Eleanor Constance BornéeRundall (1898 – 1957) was a British writer who is remembered for her book The Adventures of a Botanist's Wife, which describes her travels in remote parts of north-eastern India and elsewhere.
Biography
She was born in Moffat, Scotland to Constance and John William Rundall, clergyman and headmaster of St Ninian's School.[1] Her parents’ roots were in England, and she went to a small boarding school near London with one of her sisters.[2] In her early thirties she lived in Assam for two years[3] before marrying her husband, the botanist Norman Bor, in Calcutta in 1931.[4]
Their life together started in Assam. As they moved around they undertook many adventurous expeditions, often in remote mountainous areas and including a visit to Tibet. They also had one or two longer stays in established settlements. For Eleanor Bor, four years in Dehradun were mainly spent writing and drawing as she and her husband did not enjoy the social life of a British hill station.[3] During this time they twice went to Lahaul "journeying deep into the mountains over high passes to the snowline"[5] on ponies, and Bor wrote three books, apparently never published.[3] She sketched in many different locations and carried crayons on her travels.[3]
When they went home on leave they travelled through other parts of India, Malaya, Hong Kong and the USA.[6] They returned to live in the UK in 1946,[6] and a few years later Bor's book was very well received.[7] Reviews praised the energy and vividness of the writing as well as the quality of the author's drawings included in the book.[8][6][9][1] Her originality was emphasised by critics, as was her sympathetic interest in the local people in the different places she went to. [8][7][5]
Norman Bor named a grass he discovered after her: Poa eleanorae Bor [10] She described it as an "emaciated, wizened looking affair, apparently of intense interest to a botanist".[3]
At the end of her life she had a "distressing" illness and her husband nursed her until her death in 1957.[1] Her ashes were scattered in the azalea garden at Kew Gardens, like her husband's after her.[6]
References
^ abcYear Book of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1973
^ abW. B. Turrill, Botanizing as It Should Be, Kew Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 3, 1952, p294
^Review quotes in publisher's ad in The Times Literary Supplement, 8 August 1952, p519
^Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, Vol 51, p80-82
January 06, 2023
eleanor, eleanor, constance, née, rundall, 1898, 1957, british, writer, remembered, book, adventures, botanist, wife, which, describes, travels, remote, parts, north, eastern, india, elsewhere, biography, editshe, born, moffat, scotland, constance, john, willi. Eleanor Constance Bor nee Rundall 1898 1957 was a British writer who is remembered for her book The Adventures of a Botanist s Wife which describes her travels in remote parts of north eastern India and elsewhere Biography EditShe was born in Moffat Scotland to Constance and John William Rundall clergyman and headmaster of St Ninian s School 1 Her parents roots were in England and she went to a small boarding school near London with one of her sisters 2 In her early thirties she lived in Assam for two years 3 before marrying her husband the botanist Norman Bor in Calcutta in 1931 4 Their life together started in Assam As they moved around they undertook many adventurous expeditions often in remote mountainous areas and including a visit to Tibet They also had one or two longer stays in established settlements For Eleanor Bor four years in Dehradun were mainly spent writing and drawing as she and her husband did not enjoy the social life of a British hill station 3 During this time they twice went to Lahaul journeying deep into the mountains over high passes to the snowline 5 on ponies and Bor wrote three books apparently never published 3 She sketched in many different locations and carried crayons on her travels 3 When they went home on leave they travelled through other parts of India Malaya Hong Kong and the USA 6 They returned to live in the UK in 1946 6 and a few years later Bor s book was very well received 7 Reviews praised the energy and vividness of the writing as well as the quality of the author s drawings included in the book 8 6 9 1 Her originality was emphasised by critics as was her sympathetic interest in the local people in the different places she went to 8 7 5 Norman Bor named a grass he discovered after her Poa eleanorae Bor 10 She described it as an emaciated wizened looking affair apparently of intense interest to a botanist 3 At the end of her life she had a distressing illness and her husband nursed her until her death in 1957 1 Her ashes were scattered in the azalea garden at Kew Gardens like her husband s after her 6 References Edit a b c Year Book of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1973 1911 census a b c d e Bor Eleanor 1952 The Adventures of a Botanist s Wife Hurst and Blackett Marriage records a b Sylva Norman Botanists on Quest The Times Literary Supplement 25 July 1952 p487 a b c d Norman Loftus Bor 1893 1972 C E Hubbard Kew Bulletin Vol 30 No 1 1975 pp 1 10 a b Times obituary 17 April 1957 a b W B Turrill Botanizing as It Should Be Kew Bulletin Vol 7 No 3 1952 p294 Review quotes in publisher s ad in The Times Literary Supplement 8 August 1952 p519 Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society Vol 51 p80 82 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eleanor Bor amp oldid 1125658189, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
