XXVI 



Obituary Notices of Fellows deceased. 



undertaking that the help of Baker in dealing with Boner's specimens had 

 been sought. Sir William's son and successor, Dr. (afterwards Sir Joseph) 

 Hooker found on the Director's desk the preface to the projected ' Synopsis,' 

 much of its matter in manuscript, and proof copies of the three opening 

 sheets. It was clearly desirable that a work so important should be com- 

 pleted. The multifarious duties and undertakings of the new Director 

 equally clearly precluded him from attempting the task. His experience of 

 Baker's work led the younger Hooker to decide that Baker was singularly 

 qualified to accomplish the work. The task, however, could only be carried 

 out at Kew. This involved the creation of a post in the establishment which 

 Baker could fill. Fortunately, it was possible to arrange that this be done. 

 In 1861, Oliver, the librarian at Kew, had been permitted to supplement the 

 exiguous stipend which public opinion then regarded as an adequate remune- 

 ration for scientific service, by accepting the chair of botany at University 

 College, and in 1864, when A. Black, the able keeper of the herbarium at 

 Kew, was compelled, owing to the state of his health, to resign that appoint- 

 ment. Sir William Hooker, with a view to further improvement in Oliver's 

 position, succeeded in obtaining the approval of Government for a proposal 

 to amalgamate the keepership of the herbarium with the librarian's post. 

 This reduction in the strength of the establishment at Kew in 1864 was 

 followed by a further reduction in 1865, owing to the decision that the post 

 of Assistant Director, formerly held by Dr. Hooker, must lapse with his 

 appointment to the directorship. Under the circumstances, however, assent 

 was given to the proposal of the new Director for the creation of a new post, 

 that of first assistant in the herbarium, as from April 1, 1866, and permission 

 was accorded him to engage temporary assistance at once. On receipt of this 

 authority Hooker invited Baker to join the Kew staff. With this invitation 

 Baker complied, taking up his duties as a temporary officer in January, 1866, 

 and being permanently confirmed in the post of first assistant in the 

 herbarium on April 1 of that year. 



Soon after his appointment at Kew, Baker was permitted to follow the 

 example of his colleague in the herbarium, in supplementing his income by 

 undertaking teaching work. In 1869 he was appointed lecturer on botany 

 at the London Hospital Medical School, and held this post until 1881. In 

 1874 he was appointed one of the lecturers to the young gardeners employed 

 at Kew, when the courses of instruction, voluntarily initiated by Oliver 

 in 1859, at last received the recognition of Government. In 1882 he was 

 appointed by the Society of Apothecaries to their lectureship on botany at 

 the Chelsea Physic Garden. 



Baker occupied the position of first assistant in the Kew herbarium until, 

 on Oliver's retirement at the age of sixty, he was promoted on June 1, 1890, 

 to the keepership of the library and the herbarium. As keeper he served 

 until his own retirement, at the age of sixty-five, in 1899. The Chelsea 

 lectureship he retained, after his promotion at Kew, until 1896. The Kew 

 lectureship he consented to retain, greatly to the advantage of his pupils, for 



