Forrest, Margaret Elvire, Lady (née Hamersley)   (1844 - 1929)

Born in Le Havre, France, 22 October 1844, died in Greenough, WA, 13 June 1929

Born Margaret Elvire Hammersley of well-to-do settlers who arrived at the Swan River Colony in 1837, Margaret Forrest was educated at home by governesses. In 1925 she recalled her happy childhood in an interview:
 

'I had a most happy childhood and girlhood. When released from my schoolroom, I passed my time pleasantly in singing and painting and riding and visiting . . in fact, every moment was fully filled, as I was also fond of gardening. I adore nature and our lovely wild flowers which I have painted from childhood' 
(West Australian, 18 September 1925.)
 

Her interest in native plants, plus her position in society, brought her into contact with many of the leading botanists and botanical artists who visited Australia. In 1880, for example, she provided the specimens for Marianne North, the English botanical artist. In 1889 Forrest set off with Marian Ellis Rowan to Geraldton and the area north of Carnarvon painting the spring flowers.

She was a founding member of the West Australian Society of Arts in 1896 and of the earlier Wilgie Club, which was possibly the first artists' society in the State.

Source: extracted from: Jennifer Phipps (1986) Artists' Gardens - Flowers and Gardens in Australian Art 1780s-1980s, Bay Books, Sydney. [consult for source references]

FORREST, MARGARET ELVIRE née HAMERSLEY, 22 October 1844-13 June 1929, coll. WA. Born in Le Havre, France, to Edward Hamersley (1810-1874) and Anne Louise née Cornelis. The family migrated to WA in 1850 where they became prominent pastoralists. Margaret grew up an accomplished watercolour artist. In 1876, she married John Forrest (1847-1918), a surveyor, explorer and politician. They did not have any children. Ferdinand Mueller stayed with the Forrests on a visit to WA in 1877.

Margaret collected MEL specimens (including fungi) near Perth, 1878-1879; Darling Range, 1880; Gascoyne River, 1882 (with husband); Gingin, 1883; Swan River, c.1883; Champion Bay, 1889; near Dongarra, 1889; near Gascoigne River, 1892; and about 80 miles eastward of the Irwin River, 1893.

Helipterum margarethae F.Muell. (1878) and Agaricus forrestiae Kalch. (1883) were named for her.

Margaret collected types of:

Agaricus forrestiae Kalchbr. (1883),
Tricholoma carneoflavidus Kalchbr. (1883),
Agaricus turbinipes Kalchbr. (1883),
Agaricus plagiotus Kalchbr. (1883),
Agaricus bicinctus Kalchbr. (1883) and
Velleia salmoniana F.Muell. (1892).

Karoly Kalchbrenner identified Margaret's fungal specimens for Mueller.

Margaret's brother-in-law Alexander Forrest and future sister-in-law, AMY ELIZA BARRETT-LENNARD, also collected MEL specimens.

Margaret died in Greenough in 1929 at the age of 85.

Mueller gave Margaret an inscribed copy of W.A. Mozart (n.d.) Die Zäuberflote, B. Tours (ed.), N. Macfarren (trans.), London.

Source: extracted from: Maroske, Sara and Vaughan, Alison (2014) 'Ferdinand Mueller's female plant collectors: a biographical register', Muelleria Vol.32 [consult for source references]

Collecting localities for 'Forrest, M.E.' from AVH (2021)

Data from 232 specimens