George Forrest was a popular Scottish botanist.
He was widely popular as one of the first western explorers of China’s previous southern province of Yunnan.
Yunnan is regarded as China’s most biodiverse province.
Today, we will be covering the life details of George Forrest, his age, height, career, relationship, net worth, and even more.
So, keep on reading!
Quick Biography
| Real Name | George Forrest |
| Nick Name | George |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | March 13, 1873 |
| Birth Place | Falkirk, Scotland |
| Date of Death | January 5, 1932 |
| Birth Sign | N/A |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Profession | Botanist |
| Hair Color | N/A |
| Eye Color | N/A |
| Net Worth | N/A |
Early Life
Where was George Forrest born?
George Forrest was born on March 13, 1873, and his hometown was Falkirk, Scotland.
He attended Kilmarnock Academy for his schooling.
He dropped out of school and went to work for a neighborhood pharmacist as an apprentice.
He then opted to move to Australia in 1891, after inheriting a little legacy, to look for gold and work on a sheep farm before returning to Scotland in 1902.
Forrest’s life then took a turn for the worst when he was caught in a shower while fishing in Tweedsdale’s Gladhouse Loch.
He took refuge behind an overhanging bank, where he discovered an old stone coffin.
Professor Bayley Balfour, Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, was introduced to him as a result of his finding, and he was offered a position at the Herbarium.
While Forrest’s inside job was likely tedious, it served as good preparation for his excursions.
Balfour referred Forrest, now 30 years old, to Arthur Kilpin Bulley, a Liverpool horticultural and cotton merchant.
Bulley was the one who funded a trip to southern China in quest of unusual plants, especially rhododendron species, which Yunnan is rich in.
Now, let’s get to know about the beginning of the career of George Forrest and his achievements until his death.
Career
What was George Forrest famous for?
George Forrest was a popular botanist who did lots of plant collections during his days.
In 1904, George Forrest embarked on his first journey to Yunnan.
He landed at Talifu in August.
He began establishing a base of operations and studying the local language.
Later, he assisted in the vaccination of thousands of natives against smallpox.
He was all prepared to embark on his first mission to the northwest corner of Yunnan, near the Tibet border, in 1905.
So, he and his team of 17 native collectors went to the French mission in Tzekou, which was run by Père Étienne-Jules Dubernard.
Plants, herbarium specimens, and seeds were collected by Forrest and his colleagues.
They were unaware that the carnage was coming for them in the safety of the rhododendron forests, where only Forrest would survive.
He became the finest collector of Yunnan flora after being rescued, gathering hundreds of rhododendron species, as well as other shrubs and perennials.
In 1921, he was awarded the Victoria Medal of Honour from the Royal Horticultural Society.
He was also awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal in 1927 and was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1924.
Forrest visited Yunnan seven times.
He collected samples and seeds for the Herbarium as well as passionate collectors eager to pay for new species to add to their collections during his visits.
In all, he returned with around 31,000 plant specimens.
He also found a number of new species, such as Gentiana sino-ornata.
After Forrest’s death, botanical specimens gathered by him are housed in herbaria across the world, most notably at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s herbarium.
The Hong Kong Herbarium, the National Herbarium of Victoria at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Harvard University Herbaria, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the Swedish Museum of Natural History all have collections.
Death
How did George Forrest die?
On January 5, 1932, Forrest died of a major heart attack while hunting game in the hills near Tengchong, the place where he had set up his base in the past.
He was cremated beside his friend George Litton, who had served as Acting British Consul in Tengchong until his death 26 years before.
Personal Details
How old was George when he died?
Born on March 13, 1873, George was 58 years old when he died on January 5, 1932.
Besides his birth date and the date of his death, there is not much information about George’s personal life.
So, we have no idea how tall was he and how much he weighed.
Also, we have no idea about his zodiac sign, eye color, and hair color too.
As for his nationality, he was Scottish.
We will be updating you on the personal details of George in a more detailed form as soon as we get any information.
So, stay updated!
Now, let’s know about the wife of George and his children.
Relationship
Who was the wife of George Forrest?
George Forrest was married to his wife Clementia Traill.
The couple was hitched during the year 1907 and they went on to have three sons.
Besides Clementia, there is no information about George’s other relationships.
Family
Who were the parents of George Forrest?
There is no information regarding George Forrest’s parents.
So, we have no idea about his parents’ names, professional details, and more.
Also, there is no relevant information about his siblings too.
It could be he was the only child of his parents.
Net Worth
What was the net worth of George Forrest?
George was a talented botanist with lots of excellent works.
He must have made a good income during his days.
However, we have no idea what was his net worth before he died or any other source of income before his botanist job.
Now, let’s know some of the lesser-known facts about George Forrest.
Trivia
- George Forrest was born on March 13, 1873.
- His hometown was Falkirk, Scotland.
- After he died, he was cremated alongside his friend George Litton.
- He was awarded the Victoria Medal of Honour from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1921, the Veitch Memorial Medal in 1927, and was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1924.
- His wife was Clementia Traill with whom he had three sons altogether.
Video
Check out the video of George Forrest during his visit to China down below:
Video Credit:Â @RoyalBotanicGardenEdinburgh YouTube
Image Credit: Google Images
