Another blow to the Botanical Office

The Botanical Office suffered a greater blow to its continued security when Thomas Taylor replaced Henry Esson Young as minister of education on December 15, 1915 (Young resigned his seat before the 1916 election, following a scandal involving payments from a mining company.) Davidson had lost the protection of his former patron. As a result, his office and activities did not last a month without the threat of closure “on the ground of economy” caused by the war that was then raging in Europe (First World War).

In 1916, Davidson found out that, to save money, the provincial government planned to close his Botanical Office.

Davidson had to dismiss his staff and hand over all of the specimens to the University of British Columbia. What’s more, he was not offered a job with the university. This was “most discouraging” for Davidson, who had come to a new country and received work for which he was especially trained. Men “with no knowledge of the subject and no interest in the work” had told him to “clear out” at the exact time his labours had begun to bear fruit.

Davidson had hoped that natural historians from around the province would rally and save the Botanical Office. A few of them did write letters to newspaper editors but, unfortunately, the most important of them (such as the Newcombes in Victoria) did nothing. This was because Davidson himself had not cooperated with local botanists. When C.F. Newcombe had asked Davidson to share his “secret” process of wet specimen preparation, Davidson declined his request.

Davidson’s bad experiences with Professor Trail in Aberdeen had taught him not to cooperate with others. That strategy now haunted Davidson. The very people who could do the most to save his job did nothing to help him.

A debate of the situation took place in the editorial pages of local newspapers. Editorials and letters to the editor criticized the plans to close the Botanical Office. Even though the Vancouver Island natural historians did not come to his aid, many clubs and organizations supported “Professor” and “Dr.” Davidson and his work, including the following:

• the Vagabond’s Club (whose membership was engaged in “education, artistic, scientific and literary work”)
• the University Women’s Club
• the Art, History and Scientific Association
• the school trustees
• The British Columbia Pharmaceutical Association
• the South Vancouver Board of Trade

What’s more, the City Beautiful and Home Garden Association organized a petition and “The People’s Forum” at the Labor Temple made the closure of the office a topic of discussion.

While Henry Esson Young, the minister of education, might have planned for the Botanical Office to be the start of the university’s botany department, UBC President Frank Wesbrook did not consider Davidson a qualified professor. Wesbrook thought Davidson’s background as a museum attendant meant that he was qualified only for the position as departmental support staff, once a real professor had been chosen.

Despite Wesbrook’s wishes, in March 1916, the politicians agreed that Davidson and his staff should move to the University of British Columbia, along with the herbarium specimens and live garden plants. The Botanical Office staff continued their work as employees of the soon-to-be-created UBC botany department.