Photographer

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Hexadesmia crurigera now known as Scaphyglottis crurigera. 

Black and white lantern slide. ca. 1900.

'Black and white photography had become commonplace by 1900, and several members of the gardens staff were expert photographers.'

(Nelson & Sayers, 2002)

Of the slides used to illustrate Moore's lecture Lesser known Orchids only one can be attributed to a specific photographer. Leo Farmar worked as an apprentice from 1900-1902 at Glasnevin. His image of Hexadesmia crurigera featured in the Orchid Review of 1903, prior to Moore's lecture (1903).

Following his time at Glasnevin, Farmar (1878 -1907) served as a gardener and then as a ‘Preparer’ in the Herbarium at Kew. In 1906, he worked for the Institute of Commercial Research in the Tropics at Liverpool University.

Farmar was employed as a botanist for the First West African Expedition of the Institute from January to June 1906. During the expedition he collected a great quantity of botanical material, which later formed part of the West African Herbarium. The trip was rigorous and Leo’s health became exceedingly grave towards the end of the trip. He died on the 6th April 1907 at the Bush Hotel, Southsea. The Coroner's report stated death by suicide whilst temporarily insane.

Before he died, Leo co-authored an article Botanic Gardens at Konakry, French Guinea. He also wrote an article for the Kew Guild in 1906 entitled A Journey in West Africa.

Photographer