Davidson gets promoted

MacLean and Davidson could not collect a specimen of every plant that grew in British Columbia by themselves, nor could the two men agree on how to successfully handle such a large project. Davidson wanted to enlist all 500 public schools in the province as botanical correspondents who would provide the office with specimens. MacLean considered this elaborate plan unworkable and, according to Davidson, did all that he could to prevent Davidson from carrying it out. After a few frustrating months, Davidson requested a meeting with Young. Young transferred MacLean to another department and promoted Davidson to MacLean’s post, increasing his salary. This is how John Davidson became the British Columbia provincial botanist in May 1912.

Soon after, Young provided Davidson with the funds to hire an assistant, Miss Mary Jane Gruchy (1891–1986). Her duties included stenography and pressing and mounting plants for study.

Even with Dr. Young’s support, Davidson’s experiences in Aberdeen, in which he did not receive credit for the work he had done, still troubled him. As a result, while his original job at Essondale had been to assist MacLean in conducting a complete botanical survey of the province, Davidson often tried to take much of the credit for himself. In later years, he erased from history MacLean’s initial involvement in the botanical office.

Davidson was very proud of his new role in British Columbia. In a presentation to the BC Academy of Science, he said:

I am quite conscious of the honour and responsibility which the Provincial Government has laid on me, of laying the foundation for a Botanical Survey of the Province, thereby paving the way for future botanical research by students of our New University.