad for two or three years, gradually declined still 

 more, and though his friends hoped he was gradually mending in 

 the spring of this year, he passed away on Saturday, May 30th, in 

 the sixty-second year of his age, widely and deeply regretted. 



J. C. M. 



