James Bolton
Encyclopedia
James Bolton was an English naturalist
, botanist, mycologist, and illustrator
.
in the West Riding
of Yorkshire
in 1735, the son of William Bolton, a weaver. James initially followed in his father's trade, but later became a self-taught art teacher and finally a publican
in his home village of Warley. He married Sarah Blackburn in 1768 and the couple had four children. He and his family lived all their lives in the Halifax
area.
James and his older brother, Thomas (1722–1778), were keen naturalists, Thomas having a particular interest in entomology
and ornithology
. Edward Donovan
named the dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii after a specimen collected by Thomas Bolton. The two brothers contributed to the natural history section in The History and Antiquities of the Parish of Halifax in Yorkshire, published in 1775 by John Watson
. James Bolton subsequently developed his interest further by writing or illustrating a number of important natural history books.
Flora Cantabrigiensis. In the same year, he also published the first of his own works, part one of Filices Britannicae, an illustrated account of British fern
s in two volumes. James Bolton not only drew the illustrations, but etched them himself. Moreover, he did not merely collate existing information on ferns, but undertook original research and field work. The book includes a description and illustration of a new fern species, now known as Woodsia alpina
(Bolton) Gray. At this time, Bolton enjoyed the patronage of Margaret Bentinck, Duchess of Portland
(1715–1785).
James Bolton's additional illustrations of native and exotic flowering plants were never published. A number of his original watercolours, however, are extant, including Fifty Flowers Drawn from Nature at Halifax (1785–1787) at the Natural History Museum
, an album from 1794 called "Twelve Posies Gathered in the Fields" held at Liverpool Museum, and a collection of botanical paintings in the Lindley Library
at the Royal Horticultural Society
.
In 1788 the genus Boltonia
(Compositae) was named in his honour by Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle
.
and illustrated. He also corresponded with many of the notable mycologists of his day, including Jean Bulliard
, James Dickson
, John Lightfoot, and Carl Willdenow
. The result was the publication of the first English-language work devoted to fungi, Bolton's three-volume An History of Fungusses growing about Halifax, published 1788-1790, with a supplement in 1791. The work was dedicated to Henry Noel, 6th Earl of Gainsborough
(1743–1798), who was one of Bolton's patrons and helped fund the project. As with the earlier book on ferns, Bolton not only undertook the illustrations, but also did the etchings for the work, which were then hand-coloured. Among the species covered, many were newly described, including such familiar fungi as the Wood Woollyfoot Collybia peronata (Bolton) P. Kumm., the inkcap Coprinellus domesticus
(Bolton) Vilgalys et al., the Cramp Ball Daldinia concentrica
(Bolton) Ces. & De Not., the bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa
(Bolton) J. Schröt., the agaric Lepiota cristata (Bolton) P. Kumm., and the Fairy-Ring Champignon Marasmius oreades
(Bolton) Fr. The book was translated into German, as Geschichte der merkwürdigsten Pilze, and published in four volumes (1795–1820) with notes by Willdenow.
An additional album of 233 unpublished paintings of fungi, known as Icones fungorum circa Halifax nascentium, is held in the Special Collections Library of the United States Department of Agriculture
. A collection of 36 "fungi illustrations" (c. 1780) is also held at the Natural History Museum and some additional sketches are in the library of the Earl of Derby
at Knowsley Hall
.
Few of Bolton's fungal collections survive, but some of his specimens are in the mycological herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
and others in the Edward Robson herbarium at Sunderland Museum.
in 2006. Bolton's fern and fungi books, with their descriptions of new species, remain of scientific value today, whilst his bird studies from Harmonia ruralis have retained their attraction - and have been reproduced as prints, on table mats and coasters, and even on tea towels.
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
, botanist, mycologist, and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
.
Background
James Bolton was born near WarleyWarley Town
Warley Town is a town near Halifax in the county of West Yorkshire, England.-History:It was listed in the Domesday book as Werlafeslei.Warley township, one of 23 townships in the ancient parish of Halifax, was also one of the biggest, stretching as far as Luddenden and what was to become Sowerby...
in the West Riding
West Riding
West Riding could refer to:Areas:*West Riding of Yorkshire, England*West Riding of Lindsey in Lincolnshire, England*West Riding of County Cork, Ireland*West Riding of County Galway, IrelandTransport companies:*West Riding Automobile Company...
of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
in 1735, the son of William Bolton, a weaver. James initially followed in his father's trade, but later became a self-taught art teacher and finally a publican
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in his home village of Warley. He married Sarah Blackburn in 1768 and the couple had four children. He and his family lived all their lives in the Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
area.
James and his older brother, Thomas (1722–1778), were keen naturalists, Thomas having a particular interest in entomology
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
and ornithology
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
. Edward Donovan
Edward Donovan
Edward Donovan was an Anglo Irish writer, natural history illustrator and amateur zoologist.-Biography:Born in Cork, Ireland, Donovan was an avid collector of natural history specimens purchased mainly at auctions of specimens from voyages of exploration...
named the dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii after a specimen collected by Thomas Bolton. The two brothers contributed to the natural history section in The History and Antiquities of the Parish of Halifax in Yorkshire, published in 1775 by John Watson
John Watson (antiquary)
John Watson was an English clergyman and antiquary.-Life:The son of Legh Watson of Lyme Handley in the parish of Prestbury, Cheshire, by his wife Hester, daughter of John Yates of Swinton, Lancashire, he was born at Lyme Handley 26 March 1725, and educated at the grammar schools of Eccles, Wigan...
. James Bolton subsequently developed his interest further by writing or illustrating a number of important natural history books.
Ferns and flowering plants
In 1785, Bolton provided the illustrations for Richard Relhan'sRichard Relhan
Richard Relhan was a botanist, a fellow of King's College, Cambridge, and author of a renowned book about the plants around Cambridge....
Flora Cantabrigiensis. In the same year, he also published the first of his own works, part one of Filices Britannicae, an illustrated account of British fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s in two volumes. James Bolton not only drew the illustrations, but etched them himself. Moreover, he did not merely collate existing information on ferns, but undertook original research and field work. The book includes a description and illustration of a new fern species, now known as Woodsia alpina
Woodsia alpina
Woodsia alpina, commonly known as Alpine Woodsia, is a fern found in northern latitudes in North America and Eurasia. Also known as Northern Woodsia or Alpine Cliff Fern, it is typically found in crevices, scree slopes and cliffs containing slate and calcareous rocks, especially...
(Bolton) Gray. At this time, Bolton enjoyed the patronage of Margaret Bentinck, Duchess of Portland
Margaret Bentinck, Duchess of Portland
Margaret Cavendish Bentinck, Duchess of Portland , styled Lady Margaret Harley before 1734, Duchess of Portland from 1734 to her husband's death in 1761, and Dowager Duchess of Portland from 1761 until her own death in 1785...
(1715–1785).
James Bolton's additional illustrations of native and exotic flowering plants were never published. A number of his original watercolours, however, are extant, including Fifty Flowers Drawn from Nature at Halifax (1785–1787) at the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
, an album from 1794 called "Twelve Posies Gathered in the Fields" held at Liverpool Museum, and a collection of botanical paintings in the Lindley Library
Lindley Library
The Lindley Library is the largest horticultural library in the world.The main part of the library is based at 80 Vincent Square, London, within the headquarters of its custodian, the Royal Horticultural Society ; the site also includes Lindley Hall, one of the Royal Horticultural Halls...
at the Royal Horticultural Society
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
.
In 1788 the genus Boltonia
Boltonia
Boltonia is a genus of plants in the Asteraceae family native to North America. There are about five species.Species include:*Boltonia apalachicolensis - Apalachicola doll's daisy*Boltonia asteroides - white doll's daisy...
(Compositae) was named in his honour by Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle
Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle
Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle was an 18th century French botanist and magistrate. Born into an affluent upper-class Parisian family, connections with the French Royal Court secured him the position of Superindent of Parisian Waters and Forests at the age of twenty-six...
.
Fungi
Bolton's chief interest was in fungi, which he assiduously collected, carried home in his vasculumVasculum
A vasculum is a container used by botanists to keep field samples viable by maintaining a cool, humid environment. Vascula are typically flattened tin cylinders, carried horizontally on a strap so that specimens lie flat and lined with moistened cloth....
and illustrated. He also corresponded with many of the notable mycologists of his day, including Jean Bulliard
Jean Baptiste François Pierre Bulliard
Jean Baptiste François Pierre Bulliard was a French physician and botanist....
, James Dickson
James Dickson (biologist)
James Dickson was a Scottish nurseryman, plant collector, botanist and mycologist. Between 1785 and 1801 he published his Fasciculus plantarum cryptogamicarum Britanniae, a four-volume work in which he published over 400 species of algae and fungi that occur in the British Isles...
, John Lightfoot, and Carl Willdenow
Carl Ludwig Willdenow
Carl Ludwig Willdenow was a German botanist, pharmacist, and plant taxonomist. He is considered one of the founders of phytogeography, the study of the geographic distribution of plants...
. The result was the publication of the first English-language work devoted to fungi, Bolton's three-volume An History of Fungusses growing about Halifax, published 1788-1790, with a supplement in 1791. The work was dedicated to Henry Noel, 6th Earl of Gainsborough
Earl of Gainsborough
Earl of Gainsborough is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation ended in extinction when the sixth Earl died without heirs...
(1743–1798), who was one of Bolton's patrons and helped fund the project. As with the earlier book on ferns, Bolton not only undertook the illustrations, but also did the etchings for the work, which were then hand-coloured. Among the species covered, many were newly described, including such familiar fungi as the Wood Woollyfoot Collybia peronata (Bolton) P. Kumm., the inkcap Coprinellus domesticus
Coprinellus domesticus
Coprinellus domesticus is a species of mushroom in the Psathyrellaceae family. It was first described as Agaricus domesticus by James Bolton in 1788, and later transferred to the genus Coprinellus in 2001.-References:...
(Bolton) Vilgalys et al., the Cramp Ball Daldinia concentrica
Daldinia concentrica
The inedible fungus Daldinia concentrica is known by several common names, including King Alfred's Cake, cramp balls, and coal fungus. It can be found in North America and Europe, where it lives on dead and decaying wood, especially on felled ash trees...
(Bolton) Ces. & De Not., the bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa
Daedaleopsis confragosa
Daedaleopsis confragosa is a plant pathogen, causing a white rot of various dead hardwoods and conifers. It is commonly known as the thin walled maze polypore, or the blushing bracket. It is found all year and is common in the United Kingdom.- External links :* * * by Robert Sasata,...
(Bolton) J. Schröt., the agaric Lepiota cristata (Bolton) P. Kumm., and the Fairy-Ring Champignon Marasmius oreades
Marasmius oreades
Marasmius oreades is also known as the scotch bonnet or fairy ring mushroom. The latter name tends to cause some confusion, as many other mushrooms grown in fairy rings .-Distribution and habitat:Marasmius oreades grows extensively throughout North America...
(Bolton) Fr. The book was translated into German, as Geschichte der merkwürdigsten Pilze, and published in four volumes (1795–1820) with notes by Willdenow.
An additional album of 233 unpublished paintings of fungi, known as Icones fungorum circa Halifax nascentium, is held in the Special Collections Library of the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
. A collection of 36 "fungi illustrations" (c. 1780) is also held at the Natural History Museum and some additional sketches are in the library of the Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the end of the reign of Henry III and died in 1279...
at Knowsley Hall
Knowsley Hall
Knowsley Hall is a stately home near Liverpool within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, in Merseyside, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is the ancestral home of the Stanley family, the Earls of Derby. The hall is surrounded by of...
.
Few of Bolton's fungal collections survive, but some of his specimens are in the mycological herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
and others in the Edward Robson herbarium at Sunderland Museum.
Songbirds
Bolton's final published work was Harmonia ruralis, an "essay towards a natural history of British songbirds", issued in two volumes (1794–6). Birds and their nests were drawn from life, whilst the text contained many of Bolton's first-hand observations. The popularity of the subject matter led to two subsequent but posthumous editions in 1830 and 1845.James Bolton today
An exhibition devoted to James Bolton and his works was held at the Liverpool Museum in 1995-6 and he was one of the artists featured in the Nature Observed exhibition at the University of LondonUniversity of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 2006. Bolton's fern and fungi books, with their descriptions of new species, remain of scientific value today, whilst his bird studies from Harmonia ruralis have retained their attraction - and have been reproduced as prints, on table mats and coasters, and even on tea towels.
Further reading
- Edmondson, J. (1995). James Bolton of Halifax. Liverpool: National Museums & Galleries