al 
Besides this, the official residence of the superintendent, now 
used as the business offices of the establishment, contained a 
room which was used asa library. In 1841 the maintenance of 
Kew was transferred from the Crown to the public charge. The 
books in his care disappeared, being regarded probably either as the 
private property of the superintendent, or as that of the Crown. 
During the reign of George LV. Sir Everard Home, who appears 
to have succeeded to the honorary position occupied by Banks 
(Kew Bulletin, 1891, p. 319), suggested the establishment of a 
library at Kew. The charge was to be entrusted to the well- 
known botanical artist, Francis Bauer. According to a statement 
in Loudon’s Gardener’s Magazine (vol. xvii., 1841, p. 187) “ The 
house now belonging to the King of Hanover was purchased for 
this purpose ; the shelves were prepared, allithe botanical books in 
the King’s library were to be removed there,and some had, in fact, 
been sent down, when, unfortunately, a dispute arose respecting 
the land, to which the Woods and Forests laid claim.” 
This statement is not absolutely exact. The house never 
belonged to the King of Hanover, though it was for a time 
occupied by him. It was known as Hunter House, having been 
the property of a successful man of business, Robert Hunter, 
who had settled at Kew. It was purchased in 1818 by George III. 
at the instance of Sir Joseph Banks, and for the purpose—to which 
it has long since been devoted—of a library. Sir Everard Home 
simply endeavoured, therefore, {o carry into effect Banks’s scheme. 
In 1823 George IV. sold the house and grounds to the nation, its 
use as a library having, apparently, as stated above, been 
abandoned. In 1830 William TV. granted it to the Duchess of 
Cumberland for her life. It was only on the Duke’s accession to 
the throne of Hanover that it became known as the “ King of 
Hanover’s House.” He resided in it occasionally, but after his 
death it remained unoccupied. 
When, therefore, in 1841 Sir William Hooker was appointed 
Director of the reorganized Botanic Garden he found himself 
destitute of even an official commencement of the two essential 
requisites of a scientific botanic establishment, a herbarium and 
library. Fortunately he was personally well provided in both 
respects, and he generously offered to make available for public use 
those which he himself possessed, The Government, on its part, 
agreed to rent a neighbouring house, afterwards known as West 
Park, for their accommodation, and as a residence for the Director, 
